Push to Hiatus

Issue 122 of my PhD Journey

Hello friends 🤗

This week was my final week on the PhD for the next four months as I start my internship tomorrow! Pleased with the progress I managed to make in the past five days. Ground out my full first draft of the sonic aid chapter and looking forward to the new challenge (and some space from the thesis)

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📆 Activities 🛼

• Tuesday, 21 January. NCRM Creative Writing and Social Research Workshop

• Thursday 23 January. Therapy

• Friday 24 January. Handed in fourth thesis chapter; supervisor meeting with Neil

• Saturday 25 January. Magic the Gathering with Charlie & co.

📤 Off My Plate 🍽️

A weight was lifted from my shoulders on Friday at 3pm when I printed off a full draft of my sonic aid chapter. I then took it along to Neil’s office and relinquished control of it for the time being. I spent all week trying to get my scattered pieces of writing into some sense of order, and I finally have done. The pressure of a deadline was helpful in making me push forward with it and “finish”.

It is far from perfect. I am not happy with it yet, but it now has some sort of shape and order. It is beefy - about 15,000 words not including footnotes - but I already have my eye on certain bits that can be cut (looking at you, too-long section on the Canterbury Child’s Aid). At this point I think it’s necessary to get another perspective on it from Neil and possibly Duncan.

For now, I am happy to have bought myself some space from the chapter without the clock ticking down on my PhD.

On the way to new friend’s apartment

🧩 Entertainment 📺

• 📖 Started reading The Seven

• 📺 Finished watching Traitors, nothing could top the last season’s finale

• 📺 Started watching Kidnapped and season 4 of the Good Fight

• 📺 Watching Parenthood and Matlock

• 🎨 Drawing people (the hardest thing to draw of all)

• 🎲 Played Magic the Gathering

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