The Whirlwind Continues

Well. For a while there I thought that the final revised dissertation deadline was this past Monday. That morning, I checked the handy sheet of deadlines and discovered that I was wrong - the deadline is today. So I have had a few extra days to make revisions. Of course, it's never enough time and I am in that mode of feeling like I want to spend more time thinking about and working through the chapters because I haven't had a chance to address all of the points my committee members have raised. But no matter what I did, I know I'd run out of time. That's just how these things work, and that's why deadlines exist. My advisor and another committee member who has helped out the most are both very relaxed about the whole dissertation stage of things, because as they put it, the dissertation is kind of a formality for a practicing scientist. The more important matter is publications, and it is going to take a few additional months/years before my dissertation chapters are ready for submission as publications. Still, the deadline is a good time to push through some critical revisions. Now I have to e-mail my committee to tell them what's what and what I've done to address their concerns. Besides, they are all fantastic scientists and have made great contributions to the quality of my writing and thinking. That's what a committee is for. I think they'll also be willing to chip in on helping me get stuff ready for publication, but I will have to talk to my advisor about the best way to go about that whole process. You know, while I'm in the midst of working on a thousand other things.

This afternoon/evening, scrottie and I will be driving out to Texas, so we can get the lay of the land. My job there is not 100% confirmed (postdoc advisor is cautious about things, and rightly so), so we won't be signing a lease, but at least we can figure out what's where and hopefully S can get a better idea of whether or not he could survive living there. (hey, same for me). It's going to be a long drive there, and a long drive back, without too much time to visit, but that was the most reasonable way to travel there.

When I return, it will be time for packing things. R and B have been very thoughtful about the whole moving out/moving in process, but I really need to get moved out before I depart for the East Coast/Europe on August 10. That's going to involve interesting projects, like selling the piano and sewing machine and downsizing my personal possessions. The garden, chickens, and kitty will stay here until I have more information about where and when I'll be moving. I want to make sure I leave things in good shape for R and B, because I have really enjoyed living here and I want to move out on good terms. R and I have had a good run of things. When S and I get back from Europe, I'll stay with S for a few weeks. I hope we don't kill each other. I'm optimistic, but it will still feel a bit odd to be technically homeless. In some ways, I'm looking forward to it, because there will be fewer possessions to take care of and we won't have as much of the going-back-and-forth to do. Getting to Tempe to go to school and go rowing will be a bit more time-consuming, but then again there are many people who live with commutes that long every day.

So, that's that. Texas, here we come. I'm kind of looking forward to the drive. A lot of people find New Mexico and western Texas to be kind of a tedious drive, but I find the wide-open spaces very peaceful, and driving will give me time to think.