Okay, beginning bright and early in the morning, I will be seriously working to finish my dissertation and have it in to my advisor by January 1st.
I may not make it - it's a Herculean task - but I'm going to give it a good go. It's due February 1st, but I need to give myself a 30 day cushion because, well, I've got other things to do. Like, you know, running a congregation.
So, it will be 'radio silence' from here until the New Year - except when I get bored or need a wee break or a giggle or two. I expect you'll then scold me soundly and send me back to the pile of books that sit on my desk.
Off I go then, to 'embrace the struggle.' Send up a few prayers, would you? I'll need them. Thanks.
11 comments:
Go for it Lisbeth! Just keep repeating to yourself, "Footnotes are fun...footnotes are fun." Good luck!
Count on it, Elizabeth.
Prayers for discipline, energy, and inspiration. And selfish prayers that you will, indeed, take a wee break now and then for the sake of your faithful readers and supporters.
I am sure you will do fine. Prayers for your success ascending.
FWIW
jimB
Nothing like a deadline to inspire inspiration!
All will be well ... write happily!
Prayers for focus, will, concentration and self discipline rising. You will finish. You will finish on time. 8>)
Then more prayers will be needed but they will always be available here among lots of other places.
The phrase “dead-line” has negative connotations for me. It’s like rushing to be deceased. Back in my AT&T days I much preferred the term “due-date”.
George Carling once did a comedy routine talking about words like dead-line. It’s similar to phrases like “non-stop flight”. Hell, I don’t want a “non-stop flight”. What fun is that flying around forever. I want to be able to stop and get off somewhere. Another is “final destination”. That implies death and whatever comes after it.
No Elizabeth, dead-line is not the answer. Consider “life line”. Think that after February and this is all behind you, you will have your life back
Prayers for a smooth and easy finish to the dissertation. Liza.
I am in TOTAL solidarity with you -- you have no idea how much. Blessings from my footnotes to yours. P.S. Eat (dark)chocolate. It helps.
P.S. Are you willing to say in public what your topic is? And is it a D.Min. or Ph.D.? Or some other kind? Don't answer if this kind of talk makes you crazy, though. (Note to non-doctoral types: never, ever, ever ask a Ph.D. student "How's the writing going?" Most crazy-making question on the planet. Questions about the content are fine -- people don't ask about that enough. But that's my experience. Either way, GO ELIZABETH! YOUR FANS ARE PRAYIN'!)
I am happy, at this very red hot second, having had a FABULOUS dinner with a wonderful friend and some good wine to tell you that I am working on a special doctoral program in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ.
In addition to a demanding program of course work, one is required to have 50 hours of supervision in pastoral counseling. Trust me. It's been a grueling 4 years.
And, in all honesty, I wouldn't recommend this program to anyone. It's a long, sad story, but if you want/need further credentials as laity or ordained, take a year's chaplaincy in CPE at Columbia Hospital in NYC or an equivalent program - or go to Princeton.
Bottom line: Stay away - stay far, far away from this or ANY Drew doctoral program . At least until they get the kinks worked out of this very new program (and, I pray to God someone from Drew does, in fact, read this. It's a damn shame. Truly.)
My dissertation is "Coming Out: A Model of Four Foundational Questions from the Spiritual Lives of LGBT People to Clarify Christian Identity and Deepen Spiritual Maturity."
Anybody got an opinion on that?
My first advisor, a closeted lesbian, refused my project. The second, an Hispanic woman, totally got it and gave me more encouragement and advice than I could have ever asked for or imagined. She was FABULOUS.
Both quit in protest over the policy at Drew.
I'm left with "the last advisor standing", a very nice white, elderly man of enormous privilege who wouldn't say 'crap' if he had a mouth full. You know?
I swear: the politics of 'higher education' in the academy are worse than that of the church.
More on this - after I get my grade. (Sniffs, tosses head, walks off to do more work on her dissertation.)
Meanwhile, thank you for your prayers and encouragement.
I swear: the politics of 'higher education' in the academy are worse than that of the church.
Amen to that!! And I can't comment further on blog, but oh oy is you right! I'll take church politics any day. (And I have horror stories from both.)
Sounds like a fine dissertation topic.
I always discourage people from doing doctoral work. (Based on personal experience of course.) I'm like the rabbi who sends people away three times when they come to her/him and say they want to convert to Judaism. I tell people doctoral work is expensive, depressing, and fattening and ask whether they are really, really sure they need to do this. Because if they don't absolutely need it for professional reasons, they should just take courses and have fun.
Congratulations on getting through such a rigorous program. In your non-existent spare time! Speaking of pastoral care.
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