Dissertation Update, 2/20

Lots of news about my recent progress:

I finished Chapter 2 and sent it to my advisor on the 14th, the day it was due. It was missing a few things--some data on the AMA's Ethics Code, a few things about Dr. Cramp, and fixing the notes--but generally reads well and is pretty coherent. The point was that I sent it in on time. Six months ago I would have looked at it and been frustrated and disappointed and decided that it wasn't worth sending to my advisor. Things have changed. Though I've said for a while that 'it doesn't have to be good, it just has to be done,' I never internalized it till now. It helps that I have this robust schedule with actual deadlines, and that (it was this simple!) I wrote the phrase on a postit and stuck it on my mirror.

As a reward for finishing chapter 2, I went to a v-day party and ate chocolate and wowed everyone with my knowledge of vintage port (which I never thought would have come in handy in a gathering of arty young queers).

The next diss goal is Chapter 4. I was looking forward to writing it, but now it feels a bit drab. I'm revising it in small sections but I'm still feeling overwhelmed. I'll have to drop my goals to paragraphs.

Chapter 4 is due on the 28th, and I feel like I've wasted lots of the time I had to write it. I think I sat on my laurels a bit too much over Chapter 2, and did social things I really should have declined, or spent less time at. The other problem is that my sleep schedule had been disrupted by the enormous amount of coffee I had been drinking, so I decided to detox a bit, and spent a whole day sleeping and feeling crummy and reading The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, which gave me weird dreams.

So now it's the 20th, and I have a little more than a week to revise Chapter 4. I know that it's possible (I did most of the work on 3 in about 3 days) but my motivation is slipping. I'm going to read some motivation lifehacks and see if that helps.

Also, it's totally gorgeous outside. I'm glad I've had the chance to bike around, but good weather is no good for my motivation.