#phd fail

My advisor has the periodic table memorized. I thought I'd see where I stand, womp.

I mostly know who is MIA and whereabout they live, but damn....

It's been a 'social' week, as things normally are in the returning-to-Uni times round here. As such, I've not been able to devote entire days to thesising. I HAVE been able to work for a couple hours at a time.

Hi. I wasn't able to produce any 'pseduo-academic politics posts' this week. I submitted a draft though and had my 'end of year review' where the lovely U of Man decides if they grant me the privilege of continuing to TRY to finish my PhD at their Uni. Hooray me....

This isn't a 'pseudo academic politics post'; it's personal, ... again.

I'm entering the 'writing up year' of my PhD: year 4 - where shit gets real real. I'm also trying to lose some stones to be a healthier host for the parasite I hope to grow in 2(ish) years. My partner and I are first-time farmers and on a shoe-string summer budget; what do you call a TA during summer break - BANKRUPT! I'm also trying to be one of those, oh shit what do you call it - an adult. Yep, financially responsible, mentally adjusted, not alcoholic, functioning member of society. If that sounds like only 4 balls to juggle - then well done, you; you can count. BUT IT FEELS like 4 50lb balls that people are asking me to throw in the air, all at once, and bloody juggle them.

So I am. trying.

Most days being 'functioning member of society' feels like a constant pull between throwing a temper tantrum and being Abraham Lincoln. All the while, random curveballs fly at your head. Picture it. Now.

Here's one of such of those curveballs: after a phone chat with my supervisor yesterday - where I was told that despite Sept 2014 being a realistic date for submission, we're going to officially list it as March 2014; yes, submit full PhD thesis in 9 months - I receive an email from him that simply says:

For light relief:

  http://proteas.microlab.ntua.gr/ksiop/phd_funny/index.html

  :-)

If you're an academic, a PhD, or a MA, tuck in to that site (after 5 minutes of loading!), if not here's a highlight of some I relate to:

How motivated I am after a reject/resubmit

Fitting the paper to page limit

Being in academia started as so much fun

So, did my supervisor just send me an entire month's worth of tumblr material and call it 'light relief'?!

Stop throwing curveballs at my head while I'm juggling 50lb balls!!!

Also my old primary supervisor - who I elected to remove from my team - just published a great article on global governance with someone I want to work with at SUNY.

*looks around wildly*

This is how my brain is attempting to function today, exactly as this song. There's direction but no focus.

i was having too much of a 'stumble' to transcribe some of my fieldwork interviews immediately after; i used the word 'immediate' loosely.

upon transcribing a particularly ELITE interview, i find myself making the same note '(unknown context)' with increasing frequency.

after i finished transcribing, i reread the interview. it's (mostly) rubbish. i remember immediately after the interview feeling a bit like my ELITE hadn't answered my questions, like i needed to interview them again. nope - the ELITE's responses were mostly in analogy form (something about a WWI general knowing the blitz is coming) and a bit incoherent. 

turns out this ELITE is just really good at their job.

which is apparently dodging entry-level researchers' questions.