April 13: Nothingness

It's nice to have days where you have absolutely nothing on the calendar.  Although I've been working on edits myself, and sending them to an editor, today was a major catch up day on editing.  My dissertation is due to the graduate school by April 28th, so I need to get a move on and turn around the edits from my advisor, committee, and editor quickly.

March 24: Dissertation Submission!

Writing and rewriting, and analyzing, and more. Thankfully, there's coffee for this process! ;) And today, I submitted my finally copy of my dissertation to my committee.  My defense is scheduled for 2 weeks from now...eek!  Then there will be more edits and writing (I'm sure)...but I'm so close to the end!

March 20: Writing (x3)

I spent the day writing, three computers is better than one, right?!

March 9: Chapter 4

Is officially submitted to Dr. Cooper.  Although there will be edits to make (just noticed an error already), it is at least out of my hands for the time being.

March 8: Common Sense

This factor analysis book has practically been my Bible during this analysis and write up phase.  I am really, really grateful I purchased it back when I was taking psychometrics.  Anyway, today I came across this sentence...with all factor analytic approaches, common sense is needed to make the best decisions.  I laughed.  Yes, because the subjectivity of this 'quantitative and therefore sometimes seemingly objective' work is totally subjective.  Yes, I have made LOADS of decisions (sometimes using theory and sometimes common sense) along the way.  I'm happy to talk more about this, but to most, they would politely nod and smile...frankly there are days I just want to do the same (and have someone tell me the answers).

March 7: Target

I spent almost all day today writing, and ready, and writing more.  Around 6pm, my brain was done, so I took a little trip to Target to get some toilet paper (exciting) and I also got some snacks for this writing process.

March 3: Writing Week

Today was the first day of my writing retreat week.  Only, I'm not retreating.  I'm just taking (most) the week off of work to get this dissertation closer to complete.  I spent all day data analyzing.  This part is getting closer to done, which means I can actually put chapter four into sentences, paragraphs, and pages.

February 25: Power Outage

I took today off to write, so of course it was fitting that the power went out.  I did, however, feel justified to get an email that 20 other buildings all over campus were also out of power.  Anyway, I headed to Starbucks and worked there from 9:15ish until 7:30pm.

February 9: Stalking Qualtrics

Today along with working on my course prep for Wednesday's teaching class, I have been stalking Qualtrics.  I currently have 431 responses.  I also set up the reminders to go out tomorrow at 8am.  Hopefully by the end of tomorrow, or the end of the week, I will have my needed 570 responses.

February 8: Saturday @Starbucks

Another Saturday at Starbucks working on this dissertation.  Today I spend a good amount of time writing and reading about constructs, latent variables, and updating parts of chapter 2 and chapter 3.  A reminder email goes out Monday and data collection closes on Friday.  Here is to hoping for another 139 responses.

 

January 20: Gold Level

It's official.  I've renewed my gold level status at Starbucks for another year.  In order to keep gold status, one must purchase 30 drinks (or items) over the course of the year.  My gold level expires August 29th, 2014.  Thus, I needed to make 30 purchases by then to keep the reward level.  Clearly, I made it with time to spare.  The disadvantage of making it to gold level early, is that the drinks I get between now and then don't count for gold level status for the next year.  But, I will still get my free drink ever 12, and the other perks.

January 8: Deadlines for Graduation

I was back at Starbucks working and writing, surprise, surprise.  Part of what I did was add all the deadlines for graduation forms to my planner.  This one, however, was the most exciting to add!

January 5: Free Starbucks

Spent most of today working at Starbucks.  I am much more productive when I have few distractions.  Also, it helps when you get a free drink (let's not talk about how much coffee you have to drink in order to get a free reward ;).

The Dissertation & Human Subjects Internal Review Process at Nine Institutions

I wish this would write itself.

Retreating in TN

I have always been better at writing when I have concentrated times to focus.  Now, I've read all (e.g., a few) the books that talk about writing your dissertation a little each day...but that just isn't as effective for me.

About a month ago, I was talking with my dad about the possibility of utilizing his timeshare in Florida for a writing retreat.  After going through options and possibilities, we realized it wasn't going to work.  However, a couple days later my dad got an email about some spots in Tennessee that were trying to get rid of their rentals over Labor Day weekend.

Perfect!

After working out some details, my dad was able to secure a one bedroom condo for my getaway.  Knowing a few others who also needed to do some writing, I invited Kristin and Mallory along.  Kristin (who is working on her PhD at University of Denver) found a flight from Denver to Atlanta and the plan began to come together.

Kristin flew into town on Friday morning, I picked her up and we were headed to Tennessee.  Although no good plan isn't complete without some hiccups, right?  On Friday as I was leaving Athens, I realized I had left the confirmation of the condo at home.  No biggie, just go back.  As I was yet again leaving Athens I realized I forgot something else...

Box of books (check)
Snacks (check)
Directions (check)
Blanket in case it is cold in the condo (check)
Clean apartment to come home to (check)
Backpack with computer & iPad... (ummm, no)

Yep, I really left without my backpack that had my computer and iPad.  How is one to write on a writing retreat without a computer?  No, paper & pencil will not do.

