Queen of West Procrastination, MA

Well, as of handing in the final revised copy (very soon) and the University conferring my degree (that will happen in October). The defence wasn't so bad, after all that worry. My opening statement actually answered many of the external examiner's questions, and we all had a good discussion about the challenges of interdisciplinarity. I was really excited when Dr. B told the group in his opening remarks (following mine) that I had neglected to mention that I am a pioneer in the study of Irmgard Keun, because only a handful of scholars have studied her thus far. And there I was inwardly wiggly, patting myself on the back and repeating "Pioneer in her field." The external even asked me a fun question: which book I enjoyed the most intellectually (Fabian) and emotionally (Artificial Silk Girl).

It's weird that I'm all finished now. I just have to ship Dr. B my revised draft and make an electronic copy available, and then that's it on my end. And I have a letter for UVic saying that I've completed my requirements and can begin at another University. Wow.

And yet it's not at all time for me exhale and take a break. Instead, I have to be at the airport in an hour and a half, I've just printed off a bunch of journal articles to read on the plane for this afternoon's class, plus I have the readings for Thursday's seminar I'm leading. I also should be doing these revisions presently, and working on the German homework to catch up with the classes I'm missing. While I'll no longer have to act simultaneously as an MA and a PhD candidate, my PhD work is picking up momentum.

Well, here we are folks: with one of my procrastination incentives out of the way!