Thesis is done: Defense is not

Had I known what I know now, 6 months ago, I probably would have done things differently.

Unfortunately, 6 months ago I hadn't known I needed to write a thesis.

Had I known what I know now, 2 months ago, I would have been a lot less stressed out, and I would have defended on the 21st, not the 1st.

Unfortunately, the tightest scrutiny seems to come at the most inconvenient time to fix it.

When I am put to the test, it will not include everything that I learned, and was trying to master in the past year. And I was really disappointed this Wednesday, when I finally managed to send out my document to my committee. I was somewhere between livid, tearful and exhausted. I had so much work to do, I could not procrastinate at all. I can now believe when people say that their thesis is not their best piece of work. I know everything that I wanted to do, but ran out of time to finish. Don't get me wrong, the document is great, and I am proud of what is there, but I am pissed about what is not there.

I got to recharge this weekend, collected my last bridesmaid (the count is 5), had adult conversations with members of my extended family, and watched a lot of TV.

I don't normally watch TV, but my family does. When I was in high school I would watch West Wing with my parents, and that was it. When I made it to college I didn't watch anymore, and at this point I don't own a TV. The DVD collection is quite large, but that is the end of it. Sometimes this results in less small talk, on the other hand, it results in far more time to do things I want to do, or waste time on the internet . . .

It has been a slow week for fractals (note title)

I made one for the challenge this week, and that was it. I don't like 3D fractals, maybe because I haven't learned how to properly make them. The idea is interesting, but I am less interested in traveling the learning curve on this one (right now). I didn't add many bells and whistles, it is bare bones, but sometimes that is a good combination for a tutorial challenge.

On the knitting front, I managed to use the sock-u-lator to successfully cast on the right number of stitches, and at least the leg fits my grandpa. At this point I am on the long haul of the foot. Supposedly this is going to be 11.5 inches long, and I think I have around 8 done. He was bragging to his sister, an ex-knitter, about it, so I believe he has proven most knit worthy.

The shawl project is on hiatus, at least until the socks are done. I don't know if I am considering the socks to be a Christmas present or not. I wanted to finish them before my grandpa went back to Florida, which I believe is the 29th of December. It should be totally do-able. A lot of knitters this time of the year are completely freaking out about the projects they are working on as gifts. Until my grandpa had remembered my offer to knit him socks, I wasn't planning on making anything for anybody. Why stress out about making too many things for too many people? Why bother when the things I make are met with a lukewarm reception? I think I prefer my projects to be an as-needed, as-requested sort of affair. I will happily make things, but on my own schedule, and only because they are needed/wanted/appreciated.

I have a couple more things that are on my mind, but this post is full enough. I'll have to make separate posts later.

Take care guys,

Molly : )