This soy chai latte from Starbucks is blowing my mindgrapes right now. It's all smoky and delicious. I can't tell if that's because it's just that good or if I'm tired enough to think everything is that good.
Last night, I worked with twelve students, one after the other every twenty minutes for four hours. Which sounds even more crazy when I remember that I've been tutoring at this pace four days a week for the whole month of September, working with some incredibly talented and motivated students applying for Fulbright fellowships. Without even a trace of irony, I can tell you that these kids are amazing worldchangers. Over the last few weeks I've helped them shape their ideas into proposals and personal statements, and it's been an exhilarating process. I feel personally invested in the students and their projects. I want them to succeed. Last night was the final push before the proposals were due today at 10 a.m., and today I woke up singing hallelujah. Pressure lifted. Heart taking wing. And no small part of that joy? No more 16-hour days.
But the end of Fulbright-mania isn't the only reason I have to celebrate. Remember that forty-mile to-do list, the one for beforeIgotoEurope? This week I checked off one of the biggest things on it: my dissertation proposal. I've been talking about it for a thousand years, and now it's done. Filed. When you talk about me to all your friends, you may now refer to me as a PhD candidate. Oh-la-la. And I may now stop referring to myself as that person who isn't getting her work done. Deadlines. Marvelous, right?
* * *
I have so much more I need to write, but I also have a zillion other things calling my name. Coming: a post about my time at Blog Sugar, which was fantastic and just what I needed.
But tonight, I'm heading to Monterey. I'm looking forward to a little dancing, a little laughing, and a beautiful celebration of the love of some of my dearest friends.
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| Aren't they darling? |
What are you all up to this weekend? Tell, tell.
First, when you get your Ph.D. I'm going to call you "Doc."
ReplyDeleteSecond, my weekend is going to involve doing laundry, because we got a new washing machine! After a month without one! And also I anticipate a walk to collect some lovely fall leaves for some projects I want to do, and possibly some writing of poetry. It seems like a good weekend for writing poetry, I do think.
:)
Look at you, miss PhD candidate! :)
ReplyDeleteHave been thinking about you... wishing we could have a knit and chai chat date.
congratulations, my lovely!! and thank you for making our wedding extra special by sharing the day with us <3
ReplyDeletecongratulations (almost) dr. williams! that's wonderful, sharone - i hope you're as proud of yourself as so many others are! and, from reading the comments....are you a knitter my friend? holy moly it just keeps getting better and better! i love knitting and next time your down this way i want to take you to my favorite yarn shop - i know you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteDoc! Yes. I'm calling you that, too.
ReplyDelete