June 26, 2006

Checking In

I have been telling people that I am in a dissertation-induced fugue state. I describe it as that feeling you sometimes get when you go see a movie in the middle of the day, become engrossed in a really intense film, then emerge two-plus hours later from the theater into the bright sunshine of your here and now , somewhat confused about your who and how. That's me: Downstairs in my basement office. Darkness except for the circle of overhead light illuminating my work space and the glow from my laptop. White noise courtesy of the dryer in my ajoining laundry room. I have had to set an alarm on my cell phone to remind myself that I must stop working in order to go pick up my girls from camp. (This, after one time being more than 10 minutes late, arriving to the wide eyes of two just-about-to-panic kids and one just-about-to-be-annoyed camp teacher.)

I am sure this state is temporary. At any rate, it is much needed since my defense date is rushing towards me. In the meantime, I am grateful to everyone who checks in on me here. So, now that the update is over I offer these few humble gifts:

I know you know about Inside Higher Education. But have you discovered IHE's "Around the Web" feature? Some of the best darn blogging by academics this side of the virtual world. (SITBB has even gotten a mention twice!)

I am very happy and relieved that King's papers are going home. While we're all celebrating, it might be nice to donate to the National MLK Memorial. (Especially all you Alphas out there!)

Go see Ben's amazing photographs. Never has it been truer that a picture is worth a thousand words. These are worth a few dozen smiles and even a few tears, too.

As long as you're looking at pics, go view Ms. World's photo album (Flickr album on the right). The blog name has changed, and she's back Stateside. But the awesome Diva-ness remains the same.

I continue to be on official Obama Watch. At some point I must have signed up for email alerts from his staff. I really must be more careful who I give my information to--But in this case I am happy to have been so promiscuous with my e-addy because the Obama folks recently sent out an email about the Senator's speech at the "Take Back America" conference. (Take a look at the video.) "The time for our identity crisis as progressives is over!" Also, you can get a sneak peek at "The Audacity of Hope" here.

Finally, I am proud to announce that there are several new PhD's in the 'sphere. I hope to get around to personally congratulating you all soon. But in the meantime, please know that you have been incredible inspirations to me (and, I am sure, many, many others) as I have been on my own dissertation journey. When I first discovered blogs in general and academic blogs specifically I thought that I might gain a sense of motivation and community from reading about the journeys of others. I was absolutely right. All of you know who I am talking about; Everyone else, just cruise around my blogroll and you'll happen upon the blogs of these newly degreed of which I speak. Congratulate them. And be sure to call them "Dr."!

Posted by perry032 at June 26, 2006 05:57 PM | TrackBack
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Comments

Thanks for the nice words, Yvette. I've been so delinquent in my blog reading, commenting, linking that it somehow seems especially nice.

I'm glad to hear that you are too busy for steady blogging insofar as it means you are getting your dissertation done.

And boy am I relieved to hear about the King papers. I heard it here first...

Posted by: Ben G. at June 26, 2006 08:42 PM

Good for you, Yvette!! I have started working two days ago and I feel much better now. Unlike you, what I need right now is to be able to concentrate for longer periods, because I just can't. I hope I get better at it soon.

Posted by: Lilian at June 28, 2006 08:52 PM

Hello, Yvette.

I am so thankful that the best owners of Dr. King's papers will be Morehouse, his alma mater. What can be more fitting than that his papers and works can remain in the hands of the school he graduated from.

Like many people out there I was afraid that Dr. King's papers would wound up in the hands of some private individual, never to be seen by the public ever again.

Imagine my joy at coming over from Rachel's Tavern to learn from you that these precious papers will have a home where they belong.

I realize the competition to obtain Dr. King's papers was fierce, what with so many contending for the papers. (I felt that if they had to go to someone, the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture would have been the No.1 choice if it came to that, more of the better choice than the Library of Congress, Duke University or the Smithsonian.)

But, now they are where they should be.

Thank God, and congratulations to you, Morehouse College.

Well done!

Posted by: Ann at July 1, 2006 02:25 PM
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