It's been a while so I figured I'd post a quick diss update to let those 2 readers who care. For the rest of you, just bear in mind that the sooner I'm through the diss, the sooner I'm back to regularly scheduled blogging.
Things are better than they were in February and I can see, maybe, a light at the end of the tunnel. For those who are't Hum peeps, here's a glimpse into the general process I'm in/facing:
-I've written 450 pages. My advisor has recommended I cut at least 200. He's not being an asshole, he's actually write. They aren't 450 good pages, and some (half) of the material really doesn't fit this dissertation. It will become conference papers, articles, my second book.... but really doesn't work with my larger argument for the diss.
-I re-arranged the remaining, the rump dissertation, into new chapters by printing out all the pages and physically cutting and pasting, section by section, into a new organization.
-My adviser will read and comment on the 5 new chapters. So far he's read 3. Of the 3 he's read, he's already cut 44 pages out of one of the chapters (only 16 of the 60 were "maybe salvageable" for the intro).
-I'm near the end of chapter 4 (soon to become chapter 3 b/c chapter 1 got the axe) and will send it before the weekend. I hope to re-edit chapter 5 and send it to him before amid June.
-After making his changes, I then send the chapter to my two other committee members and wait for their comments.
-While waiting, I need to write my intro - which b/c chapter 1 has been cut has to be at least 50 pages - and conclusion.
-Then I make all the recommended changes from my committee members.
-Next I anticipate a battle with editing , footnotes, and formatting that is like going to battle against Akroma, Angel of Fury (6/6, flying, trample, protection from white and blue), when all you've got is a Pestermite. Yes, I just made a Magic reference, do you see what the diss has done to me?
-Then I put together everything and send it back to all 3 committee members, praying desperately that they are so sick of reading my shit that they just rubber stamp the damn thing and send me on my way. More likely, I'll have yet another set of massive changes to make. Then I have to pay an arm and a leg to print the manuscript onto archival paper (oh, they do "electronic copies", but they make them by scanning the physical copy rather than accepting .pdfs. Don't ask, it's a UC thing), get the appropriate signatures and submit.
Getting there... not yet there. Feeling less crazy about the whole thing, but also incredibly tired of reading and re-arranging my words on the page.
I'm proud of you, Kelly. The P in PhD is for persistance, right? I would love to read your diss when it is done, but I won't be making any critical comments. I just want to read it!!!
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