getting back to it (at least for a couple days)

I've been away. Not physically, but mentally. After I turned in my proposal I spent some quality time with the television, knitting, and a couple books. And now, with my proposal defense in a mere two days, I am trying to get back into that mode. By 3 p.m. on Wednesday, I hope to be moving on to filling out IRB paperwork.

As of Monday morning at 9:30 I have not read my proposal since turning it in a week ago. I think that's okay, since I would probably nitpick and fret over small mistakes. Although I am sure there are mistakes, I feel good about it overall, and, as my advisor said, it is going to change substantially before the final iteration.

Turning in the proposal gave me a sense of accomplishment that I hadn't felt in a long time. And while I am thankful for that feeling, I also think it is a little dangerous considering I still have a ways to go. In fact, thinking about the 60+ hours of interview transcripts I will have to analyze in a couple of months drains me of feeling altogether!

The oddest thing is that I haven't felt like knitting or posting here, and I think it is because I was using both of those things to help me through the process. I have gotten back to knitting. And clearly I am posting on this blog. But Last night I was thinking about what would happen to this blog once I am done with the dissertation. Will I even be interested in continuing? What would I write about? I have some ethical issues about writing about my day-to-day experiences with any job I might take, so I know that is out. I suppose it is not so important to think about right now, after all dissertation defense is at least 5 months away.