So I turned my car back around and picked up my backpack and hit the road (again).  Needless to say, I was a bit late in picking Kristin up from the airport.

We arrived safely in Fairfield Glad last evening.  We checked in, got keys, and were directed to the concierge.  The woman began asking me questions...

Concierge: Are you over 25?
Me: yes
Concierge: Is there a Mr. Dean?
Me: ummm, no.
Concierge: So you're single. (this wasn't really a question)
Me: (blank stare) uh, yeah.
Concierge: (proceeds to find my name on a list and mark a giant S beside my name)

Kristin and I looked at each other and laughed; not sure why that was necessarily.  After we got settled in the condo, we went to pick up some groceries before Mallory arrived.  On the way to the store Kristin and I both noted that the clock in my car wasn't right.  Strange, we thought.  Kristin mentioned she might have bumped the hour ahead when she was moving stuff into the condo.  We went about our business thinking nothing of it.

Later that evening when we were back and before Mallory arrived Kristin commented....

K: I thought we were two hours ahead of Denver time
Me: We are
K: So why does my computer say 9:11 (still set to Denver time) and your phone says 10:11 (supposedly set to the current time)
Me: Oh my...we're on CENTRAL time.

Clearly, it was the first time either of us realized we had crossed the time zone.  Now, in our defense, Tennessee is divided between Eastern and Central time zone...so it's perfectly logical we didn't know what time it was in Fairfield Glade, TN.

I digress.  Today has been a productive day already, and we're here until Tuesday!  You may be wondering what I'm working on since I recently defended my first three chapters...well, I'm revising based on my committees suggestions, working on my IRB form (which requests the university allow me to actually do research on humans), recruitment emails for participation in my study, and other things related to actually doing my research study.

Now I should probably get back to working on the other tasks at hand, but I needed a mental break.  I'm grateful for my dad's generosity in letting me (us) use this timeshare for our writing retreat!

Dissertation Prospectus Defense

I love to write.  I do.  Yet in the myriad of papers, projects, and chapters, my love of writing has been tested.

For me, writing is processing.  Since I'm a verbal processor, this avenue allows me to think freely while also slow my brain to the speed of my pen (or keystroke).  That said, I realized the other day how long it had been since I updated this blog.  Without trying to give too many excuses, and I have a few, I will say part of this blog has also been a place to update family and friends on life happenings.  This often includes pictures...and I have run out of available space to post pictures.  I need to do something about this, and quickly, for as much as I love to write, I also love the ability to capture moments and share those through words and pictures.

Anyway.

An exciting moment was had on Monday, July 29th around 3:02pm.

This PhD process has been...
     rough
          challenging
               a gift
                    stretching
                         a journey!

...and it's not over yet.

But another milestone happened on Monday when I successfully defended my dissertation prospectus (Chapters 1-3).  This defense was an opportunity to talk with my committee about my study, what I plan to do, and why I plan to do it.  Truthfully, even though I was nervous about it, I knew it was suppose to be more of a conversation; and it was.  I enjoyed the time to talk about the study, talk through their thoughts/questions, and reaffirm the need and importance of this work.  It also helps that I really like the faculty on my committee!

So another letter accomplished.  D-O-C-T-O

Only ONE more to go!

Writing Retreat

I spent the last week up in the Georgia mountains on a writing retreat.  It was lovely!  We spent all day, every day, for a week, in cabins writing.  In the evenings everyone would get together and talk about our progress for the day...successes, challenges, etc.  Then various people would share snippets of their work and ask for a press, express, address, or bless.  Here are some highlights...

Revised my publishable paper prospectus (my population and methodology changed)
Fun memories with my cabinmates
Walks around the lake
Hike up to the waterfall
Wrote up a book review (hopefully for publication)
Lots of laughter about bugs and 'camping'
Learned more about qualitative research
Meaningful conversations around higher education & life
Wrote my way into my dissertation (I think I have a topic, pending advisor approval ;)

It was a wonderful retreat...although I am extremely happy to be sleeping in my own bed again! Here are a few pictures from the writing retreat (mostly our trip up Anna Ruby falls).

Devotional for the first day of the writing retreat.  I thought it was fitting.

 From my morning walks around the lake

 We each kind of staked out spaces.  Some of the rooms had desks, mine didn't, thus I took one half of the kitchen table.  We also rearranged furniture that first night to make more conducive writing spaces

 On the deck watching the sunset

 We had all sorts of bug friends that decided to visit

 We were given stickers to wear for our hike

 LaQuesha and my cabinmate Carla

 It was a beautiful day.  I love the mountains, cool(er) days and less humidity!

 Danny & LaQuesha are in my program & made the trek (.4 mile hike, ha)

 The group of us that treated ourselves to a break and a hike.

Carla, Katy, Jung-chi, Danny, LaQuesha, Josh, and me

 My cabinmates, Carla, Katy, and Carolina