PhD – O's Bureau of Scientific Investigations

The InBetween

There was a new show back in the spring (yes I realize that was almost a year ago) called The InBetween about a woman named Cassie Bedford who sees spirits and helps solve their murder cases so the spirit can move on from the in-between. But the idea of being trapped in the in-between isn’tContinue reading “The InBetween”

Another semester…another writing group…and the dreaded proposal defense

Well, we are almost at midterm of the Fall semester. My dream of having my proposal defended by this point is shot or rather pushed to the end of October. I have made significant progress on my proposal (which is the first three chapters of my dissertation) and I am definitely in line to makeContinue reading “Another semester…another writing group…and the dreaded proposal defense”

The Joy of a Writing Group

Almost two weeks into my summer writing group, and I am seeing some differences in my motivation. Through the group, we set weekly writing goals and I am keeping up with them. If you get a chance to be in a writing group, I highly recommend it. Though these are strangers really, it is niceContinue reading “The Joy of a Writing Group”

And writing has commenced…

In the time since my last post, I have written chapter 1 out of the 3 chapters I need for my proposal. I am shooting at having the proposal done a few weeks after one of my committee members get back in the country (he is in Africa on a safari for 5 weeks). WhichContinue reading “And writing has commenced…”

Comps might kill me…

As of right now, I am done writing my comps and have been for a month. Yay, glad that’s over, right? WRONG! I have to defend them and that is happening on Tuesday. And I am a mental wreck…I am rereading my work so it is fresh in my mind, but also critiquing it inContinue reading “Comps might kill me…”

Conference, and Colleagues, and Comps, Oh My!

Well I just spent the last week at ASTE conference in Baltimore. I presented my first first author paper, I learned how to be a journal reviewer, and I worked on my comps. Yes in the middle of my 30-day work period, I ran off to Baltimore bringing 12 paper books, about a 100 papersContinue reading “Conference, and Colleagues, and Comps, Oh My!”

The Dreaded Comprehensives

Well, I have been slogging through all my research, trying desperately to make connections and answer the question given me. I was given my questions the last week of the semester around the 19th…and now I have until to January 19th to put together a coherent response to the “three” questions asked me ( I say “three”Continue reading “The Dreaded Comprehensives”

Here we go!

Today is the last day of summer break. And this summer I really did take a break…I only took the required three hours (and that was my writing camp that was only two weeks long). Though I did still work. I worked on my research for my possible dissertation topic, I wrote a couple ofContinue reading “Here we go!”

Thoughts at the Midpoint

Well, I have made it halfway. Two years down, two years to go. As I think back over the last two years, I think about how much I have learned and how I have grown as a teacher, scholar, and person. In such a short time, I have gained so much, as well as whittled awayContinue reading “Thoughts at the Midpoint”

So I am almost in the middle…

Well, here I sit, almost at the end of the spring semester, the end of which will denote the midway point (hopefully) of my Ph.D. journey. So I look back and forward at the same time…looking back I see that I am on the right path. Everything seems to be falling into place which givesContinue reading “So I am almost in the middle…”