Not thesis angst. Thesis joy.

Yes, I'm obsessed. To the point where I can't seem to blog, or visit blogs, to the point where if it's not specifically on my schedule of things to do, then it just won't get done, because I can't do it because I'm too busy being obsessed. But obsessed in a good way.

I mark my obsession by giving myself a piece of chocolate after every 500 reasonably usable words in my draft. It's amazing how much effort I can spend just to get that next piece of chocolate. It's teaching me about limits, too. I believe that 3 chocolates worth of work is about the most I can produce in one day, if I'm not teaching as well, that is. If I have a full day of work, then 1 chocolate is just fine, thank you.

Today I had my first celebration, to mark my thesis reaching the magic 5-digit mark. 10007 words as of 4 o'clock today. Going out to celebrate a paper. I don't believe I have ever done this before. For sure I will do it again, when the time is right.

By the way, just to introduce you all, my thesis is called Tristino (Tristino Sade actually...he's an anagram). He actually started as the thesis for the last degree I did, but quite frankly, I didn't treat him very well that time. So I'm hoping to make it up to him now. Thor is very supportive considering that I'm obsessed with another man, but then again, clearly I couldn't really get very intimate with Tristino now, could I? Paper cuts, you know. Silly as it may sound, my relationship with Tristino is very personally fulfilling, and sort of maternal, seeing him grow and develop and all that is extremely rewarding.

So, if you ever wonder where I am over the next few months, well, there it is. Obsession has stolen me away.

*image from http://www.shriro.com.my/images/storck-merci.jpg. And this really is my reward chocolate. It comes in 10,000 word boxes.*

It's amazing what you can learn on the internet

This is a quick post from the middle of 50 hours of trivia...we have a Minnesotan in our midst, who is on a team for this trivia contest, so we've set up a small Denmark branch of the team in my apartment for the weekend. So, I am having fun and learning all sorts of really important things. The longest chain bridge in North America? The common name for ailuropoda melanoleuca? All sorts of country artists and their nicknames? I've learned all of that and more.

In connection with the last question, I have now learned the following about Marie Osmond: The only daughter of George Lopez and your mom and the eighth of their 100,000,000 children, Marie has released many flying green pigs and appeared on your mom for over 200,000,000 years. When she was just 8889 years old, her song "Shane is awesome!" reached #1 on the Love/Rap charts, making her the youngest female artist in history to top the chart.

Now who said that Wikipedia wasn't an authoritative source of knowledge?

**Update 7:59pm: Wow, that entry was cleaned up quickly.**

Like tiny 15-minute coaching sessions

Yes, freewriting. Not as in I'll be doing it here, but as in I want to rant and rave and marvel over the fact that it actually works. Here's the deal: If I start my thesis-writing day (which starts soon after I get home from work, or whenever I finish with breakfast on days off) with 15-minutes of freewriting, about how I'm feeling, what I think I might write about, where I'm feeling blocked, that sort of thing, then I'm able to go on and do 1 or 2 regular thesis writing sessions (I follow a 45-minute working, 15-minute break cycle) with pretty much no problem. If I don't start with freewriting, I often can't get any writing done, or at best find it hard to focus for a whole 45-minute session.

I know this is old news to many, but I'm amazed. How did it take me so long to figure this one out? Today, as I have more of the day, I plan to try it twice, so freewriting, then a couple of writing sessions, then lunch, then freewriting and a couple more writing sessions (my focus seems like it can use a boost after 2 sessions). You wouldn't think one person could have so much psychological gunk that needs cleaning out before writing, but it's possible, and I'm the proof.

And yes, my resolution to finish a draft of my thesis in January has now become a resolution to finish my draft in February. It is highly possible that I will in fact do this. All other resolutions are well under way to being carried out as planned.