First with the head, and then with the heart

If you haven't read The Power of One yet, put it on your list. It has it all. A coming of age story, a history lesson on South Africa seen through the eyes of an intelligent little boy, and an inspirational message. Little can beat big.

I can beat my dissertation. I can. I have been on a roll this week, and I am doing what I can to keep it going. Technically, I have two chapters left. That's good. One more big analysis chapter and the conclusion. And whatever revisions I get from my apathetic committee members, of course. I am starting to think that I can do it. I figure the more people I tell, the more I will have to do it. I won't be able to show my face on this blog again if I don't follow through, right?

I am also happy because TMH and I have rearranged our space. I know, it's the little things, right? It sounds minor but it's huge to me. Well, he moved in first (almost a year ago!) and the living room has kind of been stuck ever since. I didn't realize how much it was bothering me until I was trying to clean yesterday and TMH was like "why are you cursing?" Somehow that got the ball rolling. We got stuck because it was his furniture, and the space is small so it was hard to envision other alternatives. His furniture is really too big for the space, but some creativity (and persuasion) on my part... and voila... a new space. I am so, so happy with it. He is too. It feels more like our space now. You know, these things take time, and I feel like things are slowly but surely coming together for us here. It's such a good feeling.

I have two more weeks of teaching ahead, and then that's it. The end of the semester... the end of another academic year of my life! For a while I was feeling really discouraged. For the first time in my career I have dedicated myself to a cause for a full year with relatively nothing to show for myself at the end. Despite the overwhelming success of the program, and the clear need for it, my future at the school and the future of the program are both uncertain. Sad, right? TMH helped me to think about it differently. I have worked to build a program there for the past year, and they will either figure out how to continue to fund it, and make it legitimate (not pilot) or not... I can sell my story to anyone willing to listen. I can build a program. If it doesn't work out at this school, it's because of funding, and politics, and the dinosaur-like tendencies of big universities. Slow to change is an understatement. Anyone there will back me up; I have also made some valuable contacts. So, I have a good story to tell, as well as a clear CV booster. Score another one for TMH- he's my confidence man. I've learned it's good to have one of those around.

I do know that I will be teaching in the crazy summer school program again, so I am set until mid-August. My goal now is to get as much work done as possible before summer school because once that starts (mid- June) I won't have time for much else. So, by August, anything is possible! I do not think the book has closed on the program I've been working on... but we shall see. You never know what opportunities will present themselves.

Onward!