Aaaaaaand….

…..apparently the frequency of blog posts is inversely proportional to stress level.

Thanks, PhD fairy.

Jerk.

Current hurdle: literature review

I wish I had spent the summer reading. I have come up with some interesting research questions, that has been easy enough, but the challenge is describing where my question fits in the panoply of communications research. And not just knowing where it fits, but being able to point out every connection it has to any bit of scholarly knowledge that has already been discovered and collected. The amount of reading required to do this well will consume my career, . . . → Read More: Current hurdle: literature review

Update on the shorts

It is 7:50 a.m. here in Austin, the sun has been up for less than an hour. Its rays are still so horizontal that among the buildings on University of Texas campus, there are only a few cracks of sunlight that can poke through. Temperature is 55 degrees because it is finally starting to become fall, and when you walk past the huge hedges that have been recently watered, you get an even cooler draft. People have started to wear . . . → Read More: Update on the shorts

Largest current hurdle: stop being such a hussy

So I had a great idea for a topic for my line of study, something I was really interested in and excited about. I presented it to my adviser and got a little wisdom in return.

“You should probably choose a topic with which one of our professors are already familiar. If you can find something someone has experience in, that holds your interest, you should save a lot of time.”

I told him I often am interested in a . . . → Read More: Largest current hurdle: stop being such a hussy

Largest hurdle: Stay on task

Just as an example, here was my Tuesday schedule before starting my Ph.D.

6:40 a.m. Wake up, shower, get ready 7:30 a.m. Leave home 8:00 Begin teaching class 9:17 Break from class 9:30 Resume class  10:18 Let class out 12 minutes early because nobody can take it anymore 10:30 Visit bmolyneux’s office, talk video games with the boys 11:00 Maybe play some video games, maybe go to the library, depends on how busy I am and how busy bmolyneux is. . . . → Read More: Largest hurdle: Stay on task

Largest current hurdle: choosing a topic

(This is the beginning of an ongoing segment outlining our current greatest concerns in grad school)

I feel like a kid in a candy store. Except I’ve got to choose one area of the Walmart-size candy store and only eat the candies within arm’s reach for the next several years. I’m still excited to be getting candy, but you better believe I’ll be jumping up and down to see what the other kids are tasting on the other aisles. To . . . → Read More: Largest current hurdle: choosing a topic

The eyes, they hurts!

You must read a lot if you want to earn a Ph.D. This is not likely news to anyone, including me, but even I, the person who spent the last several months preparing for doctoral school, was surprised at exactly how much reading is required. In fact, I should be reading instead of typing this. Which is precisely the problem. The reading, because it is always there and may be done — at least in theory — at any time . . . → Read More: The eyes, they hurts!

Aaaaand we’re back!

After an extended break, I bmolyneux, have recommitted to blogging. After discussion with lmolyneux, we have decided to repurpose the blog, shifting our focus from pure hilarity and awesomeness to center around our mutual struggle in our concurrent doctoral programs (mingled with hilarity and awesomeness). This will take a bit of effort on my part because as we speak my fingers yearn for comedy to burst from their tips, habit I guess. But for me (us) any writing is good . . . → Read More: Aaaaand we’re back!

  • Snake in the building at work @statesman. Security must be getting lax. Do they just let anybody in? - 4 days ago
  • Election night at the newspaper: hmmm..... waiting.... do dee doo.... OHGOSHTHENUMBERSAREIN GET'EMINTHEPAPERNOWNOWNOW - 1 week ago
  • Eating Mike & Ikes takes me back to the days when I got them by the handful from my piano teacher. - 1 week ago
  • For my son, even playing cars involves shouting at the top of your lungs. BOOM! HI-YA! UUUUUGH! - 1 week ago
  • When I swallow, the inside of my right ear itches. Diagnosis? - 2 weeks ago

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