May

This month has brought change, and only two weeks have passed. Comprehensive exams almost compete. I passed Exam #1 and barely failed the other. Upside: I have another week to revise and resubmit Exam #2. No pressure, right? The successful completion of Exam #2 only dictates whether I can continue to my dissertation or wait out the summer semester and try again in the fall semester. 

This past Saturday also marked the first Kentucky Derby my parents have hosted in their new residence. That is a big change, since they have hosted 100+ people for as long as I can recall. Rich Strike, the long-shot with 80-1 odds, won in spectacular fashion. What a change from years past when the horses who won had much better odds. It gives me hope. 

I have been trying to change jobs, and I feel like Rich Strike. I feel like the long-shot, but I know there’s still a chance. 


sorting

Sorting things is a fascinating process. Lately, I have been sorting through my Dad’s stamp collection, which includes my grandfather’s stamp collection. 

The two small file boxes in the image above show only a fraction of what I have inherited—there are two large file boxes filled with binders, envelopes, and loose stamps from all over the globe. 

What strikes me as I sort through this collection is not the monetary value of the stamps but the sentimental value. Collecting and cataloging stamps is a labor of love, but it is also a connection to something bigger. 

I wish I could properly convey how it feels to handle this stamp collection. Maybe the tangibility fosters connection. Maybe it’s the attention to detail and beautiful print work that is evident on the stamps. It’s wonderful. 

2022

What an action-packed couple of weeks. The omicron variant has surged here in Northern California, as it has done everywhere. The parents closed the deal on the sale of their property. And, my research design class has begun.  

It has been nice, being out of class for October and November. For 2.5 years, my doctoral classes ran straight through summer, fall, and winter with very few breaks. This most recent break at the end of 2021 came about because of my transfer to another college. It was not planned. Yet, since enrolling in the doctoral program, I have learned a lot about myself. 

Sure, I have learned about other things. I have read numerous books and countless journal articles. I have lost track of the number of papers I have written and the total number of annotated bibliographies. And, I have changed my thoughts on my research topic several times along the way.  

This current 11-week class will allow me to shape my research and begin the dissertation phase. Of course, there is a 5-week session for the final exam after this course, so my dissertation will not begin until summer session. The dissertation phase will run through the fall session and end with the spring 2023 session. And, that's a little disheartening. 

While I am happy to know that the finish line is in sight, I am frustrated that I am faced with another year of research. It is agonizing to think that I will not officially graduate the doctoral program for another calendar year. To stay focused and to stay on the path, I began to think about what is going right. And, I find a little joy in the little things...like a nice sunrise, a quality pencil and trusty notebook, and an annotated book of Tennyson's poems that belonged to my great grandfather.