defense outcome

so the big question on everybody's lips...chapped lips, chapped lips, is, did kerry pass her defense? in the words of my advisor, it was a "slam dunk". hooo-ah. hooo-ah. i was nervous as heck, both before and during, but afterwards, i realized that it wasn't as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. there were like 2 or 3 questions that i didn't really know the answer to, so i bs'ed my way out of them, which i am very good at, if i do say so my own self. my own advisor asked me a pointed question, and i thought afterward, dude, you're supposed to be on my side!! nah, it's ok, b/c, like i said, i managed to artfully change the subject and no one was the wiser. ah yeah. in all honesty, my advisor really helped me out throughout this whole process of getting ready for the defense. he's cool.

the 2nd reader for my committee is normally scary, but she was pretty cool during the defense and actually spoke less than the 3rd reader. the 3rd reader requested a copy of my translation and mom's sample text, b/c her best friend has fibromyalgia and is in a very similar situation as mom.

braden got me xm satellite radio for a graduation gift. it's rad. i didn't know much about satellite radio before thursday other than that it existed, so when i saw it, i just stared at it. braden was like, please be excited in some way! but as i learned more about the features and everything, i am very impressed. it's great.

i went and had chipotle with two of my coworkers at 11 this morning, but they both were late. i was on my way over to record exchange across the street when my friend called to ask where i was. we must have just missed each other. i figured that she had my # and would call when she got there, which she did. i then went from there to pick up braden at work b/c he is soooo sick. some kind of rabid, nasty head cold that i suspect has been passed on to me. surprise! it's pretty hard not to catch everything your spouse gets... but, i was praying that i at least wouldn't get it until after my defense, so that was granted. but it sure would be nice not to get it right when i'm trying to finish up my last assignments.

i have an interest in doing some mystery/secret shopping. does anyone know of any legit sites out there? i've been looking, but it's hard to tell what's a scam and what's not.

anyway, this is just more procrastination b/c i don't want to do my final project. i better get back to it.

my graduation is Saturday, May 13th at 2pm....all are invited. just let me know you're coming, if you haven't.

ruminations

i'm sad every time i think about ry staying in vt...it didn't even occur to me that he wouldn't be back in n.o. this summer in time for us to say goodbye before we move. :( well, i know his plans are not definite yet, but still...i hope we get to see each other before the big move.

24 hours from now, i'll be in the middle of my defense. maybe i should show up with a sword and shield and fend off my committee members. OH OH OHHHH, i thought that's what you were supposed to do during a defense. my bad. where's a good list of funny things to do during your defense when you need one? maybe i could tap one of my committee members on the shoulder and say, nodding to my advisor, "he doesn't like you." [...] "i don't like you, either." [...] "you'll be ALIVE!!" how would that go over?
they say you're supposed to dress in your best clothes, so i'm busting out one of my suits. the jacket and pants are a slightly different color, but not enough for anyone to be like, what are you doing, you freak. i rather like the outfit. i'll be stylin'.
actually, i'm trying not to think about my defense much. it freaks me out. but, once i do it, i'll never have to do another one again. that's very motivating.

"if i'd been the size of a rabbit, it would have killed me."
great line from my case study. i had to change it to make it make more sense, but the above is a literal translation that makes me laugh. yeah, you know, if i'd been the size of a horse, i'd have weighed more. good observation.

right now i have to finish up my last workshop translation, do one last weekly critique of readings and finish my final project. the defense is over tomorrow and then i just do corrections and hand in a final copy. i'm trying to have everything done by tuesday, may 9th.

i'm still banished to the office. :)

defense

well, in my defense, peeps, i'm finishing up grad school!! but yes, i haven't posted in a while. neither have i pooped on old yellow chairs. i'll leave that to my nephew. :)

actually, my defense has been moved to 12:15pm on Thursday, b/c of a scheduling conflict. so pray for me then... i'm a bit nervous, but i've just got to get it over with.

it's a month until we leave as of tomorrow. crazy. we went through our books tonight, discarding a bunch. we need to get rid of a lot of stuff.

i graduate in three weeks, and that really is no time at all. it will fly by, just like this entire semester.

i'm off to bed. sorry this isn't longer, but it's late.