Step-By-Step We Celebrate...
I got back from California on Sunday night. San Diego was awesome! It was my 1st time back since going there in June 2006 for a friend's wedding. I've concluded that it's quite possible I'll never get tired of Baja-style fish tacos. Especially when I can order them with a beer or a margarita and then eat them outdoors by the waterfront in 70 degree weather. I always enjoy visiting California and the West Coast, in general. It didn't hurt matters that when I arrived at the Manchester Grand Hyatt (where I had reserved a standard room), the front desk told me they had run out of standard rooms and had to assign me to a suite (but charged at the standard room rate)! So I got this HUGE 7th floor room that was more like a studio apartment, complete w/ a kitchen, living room, and waterfront view.
My research poster presentation went really well. The conference that I attended was huge and overwhelming, with me running between several different hotels to get to back-to-back scheduled seminars/sessions. But I also enjoyed it and learned a lot and met many interesting people. Perhaps I made some new professional connections. On the way back home, I routed my flight through Colorado, where I got to spend the weekend hangin' out w/ my sister. Believe it or not, it snowed (crazy spring weather)! My body is still adjusting back from West Coast time but I've barely had a chance to sit still.
On Monday, I was back at school for my Doctoral Program Committee Meeting. This is where, as you finish the coursework phase of your degree, your faculty committee officially signs off on these, and you discuss plans for the rest of your program (i.e., comprehensive exams and your dissertation). I'm excited and happy and maybe a tad bit scared all at once to be at this point and to look ahead to what is to come for the rest of my time here as a student. The meeting was terrific though, with a thoughtful and diverse group of professors who I hope will help guide me toward the finish line. We just had a really open conversation about what direction I see myself going in, professionally, as well as what topics I might start to think about for comps and writing my dissertation. Summer is going to be busy with said comprehensive exams. The goal is to finish and pass comps by summer's end, and start my dissertation by fall. Is it even humanly possible?
Whatever. It's just an exciting feeling to have reached this point and be where I am. It's a little bit weird. A little bit scary. Definitely happy. Hard to describe, really. But that's it for now...I still have to finish up a bunch of assignments, etc.
As my currently dissertating friend Lauren said, "celebrate now" b/c comps and dissertation is a long and sometimes winding road. So pour me another glass....
I have something else to share sometime, but am too tired now, so will just enjoy this feeling tonight. Sometimes we have to live by baby steps, and mark each important one.
