Last week of summer dissertating...

As I head into the last week of the summer I cannot help but think, "Where did it go?!" Sure it's been long, sure I appreciate the amount of time it affords me. Since June 11th...I have been working on my dissertation...most of my days spent writing and analyzing the data I collected during the Spring. I have made really good progress...about 2 chapters worth written...over 20 articles read that I've added to my "Works Cited" page...I still have more data to look at and of course...among other things...I need to go back to the chapters I've already written...that and so much more...and I'll begin that work as I move back into my "day job"...teaching...which begins next Monday (teacher week...kids the following week). Those days will be here sooner than I know it and they will be...long. The only reason I am "where I am" right now is because my head has been in this work...every single day...some how...some way. As I head into the last week of the summer I cannot help but think, "Where did it go?!"

Week 7...

Monday afternoon
     embracing the meaningless
Of my existence

Week 6...

Overcast Monday morning
     laptop glowing
Waiting for me to start

Reading+note-taking='s note-making!

Keeping my head in this dissertation requires...like many things...daily practice. Today's practice has revolved around reading research that is critical to my own work...thinking about how we construct the worlds we inhabit and how our own identities are the result of an equal balance of the stories we tell and the stories that others tell about us!

Both articles were very heavy-duty...I need to "walk around" with them for a bit before thinking about how to bring them into my own work.

Here's another haiku...as I meditate on that last thought...

Thursday afternoon--
     mental stroll
destination yet to be determined!

Writing my way out of dissertating...

3 good hours in...time for lunch! Here's another haiku...

Shut the laptop
     down--no more
words, no power!

Change of scenery...

Decided to head over to Amelie's this morning for my dissertating. There's something about being around other people while I write that...at times...can be motivating. And...when you can't make it awesome places like Amelie's...stuff like this might help...

http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2013/03/05/the-secret-to-productivity-ambient-coffee-shop-noise-piped-right-into-your-ears/

Here's more about the phenomenon of coffee shop productivity...

http://www.creativitypost.com/business/the_real_reason_coffee_shops_boost_productivity

Even Kerouac knew it was a good idea...

Quietly pouring coffee
     in the afternoon
How pleasant!

So...thinking about all of this has inspired me to haiku my way into this day of dissertating...

French bakery
     laptop, books, pen and
Of course--coffee!

Week #5...

As I enter my 5th week of dissertating...I find myself branching out...attempting to use the time I have to work on multiple fronts...this morning I started the tedious task of analyzing the analysis that's taken me about 4 weeks to craft. I'm doing this because I want what I am noticing to have both depth and breath...the only way I'll reach that goal is by re-reading what I've done so far...not that I've done that everyday for the past 4 weeks...that re-reading has been for a different reason though...to make sure that which was created the day before makes sense...this is a different re-read...I'm confident that it makes sense. So...using the line numbering feature...I've numbered each line of the analysis and am now going back through it...quantifying...yes...you heard me...quantifying my qualitative analysis. Shortly...I'll move away from that to more analysis...a look at some different data I collected...then...later...I'll stop writing and read some research...research that I know connects up with the data I'm quantifying right now.

Shortly after finishing my first 90 minutes of the day...shortly after going up to the curb to get the recycling bin (my version of a break)...I came back in and started to read a bit of Kerouac's poetry. Most of you that follow this blog or know me...know I'm a big fan of his work...it helps me in many ways and...as you also know...I often like to use his work as a mentor text for my own attempts at one specific kind of poetry...haiku. So...with some Tibetan monks chanting in the background...I wrote this...

Monday--
     brushed metal laptop
Black keys

I could have done anything I wanted during my 30 minute break...I chose to write this blogpost. Time to get back to it!

Dissertating...

Last week...I started what may end up being a trend over the course of this summer...a weekly sort of update as to what's going on with my dissertating. 

This week...a haiku (Kerouac-ian...of course)...

My dissertation

     a collection of thoughts,

opened and closed with my fingers 

Two weeks into the data...

It's been 9 days since school ended and I could turn my gaze onto the wealth of data I collected for my dissertation this past Spring. I've worked 7 of the 9 days...clocking in anywhere from 4-5 hours per day. I work for 90 minutes then take a 30 minute break...repeating this process three times. My breaks include but are not limited to yoga, reading literature and of course...eating! Most of the work I'm doing...I'm doing at home though I have "gone on the road" a few times...once to visit with some colleagues and once...just to get out of the house! I knew I was going to really enjoy this part of the process. I say this because the data collection phase of my dissertation was such a rich, rewarding moment in the ongoing evolution of "Tony the researcher." I've been posting updates of my progress this summer to Twitter which in turn gets pushed to Facebook. My school friends tease me...telling me to calm down and enjoy the summer. They are very supportive and impressed with my efforts but don't truly understand what it all entails. That's ok...I don't expect them to fully understand. The fact that they are supportive means the world to me! My friends outside of school...several who have already attained their Phd's and/or are currently working on them...cheer me on which is equally appreciated by me!

As I mentioned above, I've worked 7 out of a possible 9 days (not including weekends). I bring this up only because it's relevant to the workflow. I've given myself permission to take one week day off...to re-charge, and relax. I'm finding it crucial to my efforts. On any given workday...I notice that I'm the "strongest" in the earlier sessions. As the day progresses my mind gets muddy, blurred by all that I am trying to do. The mini-breaks in between sessions help but to be able to disconnect (for a full day) from the computer screen and pages of data that I've a-massed...I think it's really important. Even though I struggle to give myself this time to re-charge and relax...I find that I'm dealing with issues of guilt, that I'm not working and as a result missing an opportunity to move things forward. But then I think...this path has never been...nor will it ever be...linear. It's been full of twists and turns...stops and re-starts...both on a macro and micro level.

I am so happy that summer has finally arrived! To have uninterrupted blocks of time to do what I'm doing...words cannot describe the feeling! I'm equally happy to have the opportunity to give myself time to re-charge and relax. This is all about balance and balance only comes with reflection!

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