Monday, March 06, 2006

Thesis....It's a Bad Word!

Wassup ya'll! Hope all is well. I've been away from my blog a lot longer than I anticipated. The life of a grad student - craziness!

I'm this close to banishing the word "thesis" from my vocabulary. I wish someone would've told me that I would run into this much drama trying to get this thesis done. I've changed so many things in the last two months that it's ridiculous. I have three professors on my committee and they all seem to want something different. They all have a different idea of what it is that I should be doing. This is what's been creating a bit of a problem for me. I will be having a meeting with all of them soon to ensure that we are and will continue to remain on the same page. I'm nipping this shit in the bud! As I've been talking to my friends and other students who are working on their graduate theses and projects, I keep hearing a lot of horror stories about this process. Something that begins as your own creation or something that you want to do turns into being what your committee members want you to do. They end up having the final say on everything. If they like it, you graduate. If they don't like it, you have to make the changes and defend it until it meets their approval. If you're in the BS/MS program at my school and you fall in the latter category, both of your degrees can and will be held up because of this. It seems like all the power and control is in everyone else's hands but your own. But I'm determined to win this. I'm getting mines!

Aside from school, I've been seeing someone for about four months now. For the most part, everything has been wonderful. We've had a few arguments and have pissed each other off a few times. But in any relationship, it's expected. We've been able to work through it and not let it destroy what's currently building between us. I think some of it has to do with the fact that we both have strong personalities always vying for attention and total domination. All we can do is laugh about it now. It looks very promising though. I am happy. After being single for almost two years, it's nice to have someone in my corner. I forgot how good that feel.

Rest in Peace Octavia Butler. The first black woman of prominence in the literary world of Science/Speculative Fiction. You were truly one of the greats. We will miss you. But your spirit will live on in the beautifully written, multi-faceted, groundbreaking stories you've shared with us. I'll be finishing Bloodchild and Fledgling over spring break.

That's about it for now. Thesis, music reviews, articles and the continued hunt for a job are upon the horizon. Until later....Take Care!