So today is Saturday. You know what that means? I think it means that I worked 2 Saturdays in a row. I usually try to get streaks like this going in the opposite direction. Things seem to be going well in the work category. I may be able to get everything done that I need to with my thesis. I know I have complained about my brothers timing on his wedding a few times but man this really is bad timing. I am not happy at all having to really scrape things together fast like this.
Okay most of the having to get things done fast may be my fault but lets be honest, I will be getting my thesis done almost 2 weeks early if I get it done in time to head to Texas via car.
So the moral of the story? I am getting pretty stressed out again now that I am trying to get everything done for texas. I had about a day of stress relief after doing my thesis defense thinking oh I am all done...
Well not quiet yet. I still have to be official.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
No Really...
Well I am getting closer each day to being done with my masters degree. I guess now you could say I unofficially have my masters degree. I didn't realize that this was the case if you pass you defense but haven't yet turned in the final thesis. Well my thesis defense went well.
For my thesis defense I was pretty nervous up to about 3 hours before. I didn't sleep really well, and I had the "pre-race" jitters that I frequently got when I did sports in high school. But a few hours before I guess a different part of me took over and I set aside the nervousness. I was one with the presentation. That was really invigorating now that I think about it. Overall my talking went well. My lovely wife was there to cheer me on. That was really helpful. That was the kind of support that I didn't think I would really desire but actually really appreciated.
Once I started the presentation as always I felt like this isn't enough information or work for my thesis to actually be done. I was worried that people would question the quality or the amount of work. Luckily I worried about that in vain. I got some questions that were really confusing because I just didn't understand the context that people were coming from but those were to bad I would say.
After general questions I got grilled by the committee and that wasn't actually to bad. Overall though it seemed that they mainly asked me really far off questions that didn't seem to actually apply directly to the thesis. Overall they wanted to be sure I was able to think on the next level not just struggle at the one I was presenting on. I understand this as well but it was weird. Some questions were totally in left field from where I did my research but those were to bad because they didn't have to be answered perfectly because they were mostly speculative.
They kicked me out and talked among themselves for a few minutes and then told me I passed and talked about some things that they wanted me to change in the thesis it self. Mostly talking about data and conclusions differently and adding some background information. This was stuff that will make it better. The problem with that is that I could make this project better and better forever. I just want to be done! Okay really now I am getting really close. Maybe next week I will be able to be totally done.
That is a really big relief. I just wish that I didn't have to go to the wedding and Texas. I will have lots fun that is for sure. But overall I don't want to have to be stressed about getting everything done. I guess that would be a perfect world. I am still enjoying this one though...
For my thesis defense I was pretty nervous up to about 3 hours before. I didn't sleep really well, and I had the "pre-race" jitters that I frequently got when I did sports in high school. But a few hours before I guess a different part of me took over and I set aside the nervousness. I was one with the presentation. That was really invigorating now that I think about it. Overall my talking went well. My lovely wife was there to cheer me on. That was really helpful. That was the kind of support that I didn't think I would really desire but actually really appreciated.
Once I started the presentation as always I felt like this isn't enough information or work for my thesis to actually be done. I was worried that people would question the quality or the amount of work. Luckily I worried about that in vain. I got some questions that were really confusing because I just didn't understand the context that people were coming from but those were to bad I would say.
After general questions I got grilled by the committee and that wasn't actually to bad. Overall though it seemed that they mainly asked me really far off questions that didn't seem to actually apply directly to the thesis. Overall they wanted to be sure I was able to think on the next level not just struggle at the one I was presenting on. I understand this as well but it was weird. Some questions were totally in left field from where I did my research but those were to bad because they didn't have to be answered perfectly because they were mostly speculative.
They kicked me out and talked among themselves for a few minutes and then told me I passed and talked about some things that they wanted me to change in the thesis it self. Mostly talking about data and conclusions differently and adding some background information. This was stuff that will make it better. The problem with that is that I could make this project better and better forever. I just want to be done! Okay really now I am getting really close. Maybe next week I will be able to be totally done.
That is a really big relief. I just wish that I didn't have to go to the wedding and Texas. I will have lots fun that is for sure. But overall I don't want to have to be stressed about getting everything done. I guess that would be a perfect world. I am still enjoying this one though...
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Things Are Good!
Well things are going well. I finished an assignment that I had due for monday that was pretty big and in the way of work that I really wanted to be working on, my thesis. So that is out of the way and freed up a few hours of time for this next week. I am afraid and excited that this next week may be the longest work week of my life. Previously the longest work week I have had was about 74 hours. So we will see if I can accomplish what I need to this week and how much time it will take. Here is a list of what I have to do.
