Blogging through the pain

Okay, so the summer was bad for productivity and the fall wasn't much better. And, yet, here we are. With the prospectus passed, I have a momentary feeling of hope and a commitment (once again) to work. To writing. My new deadline is April 21. Chapter One must be in excellent shape by then so I won't feel like I'm submitting complete crap to my co-advisers. They do not like crap. They do not deserve crap. Thus, I will be writing crap and then revising it into something slightly less so. But that means that I need to have it fully drafted into something manageable within about a month. So, March 21, watch out! Here I come...

The work starts tomorrow with some reading and note-taking. Then with some outlining and some planning. I will work in tiny chunks: 1250 words a day is all I need to do to get somewhere. I'm pretty sure that four days a week of 1250 words each day will get me to someplace fairly decent in the span of four weeks. That would mean I could achieve 5000 words a week and 20,000 words in four weeks. If 250 words is approximately one page (double-spaced), then that means I'd have 80 (double-spaced) pages by March 21. Then those 80 pages can be trimmed down to a much sleeker and more stylish 50-60 pages, which hopefully will be met with praise, or at least positive critical encouragement, from my brilliant co-advisers.

But is this a reasonable goal? I don't know. I'll take it one day at a time. Tomorrow is Friday, my first work day of the week after a kind of crazy week with my sister, work, and way too much socializing. Time for some books and quiet and my little happy typing fingers. I still can't believe that all that lies between me and a PEE-AITCH-DEE (and that silly hat) is a bunch of writing. Just me, my books, my laptop, and my advisers. Hoo boy. I feel excited and scared and happy all at once. Lots of positive energy right now, actually. But how long will I be able to ride this wave? I don't know. I'm counting on the blog to help alleviate any pain that arises. Don't fail me now, nonexistent readers. I need you.

And, so, this entry concludes with a brief celebratory moment. Cue confetti! Cue the streamers! Cue the noisemakers! Loud horns of exclamation for Jeff! Raucous banging of the drums for Anne! We're off to the races, folks, and we will be blogging the revolution. Stay tuned for further castle-storming.