Pre-Summer Update
Here we are and June is about to begin....
Work. Seems to be going very well. I got approached at work about "what are you going to do when you're finished with your dissertation" question - which is odd. I thought it was common knowledge that I am o-u-t when that happens. However, the potential of me being a co-investigator came up, given my interest in public health. It seems unlikely to me, as none of my doctorate-level research is health related (all veteran and masculinity related, really). However, I guess it will get down to "how much are you offering", and the potentiality of maybe staying. At the end of the day, this *is* Johns Hopkins, and there is something to having that name attached to your own. But, I still really want to leave Maryland.... so, we will see.
PhD/School. I successfully defended my dissertation proposal on May 14th. It was a pretty wild ride, and the proposal took a few revisions (okay, five). However, it wasn't short (it was 51 pages). I've come to realize that I now have this protracted sense of paper length, similar to a protracted sense of distance when walking. To me, 50 pages really doesn't sound like much to write, but for most, it would be a ridiculous amount. I see it as "one fifth of my dissertation" in conceptual terms, even though I cannot use the majority of the proposal for my actual dissertation. Oh well.
However, now I get to start the research. I sent in my research plan to the IRB yesterday for "pre-review", where they will look at it and give feedback about any potential issues/problems. Once it is approved (hopefully by the end of June) I can start my interviews and potentially end them all by November/December. I'll write from January through July, and hopefully have something worth producing through revisions by October, and defend in November 2019. All to graduate in December of 2019. Really? I wanted it all done June 2019, but so long as I'm done next year, it doesn't matter whether it is June or December.
I'm getting presentation abstracts and papers in for potential presentation and publication. To date I have five abstracts in, and five approved submissions. I also have one journal article in review, with another in hopefully by November. I'd like to publish at least 3 things before my diss is done.
Teaching. Good. I potentially have a summer class which would be good if it happens (some extra money just to throw into the bank). I have 3 classes guaranteed in the fall with a fourth possible. We will see about the spring.
Fitness. Still fell off. This summer has to be about performance.
Social/Travel. Trips planned - Philadelphia in August (for conference). Fort Lauderdale in August. New Orleans in October (again, a conference). Las Vegas in October. Atlanta in November (another conference). I think that's it for the remainder of the year. But...that's enough, right?