Renewed sense of dissertating

Today is the first day on my path towards a "Done Dissertation." I bought the book Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation, by Drs. Sonja Foss and William Waters. Let's just say it has really lit a fire under my you-know-what (figure no cursing in the first post - we'll see how long my sailor-mouth can hold out!). I find I'm invigorated and energized with a renewed sense of dissertating. And, yes, that is actually a word. I'm feeling good again about the process and most important, I feel like I can do it!

Poor Greg, he's been on my roller coaster of ups and downs regarding my dissertation. He's comforted me in the darkest of dissertation hours and applauded every mini-success I've had in my academic career so far. He's truly the best cheerleader a doctoral student could have. Yet, despite his sage-like advice, patience, and compassion, I still find myself staring at the blank screen or thinking - just a few more minutes on Facebook and then I'll REALLY get started.

So, after a casual recommendation by my advisor, which was really more of a suggestion because of his interest in travel guides, I bought the aforementioned book - I'm so glad I did!

If you don't know me, which is doubtful if you're reading this, then you might think that this is a silly endeavor. "Why don't you just do your work and just get it done?" Well, that is what one might say/think, but the truth of the dissertation is this: it is a lonely experience. It makes you feel things that you never thought you'd feel, and experience frustration in a whole new way. This blog is hopefully a productive answer to these feelings. I doubt that others will track my progress, but knowing that this is out there for people to read helps me feel accountable.

As p. 348 instructs me - have someone else keep you accountable for the time you spend on your dissertation. Therefore, at the end of each entry (which blogging will NOT count for dissertating, since, as Foss & Waters say, I can only account for things that move me forward in my dissertation) I will log the hours I spent that day as well as my goal for the next day. One little tip that I'm going to try is using mini post-its that have the number of hours I want to work in a day and take them down one by one so I can keep track of how many hours I have left. A silly little thing to do, but it's this inane nonsense that gives me a little boost, so we'll see how it goes. Plus, the authors assure me that once I get into my habit of regular writing that I won't need this little reminder. It's a habit only a list maker could love!

Also, a brief shout-out to my Dad who, indirectly, helped me come up with the title of my blog: How's your dissertation? Because, well, he loves to ask and I love to give him my pathetic stare as if to say "why on earth would you ask me that?!" Here, now, is the answer: it's coming along and I invite you all (yeah, Mom!) to join me for the ride. Think of this as a Bridget Jones Diary for the ABD

Today: 1 hour (ugh! pathetic!)
Tomorrow: 6 hours (perhaps a bit ambitious, but let's hope for the best!)
I teach my penultimate class, have FPP (Future Professoriate Program) and a lunch date with some fellow ABD 3rd years.