There is a Cure for Graduate School??

from phdcomics.com

What Book Am I? Now I Know!

As seen over at The Paper Chase

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd
be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


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Dissertation Proposal Progress

There has been more progress on the dissertation front. (Yes, I am STILL stillin school.) Three of my four committee members are satisfied with my proposal and the last--my statistician--got back to me today about his revisions. Despite my fears, his comments are not only helpful but they're actually pretty easy. After all, how hard is it to delete an episilon from an equation?

Even better, during our conversation today, we laid to rest A BIG ISSUE. A potentially huge analysis problem (I thought) that was already causing me anxiety. It is now a NON-ISSUE.

Still more progress, I have received official approval on one front to use the data, and from another, to pay for it. Can this really be happening??!

Meanwhile, I am finalizing my first application to a post-doc position. Since this is so much fun, I figure, why not continue onward?!

Gasapathy

Pronunciation: gas-'a-p&-thE
Function: noun
Etymology: My historic realization prior to a hurricane in 2007 that I have major gas apathy, that I don't give a shit about how much I pay for gas, and that I won't drive out of my way to save $0.02/gallon.
Definition:
1 : lack of feeling or emotion related to the purchase or cost of gasoline: GAS-RELATED-IMPASSIVENESS
2 : lack of interest or concern related to the purchase or cost of gasoline : GAS-RELATED-INDIFFERENCE

U.S. Life Expectancy Drops Compared to Other Developed Nations

Yet more news about all the things we are doing wrong: "U.S. ranks just 42nd in life expectancy."

A Life of Research

Today I have been working on revisions to a manuscript and it's been like pulling my own teeth out. I have suffered though whole blocks of time in which I have felt utterly despondent and hopeless about the entire enterprise. During these times, I occasionally find myself drifting away into fantasy, surfing the interwebs. I will look for a simple job in the non profit sector, an opportunity to meditate in an Indian ashram, or ponder accepting an offer from a total stranger to accompany him in a wild roadtrip to Alaska in 5 days or less. But these moments of despondency/fantasy alternate with moments of elation, excitement, and a passion for la recherche scientifique.

How is it that I can simultaneously both love and abhor my job so much? What can I do to lessen the despondency and increase the excitement and fun?

Best Day Ever and I'm Still in My Pajamas!

I just found out that an article of mine got accepted, and with only minor revisions!

This article came from an idea I had back in 2004 and has probably been finished for a year. I am so happy that it finally has found a home. Actually this is the third journal that I've submitted it to and I was starting to lose hope that it would ever be published in the current form.

Hooray!

Some success is good

Some good news from the proposal front. After what seems like a lifetime of procrastination, revision, and some actual writing, I have completed some sort of final draft of my dissertation proposal. My chair and advisor have signed off on it and yesterday I sent it out to my statistician and my 4th committee member. I don’t expect many revisions from the committee member but the statistician, as they all are, is bound to be a bit more unpredictable.

It is, in total, including references but not all of my appendices, nearly 15,000 words long. What the hell is wrong with me?!

More good news: I have actually applied for data access. My data is kept under lock and key with what seems to be more security than the freaking Hope Diamond. Needless to say, the application to allow me to actually analyze the data is pretty intense. I wouldn’t be surprised if they undertake a criminal background check and start calling on my friends to find out my dirty little statistical secrets. I can totally envision my undoing, "Yeah, and once, she like totally forgot to check for multicollinearity when running a logistic regression exercise in class." Thus sounds my death knell.

Next up, university research application protocols and institutional review board (IRB) application. This is bound to be the best part.