Productivity and a Brief Trip to my SoapBox

Yo!

So, I just had to write today to discuss how WONDERFULLY PRODUCTIVE today has been. I have coded - for the umpteenth time - five of my interviews. Tomorrow, I will start writing the bios for my chapter four. I am using a storytelling approach to my dissertation, and, therefore, will be providing a little back story on each participant to give the reader some context for the analysis. I'm starting to get a wee bit excited about this chapter four. Hopefully, the productivity will continue. I LOVE feeling like this about my work. Everytime I read these interviews, I remember why this work is important, and why I chose it! My participants rule! And there stories deserve to be heard. If for no other reason, those who read it . . hopefully a few will read it . . may never get any other exposure to people who commit crimes.

You know, I have noticed that people tend to really embrace their ignorance. For example, today, I read in an online newspaper about a man who was arrested on several counts of sexual abuse . . . don't even get me started about the press providing the names of people who have been arrested but not convicted in a society which supposedly believes in innocent until proven guilty . . . Anyway, the story went on to say that this man was being charged for crimes that allegedly took place approximately 15-20 years ago. The article goes on to provide an interview with the alleged perpetrators mother who stated that her son is mentally retarded. Now, scroll down to the "comments" at the bottom - the gentleman who commented said that this person deserved to die and that no amount of mental problems should excuse his behavior . . . he should just die. Now, I'm not angling for excusing anyone's behavior, but, it was very apparent that this commenter had never been associated with someone who committed a crime, was mentally retarded, just had never had any direct contact with the "wrong side of the law" or any type of mental instability. When folks who are ignorant of certain situations make massively inflammatory comments, it makes me want to stab a flaming spork through my eyeballs!

All that to say, if providing the stories of these women can in any way, shape or form educate someone . . . not necessarily academically, but just to the human condition . . . if just ONE person becomes more sensitive to these issues, then all of this CRAP has been worth it.

Whew, that turned out much longer and much more soapboxy than I had intended.

I'm out!

Have a good weekend, non-divas!

Well I'm Movin On Up . . . To The Doc Side . . .

Hey Non-divas,

You more mature divas may recognize "The Jeffersons" reference in the title . . . Holla . . .

Just wanted to check in to say that I am still pluggin away at the dissertation stuff. I am hangin in there, and continue to code data and create the stories of my interviewees. I am taking the transcriptions and using their words to put their stories out there. I hope I'm doing a good job. I love these women, and believe in their causes. I want to do a good job. I so want to represent them well. I know I go on and on, but it is a concern that I have. However, with those concerns in the forefront of my mind, I continue to plug away at the final product. I'm trying to work to beat down the anxiety (read: panic) that I feel sometimes about finishing. I figure actually working is probably better therapy than sitting around and giving in to the worry.

Oh, BTW, another example of how not to be a PhDiva . . . my WONDERFUL chair is on my list to send positive things everyday . . . when she's in a good and productive place, she will often respond with either a snarky comment (always appreciated) or a sweet comment. These responses are enough to register as a non PhDiva event, however, this last week, I sent a message out that had something to do with a true friend . . . something about being comfortable enough to be yourself, etc . . . and she sent me a message back that said, "I guess you and I are friends, huh". It was just a little blip, but it meant the world to me AND further proved that PhD does not have to equal PhDiva!

I love it when I make good choices!

Peace out, yo ;)

Do you know the way back from slackerville...?

Wow! J has been a roll here at Divaland - and where have I been....doing everything but this. Some good accomplishments - my latest chapter is shaping up - with a goal to get it to my committee chair by the end of the week. And, I successfully submitted an abstract for a conference (just a poster session) - but hey, I haven't done that in a while.

Speaking of conferences - J, we should work on a combo-effort to present at a conference sometime later this year. I think it would motivate me more if I knew I had someone out there expecting me to pull something together! What do you think?

Other news -I have found a great place to work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - it is a bookstore that for some reason, no one comes here to work (probably because there is no coffee or snacks) - so I have the place to myself upstairs. Yay! I seem to get a lot done here (see abstract and chapter mention above).

Here's to a productive rest of our week!
"L"

GETTING ON WITH IT . . . and stuff

Hey y'all!

