June 14, 2006

I'm Still Standing

Or rather, I'm still sitting, as my A** to Chair Method of dissertation writing remains in full effect. My dissertation love affair is still blooming. And unlike times past, my motivation level is still high.

But I do have one question for you: At what point do concerns about backing up (data, drafts, memos, etc) move from legitimate caution to pathological obsession? I mean, I have notes stored on a jump drive. And on my lap top. I have burned CD-ROMS with drafts. I have a desk top at home. And on campus. I have personal web space that I could potentially store stuff on. I have space on a secured college server where data are stored. I have a troop of monkeys from the city of Bedrock chiseling drafts onto giant stone slabs.

Despite all this, I also have paper copies of my work-in-progress--reams and reams and reams of paper. And yet I still worry about losing my work. Is this not over the top?

I dreamt last night of many strange things, such as an a cappella solo of Elton John's "Take Me to the Pilot" sung by my teacher from first grade who I have not seen in decades. But I dreamt also of a Major Catastrophic Event that resulted in simultaneous multiple failures of all my work safeguards. Laptop, desktops, jump drives, server, yellow three hole punch legal pads...all gone. I was devastated at having to begin my entire dissertation anew.

Nevermind that if such an Event ever came to pass in the world outside of dreaming, I'd likely have much bigger concerns than finishing my dissertation.

I'm sure this focus on backing up is either mask or metaphor for some deeper issue(s) concerning my advancing progress towards PhD completion. If so, such concerns will have to wait until after my defense in the fall.

For now: Back to work.

Posted by perry032 at June 14, 2006 07:42 PM | TrackBack
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Comments

I think--I hope--this is just something that comes with the territory. Catastrophic things do happen to people during their dissertation process so better safe than sorry right? I am done and I'm still finding places to back this thing up before I turn it in!

PS: Congrats to you on keeping those hips in that chair!

Posted by: Mon at June 15, 2006 07:00 PM

First, I feel utterly guilty not to be working right now. And this reminds me that I should read more ABD blogs so I feel more motivated to work.

Second, I feel vaguely uncomfortable that I haven't been doing any extra back-up. If my computer dies, I guess a lot of my work goes with it (I do have most drafts on email, though)... So... maybe I should go from being uncomfortable to highly concern and start doing something about it.

As for you... it seems that no catastrophe could ruin your effectiveness in backing up your dissertation! :)

Posted by: Lilian at June 15, 2006 07:53 PM

Oh, yes, the back-up dilema! My laptop died on me a few weeks ago. I had been backing up somewhat faithfully. I had a back-up with all but the most recent day's writing on it, but I wasted three days on a rental laptop trying to re-create that one day.

I got my laptop back after a week and none of the data were lost, but I still felt like I had lost a week of productivity. Now I burn my latest thesis manuscript to a CD at least once a day -- sometimes more often if I feel I've written a good section and don't want to lose it. And I e-mail a copy to myself. I think if you've got the latest version in two or three places, you're good.

And I second Mon's congrats on the ATC work!

Posted by: Carrie at June 19, 2006 05:54 PM

In the past 2 months, I have had the following happen-
- My desktop hard drive crashed, and I needed an expert to recover my data.
- I blew a backup, and nearly lost data by clicking the wrong link in my backup program.
- My laptop bag (sans laptop, thank goodness) was stolen, with about 20 pages of irreplaceable notes, my thumb drive, and my 5gb Seagate containing my backups.

For me, there is no mania involved. To qoute "The New Mickey Mouse Club", Anything can happen and it usually does.

Posted by: Bernie at June 23, 2006 07:31 PM

In addition to storing them on different devices. You should also keep your copies in different places. I keep one draft of my disk in my office at school; I emailed one to my Yahoo!! account, and I had my primary draft on my computer. I did this when heard a story of someone who lost all of their files in an apartment fire.

Posted by: Rachel S. at July 5, 2006 06:29 PM
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