Here I am starting yet another new blog, can you ever have to many? You've got to go where the masses go right? I will begin this blog with some of my plans for the new year (even if we are almost a month into it). I finished a 3 week stint away from school for Christmas on the 7th, I say a stint away from school instead of at home, because I only spent about half that amount of time at home. I did get to see some good friends (Kristen, Courtney, Jenni, Sarah Snow, Sarah Svoboda, Amy, and many others from Kohl's), I also got to be in an amazing wedding and meet a new amazing family. The time away was wonderful, I needed it after the hell of a semester I went through in the fall.
1 & 2.
The new year seemed to start with a big decision and a big new plan. I made the official decision that I would not pursue a PhD when I finish up my Master's degree. This was never officially decided, I had always phrased any discussion with the "I'm not planning on it now, but I won't say no or never". I guess I will never say never, but it's a pretty sure bet at this juncture in my life. I just do not enjoy the research and/or writing. I don't want to continue in academia or work at a research center or be the person in charge of a department. I just want to be an operational forecaster, and actually look at current weather. Nothing is more freeing than this decision. I still don't know what exactly I will be doing a year from now, and I have no idea where on God's beautiful green earth I will be, but I know I won't be in school! Don't get me wrong, I love that I will get my Masters, but it is the end for me in academia right now. Along with this comes 2, the new plan, my official plan to travel when I finish up at the end of the summer. I will be in Europe for about 2 months. The official end date has not been established, but I will leave the US on the 3rd of August. The most exciting part is that I will be venturing out to sea on a cruise through the Baltic/Scandinavia and northern Europe. I will be visiting Sweden, Germany, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark. I will conclude my trip with a 3-4 week tour around England visiting old friends and seeing new and some old sights. This new plan and trip is my light at the end of the tunnel. I know that I WILL be done and defend by the end of the summer.
3.
I will be writing and defending my Master's Thesis. Now I know I'm a bit out of order with the above topic, but this does have to happen first. I am currently on the write one chapter a month plan. This really effectively is the write one chapter in a week plan, as nothing motivates me more than a deadline, and even with the end of this month fast approaching, I am not yet finished with my first chapter. This process should hopefully help diminish some of the stress of writing though. There is no way I'd be able to write for 2 solid months, so breaking it up is a huge help. I plan on defending sometime in the late spring/early summer. This final date probably won't be set for another 2-3 months, if not longer. It totally depends on how my research goes and how my writing goes. Will I have a journal article out of this too? Only time will tell.
1 & 2.
The new year seemed to start with a big decision and a big new plan. I made the official decision that I would not pursue a PhD when I finish up my Master's degree. This was never officially decided, I had always phrased any discussion with the "I'm not planning on it now, but I won't say no or never". I guess I will never say never, but it's a pretty sure bet at this juncture in my life. I just do not enjoy the research and/or writing. I don't want to continue in academia or work at a research center or be the person in charge of a department. I just want to be an operational forecaster, and actually look at current weather. Nothing is more freeing than this decision. I still don't know what exactly I will be doing a year from now, and I have no idea where on God's beautiful green earth I will be, but I know I won't be in school! Don't get me wrong, I love that I will get my Masters, but it is the end for me in academia right now. Along with this comes 2, the new plan, my official plan to travel when I finish up at the end of the summer. I will be in Europe for about 2 months. The official end date has not been established, but I will leave the US on the 3rd of August. The most exciting part is that I will be venturing out to sea on a cruise through the Baltic/Scandinavia and northern Europe. I will be visiting Sweden, Germany, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark. I will conclude my trip with a 3-4 week tour around England visiting old friends and seeing new and some old sights. This new plan and trip is my light at the end of the tunnel. I know that I WILL be done and defend by the end of the summer.
3.
I will be writing and defending my Master's Thesis. Now I know I'm a bit out of order with the above topic, but this does have to happen first. I am currently on the write one chapter a month plan. This really effectively is the write one chapter in a week plan, as nothing motivates me more than a deadline, and even with the end of this month fast approaching, I am not yet finished with my first chapter. This process should hopefully help diminish some of the stress of writing though. There is no way I'd be able to write for 2 solid months, so breaking it up is a huge help. I plan on defending sometime in the late spring/early summer. This final date probably won't be set for another 2-3 months, if not longer. It totally depends on how my research goes and how my writing goes. Will I have a journal article out of this too? Only time will tell.
4.
Defending and finishing my Master's is synonymous with graduating, but I don't know if I'll be a spring/summer or fall graduate. I have to defend and be completely done by the end of March if I am going to graduate in the spring (not looking hopeful), or do I really want that. If I finish before the summer semester starts I don't have to pay for the summer, but will be considered a summer graduate, and if I finish before the end of June I will also be a summer graduate. They don't have a ceremony in the summer, so I'd have to go to the fall one if I went to one. If I finish up between the end of June and when I leave for Europe I will be a fall graduate (I hope this won't happen). This is the psyeudo plan...as I said finish late spring/early summer...that basically puts me as a summer graduate. I don't think I'd be able to walk in the spring like I did as an undergraduate, but that's ok. Crazy System!
5.
I will also be participating in the NWS Intern course, which I hope will help me eventually get a job with the NWS when I'm back from Europe and looking for jobs. I really look forward to this opportunity, it is everything I've wanted to do for years! I will be officially doing the intern course in the summer, but I hope that I will be able to do some of the special sessions and outreach projects. It will be a Glimpse into my future, one I am very anxious to see!
6.
I also hope to have a "new" me by the end of my graduate school journey. I am and will be different academically, physically, and emotionally among other changes. This journey is one I would never give back, and thank God for the opportunity to do this!
So as I exit the first month of the new year I look forward to the remaining 11 months! I said to my mother on new year's eve " I don't like 2007, 07 is such an ugly number" to which she replied "2007 will be a big year for you, graduating with your Master's degree, getting a new job, a new life". With that, I have a new outlook on the year 2007, I no longer see it as an ugly number of a year, it in fact is the year of new beginnings. I will do my best to keep everyone up to date on my year. I wish everyone the best of new years as well! Love!
1 comment:
Ah, such a beautifully organized blog! My ocd-around-the-edges-ness appreciates it so. :) And I know all about that "year of change" thing. That was me last year. It's scary and exciting and crappy and awesome and new. Enjoy all of it you can, and give me a call during those scary/crappy times (and the good times, too!). Love you lots!
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