well, this has been a pretty intense and interesting week (do i say this every week?). classes are going well. i can't believe that the semester ends in just two and a half months! it's wild how quickly things move. in terms of my advanced research methods class, my group meets again today to have a final talk about next week's presentation. because we got started so early, we ended up having to spend a lot less time working on this project. we split the work out very evenly and gave ourselves the space to make final changes/edits/critique. in today's meeting, we are each bringing the handouts we've worked on and we'll spend some time cleaning each other's work up. i'm excited about this process. it reminds me how amazing collaborative work can be when all parties are willing to be involved.
re: my dissertation proposal, (a) the readings in my advanced research methods class have really informed proposal-writing from a practical point of view (for example, maxwell's book on qual research design and ravitch & riggan's book on conceptual frameworks have been immensely helpful in my thinking about the organization and delivery of my ideas and argument); (b) the classwork for my proposal-writing seminar has been equally helpful, as we have a group of people working together on our projects -- this week, we began sharing quotes and ideas that will contribute to our lit reviews; (c) sara, my lone cohortmate, and i have been reading each others' writing and offering feedback and this has been an excellent way for me to receive feedback and also extend my thinking on my work; and (d) my meetings with my chair amy have been really exciting and beyond helpful in moving me forward and keeping me on a timeline. i have no doubt that i'll have a complete proposal in may. this weekend, i'll be working on a 2-3-pager on my research design. i really can't wait to write it.
so, i've been talking a lot about my health issues and the various tests i've been undergoing. this week, i also finally got a diagnosis: i have crohn's disease. on the one hand, i'm feeling really relieved that i have a diagnosis. for some reason, my husband and i have had a strong feeling since dec/jan that this was crohn's, so its good to just know. and on the other hand, it's kinda scary. my symptoms and inflammation are super mild, so that's good, but i really don't know what the future holds. over the past year, i've begun creating habits (like meditating, running, etc) that i know will help me in the long run, and knowing that i'm a few months away from coursework and might soon have more time to maintain and develop these good habits is also good. but i'm still kinda bummed. i know this sad feeling will pass soon, but for now, i'm kinda just sitting with it.
at the same time, knowing that i have so much support from my coworkers and family and friends helps quite a lot -- in fact, the love and kindness i've received, especially from my husband who is my champion in everything, has been incredible. and being able to finally work on my dissertation proposal also helps -- it's like, i know that no matter what happens with my health, i have this incredible project that i'm working on and that i'm so passionate about, and that really keeps me excited and enthusiastic.
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