Finish my Thesis Defense Presentation (I really have about all of it left to do...)
Read another book for my Sociology Class I am taking.
Work on my soils project at the EPA for probably at least 20 hours.
Format my thesis entirely so that it is ready to turn in with other revisions requested from my committee members.
Write my sociology paper that is due very soon after my trip to Texas.
I guess those are only a few things that I need to be doing this week. I probably won't need 70 hours. Hopefully I can finish everything up in that time. But if need be I will be putting in 80 or 90. I am determined to be worry free when I get to my brothers wedding. So I can focus on birds and the wonders therein of Texas!
Anyway the other nice thing is that the cold I previously had is about down the drain. What a relief. It was really wiping me out. Usually I crack off about 7 hours of rest and am doing well, but with this cold I was needing 10+ hours to be just a bit functional. Argh. Last week I put in about 55 hours and I was really dragging. Hopefully I can put in only 55 and not be dragging at all!
I am also enjoying the 1pm church we will be having until the end of the year. I like the long morning to eat play and do what ever with the family before we head over to church. It is really nice!
Finish my Thesis Defense Presentation (I really have about all of it left to do...)
Read another book for my Sociology Class I am taking.
Work on my soils project at the EPA for probably at least 20 hours.
Format my thesis entirely so that it is ready to turn in with other revisions requested from my committee members.
Write my sociology paper that is due very soon after my trip to Texas.
I guess those are only a few things that I need to be doing this week. I probably won't need 70 hours. Hopefully I can finish everything up in that time. But if need be I will be putting in 80 or 90. I am determined to be worry free when I get to my brothers wedding. So I can focus on birds and the wonders therein of Texas!
Anyway the other nice thing is that the cold I previously had is about down the drain. What a relief. It was really wiping me out. Usually I crack off about 7 hours of rest and am doing well, but with this cold I was needing 10+ hours to be just a bit functional. Argh. Last week I put in about 55 hours and I was really dragging. Hopefully I can put in only 55 and not be dragging at all!
I am also enjoying the 1pm church we will be having until the end of the year. I like the long morning to eat play and do what ever with the family before we head over to church. It is really nice!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Really?
I have my thesis defense scheduled! This is really weird to actually be at this point. It has been a long time coming. I think it may have been harder to get the four professors together than to do the research and write the thesis. But I am set for my defense on the 13th of November 2008 at 2pm. I am pretty excited about this. I do have a load of work to do before then but hey that is what I do...I just wish I wasn't getting a massive cold. Argh!
Scheduling?
Well I am working on my scheduling today for my thesis defense. I have to get four really busy people all in the same room at the same time. Today I think I may have done it. But when I think I may have done it I think that I may also be finding lots of problems to deal with. Two of the people on the committee previously had said that Thursday the 13th of November was fine any time. So I set it for 2pm based on what the busiest member said. Well the original two now are saying that maybe I will have a conflict at that time. Let me check.
Argh. The worst thing is that I have to wait a bit longer to set it up. Today was almost a total anachronism in that all four members were in their offices and I was able to contact them all at once. That is really unusual. Believe me. So I am now facing potentially having to reschedule the entire thing again. Oh my.
The interesting thing is that now it is fitting together potentially and our hopeful plans for going to Texas are lining up I don't want to go at all. That may be because I am currently suffering from a bad cold and am tired of everything. I don't want to do anything right now. I don't even want to have a break is the funny thing. I can tell I need to go home and worry about this stuff tomorrow. I will be feeling better about things then. That is no guarantee though in my attendance at my brothers wedding. I am still a bit peeved that he scheduled it at the worst time in the last 3 years for me. Oh well.
Argh. The worst thing is that I have to wait a bit longer to set it up. Today was almost a total anachronism in that all four members were in their offices and I was able to contact them all at once. That is really unusual. Believe me. So I am now facing potentially having to reschedule the entire thing again. Oh my.
The interesting thing is that now it is fitting together potentially and our hopeful plans for going to Texas are lining up I don't want to go at all. That may be because I am currently suffering from a bad cold and am tired of everything. I don't want to do anything right now. I don't even want to have a break is the funny thing. I can tell I need to go home and worry about this stuff tomorrow. I will be feeling better about things then. That is no guarantee though in my attendance at my brothers wedding. I am still a bit peeved that he scheduled it at the worst time in the last 3 years for me. Oh well.
DONE!
Okay so I am almost done. I am finishing printing out my thesis for people to look at. Mainly my committee. What a relief. I am about to finish my masters! Well I am getting pretty close. I may even be able to say that I will be finished this semester. We will see. Anyway, I have spent a bit to much time today finishing up things so I am headed home.
Chow!
Chow!
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