Short post here. I'm asking for good, positive thoughts to be sent my way today. I am going back to the coding and writing stuff. I intend to work at least 2 hours on dissertation stuff today, and I'm pretty on fire about it. I have to intertwine this work with both grading papers and courthouse shizz, but I will get something accomplished. I'll probably check back in later to let y'all know how it went. It was weird, I was laying in bed last night, and I almost couldn't wait for it to be morning so I could re-begin the process of GETTING ON WITH IT! Have y'all ever had that happen? Weird, huh . . . Anyhoo, I'll check back in with y'all later. Have a good one. :)

"J"

Whoa, apparently, we blew up!

Hey, y'all!

Ok, so, yesterday at this time, the PhDiva blog had 39 hits on the little fire counter. Between last night and tonight we have had an additional 236 hits. Whoa! I'm loving it. L and I will be posting more in hopes that those of you who have checked in liked what you read. Hooray! We love it!

To pick up from yesterday, I am feeling much better. I was in a weird place last night, you know, like Opp, Alabama. Anyway, I looked over my transcripts today and re-familiarized myself with my work to this point. I am starting to get a little re-energized about the dissertation. I have set aside some time on Friday to pick up where I left off. Hopefully, I will be able to make some major headway.

I'll probably blog a bit in the next few days about the actual dissertation.

In the meantime, let me relay a story. So, the other day, I met with a prospective student at the school. As we are talking, this student says that he got accepted to a school very close to where he lives, but didn't want to go there . . . because . . . get ready . . . the faculty were very egotistical and did not seem very student friendly. OH MY-LANTA! All I could think was, sweetie, get used to it. Such is the nature of the academic environment. We went walking with another current student and he began to tell us about his visit to our school. He said that he had heard that it was optimal to let the chair of your committee pick the other members of the committee so that they all got along with the chair. Hmmmm, after my giggling fit ceased, and I picked myself off of the sidewalk, I said, "No, no, no, no,no, no". Cease and decist, my child. Do not listen to THEM. THEY do not have your best interest at heart. This committee is YOURS. It is there to work for YOU and only YOU. UGH on faculty for saying these things to newbies. This is the perfect example of the PhDiva! And, in addition, a perfect example of what WE will be avoiding when we make the transition!

Check ya, later!

Caution: Overly dramatic post to follow!

Not a long post here, just thought I would check in. I am still struggling over here in procrastinationville. I should be a little more fair to myself . . . I am one busy person. The working, teaching, volunteering, etc. tends to keep me a little busy. I'm starting to get a little scared that I may never get this thing done. I sort of feel like I'm treading water here. Sometimes I feel like I'm breathing normally, and at others, like I'm going under. I understand this post is not directly related to avoiding PhDivaness . . . well, wait, maybe it is. I think a part of being a PhDiva is losing self-awareness. I really think that those who achieve PhDivadom find themselves with an ego level that prevents emotions like feeling out of control . . . because nothing is ever their fault. They are above the feelings of panic and distress that cause one to question their ability to actually function as an academic. So, yes, I guess this post is about the topic at hand. I guess my feelings of desperation . . . maybe that was overdramatic . . . how about building levels of panic . . . I don't know if I am ever going to accurately capture it . . . oh well, I will continue . . . I guess these feelings prove that I am still quite self-aware, and am feeling similar feelings to those who have gone before me.

I will press on. I will get something done on this oppressive document tomorrow. And, I promise, my next post will not be quite as overly dramatic . . .

Peace out, y'all.

"J"

A very tired weekday update . . . and stuff.

Hey y'all!

So, haven't posted in a red hot minute. Both L and myself (J) have been constantly busy working on our dissertations. Constantly writing so that we can defend and graduate as quickly as we can. . . . NOT. Ok, so, the truth is we have been writing some. We are trying to get shizz done so that we are not stuck in ABD (All but disseration) oblivion. Anyway, I will let L tell you what she has been up to . . . The "J" has been working his butt off . . . with more clincial than research work, but still, I have been coding data, and setting up to write chapters four and five of the dissertation. I am planning to take next week off, and really dig in. Ugh. I wish I had an abundance of money that would allow me to just write and not worry about things like . . . oh, I don't know . . . eating, having power, etc. UGH! Anyway, I will be posting more in the next few days. I see that a few of you are actually reading . . . Yay, we've reached 50 views! Let us know you are reading, and that there are other people out there who either find us funny OR know what we are going through here. TALK TO US! :)


"J"