Tuesday, January 23, 2007

"Done" doesn't mean a lot to me these days

I am feeling a little bitter right now, so if you don't like that sort of thing, you may want to come back later.

OK, so remember that whole "I passed my thesis defense without any revisions required" thing? Yeah, well, two weeks later I am collecting the signatures after fixing the formatting issues and two tiny wording issues, and I just found out, about 5 minutes ago, that my department REQUIRES me to do my thesis as an ETD (electronic thesis / dissertation). I had chosen NOT to do that because of some material that I print from an Excel file and some stuff that I am citing but do not have WRITTEN permission from the publisher to include. Basically, it's going to be a pain in the butt, and I don't want to do it and I had already decided NOT to do it...and now I HAVE to do it!

erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg

So one of my committee members is currently, right this moment, signing one of the forms, and then I need the department chair to sign, and then I bring it to the dean's office, and then I start the MADNESS of making it all a pdf.

Can't I just be finished? Will it ever end? I know that sounds melodramatic, but that's how I'm feeling right now! I just keep thinking, "This is the LAST step...ok, now this is REALLY the last step...ok, now for SURE I'll be done after this," and there keeps being MORE. I anticipate that the APA checking people in the dean's office will have some changes in my formatting, and I am mentally prepared for that, but I was NOT anticipating having to recreate a massive Excel file in Word or having to write to a publisher to get permission to use a diagram in my appendixes.

And the whole process takes twice as long for me because I have another job that I work all day every other day, so tracking down people in offices during business hours is something that I can only do every other day, so if it's getting to the end of the day and I'm ALMOST ready for a signature, or I need to check something with an office, it has to wait TWO more days before I can get it done.

This is taking forever and I want it to be over with.

erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg
erg erg

4 comments:

Heather said...

Just be proud of yourself for saying erg and not another word...

Janell said...

I'm sorry =C

A little distraction in the hours when you can't do a thing about it might help, so I hereby tag you. =)

Danielle said...

I'm with Heather. How astronomically annoying (to put it mildly). Just think, though.... you are soooooooooooo dang close to done that done will very soooooooooon arrive. Seriously, if you have 1.5 signatures, that is mighty close. (I wish I could say I was that close to done with my book which is due to the printer in three weeks). Seriously, done is but a breath away. Oh, and just think of the party that will follow as a result of achieving thesis doneness. It will be one after which generations will strive to emulate; the party above all parties!

Hang in there. I am SO DANG PROUD OF YOU!!!!!

Danielle said...

PS: Janell and Kathleen are going to need you for moral support as their thesis are due soon. Janell's is due in 43 days and Kathleen's is due in May.