I Passed My Thesis Defense!!!

I passed my thesis defense! I am freeeeeeeeee!!!! Okay... not quite, but close enough.

The thesis defense? It was rough. It was hell. It was kind of like being forced to hurdle over obstacles, all of which made me fall. Then, by happenstance, or some miracle, I discovered I got first place in the hurdling race. It was an odd journey. As said before, it was hard. But it was not traumatizing. Of course, after your German host family accuses you of being a murderer, the bar of trauma via social discussion is set a bit high.

But I passed with NO REVISIONS!!! Yippee!!!

Nothing that I had studied or prepared for the thesis defense helped me. They asked questions I never could have anticipated. Many were "What if..." questions. Many questions were over theory. Many questions were terribly confusing, and some asked me to reapply my theories in other places, with other theories, spur the moment. It was quite challenging.

Everybody had a straight face like they were willing to kick me out of the school at any moment. But, at the end, after I left the room to let them make a decision and returned, they were all smiling, hugging me, shaking my hand, congratulating me. It was all so... odd. I think this may be what living with a bipolar person is like.

In any case, if anyone would like to read my thesis (Breaking Trauma's Empire: Trauma and Resolution in Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad), let me know. I'll send it to you via e-mail.

There were problems with the thesis, but there was nothing that needs to be mended before I submit it as my thesis. Those things only need to be mended if, say, I use it for another project, or I take it to a conference.

I now have a huge decision to make as to HOW I'm going to go about getting my PhD. They are offering me free tuition and funding, but there are certain requirements that come with that, which bites into my time, and reduces the number of hours on which I can write fiction. Then again, fiction is not paying the bills... well, maybe one tiny bill here and there. I need to figure out my priorities.

In any case, I'm taking the time to relax a bit. I have a throat infection that I haven't gotten over yet because of the stress. Drinking some tea to help it get better. Rinsing with salt water. Etc.

Anyways, I realized I haven't ever really put up any pictures of myself, and Ashlie took a great one in the relaxing and successful aftermath of my conquering the M.A.. Here I am, wrapped in the scarf that Ashlie knitted me, relaxing in a booth at Bread Winners after a long night of shopping. I hate to say it because it makes me sound like all the other addicts out there, but I. Love. Shopping. It gets the endorphins going like nothing else. Thanks to Ashlie for the scarf! Love it!