Academia Fun

I've been spending the last few days editing down my senior thesis from 70 pages to 12. Why inflict such pain on myself, you ask? Well, I am presenting the paper at a major conference in Madison in October, and the maximum length my paper can be is 12 pages, since I only have 15 minutes to present it. For the first time in my life I am actually rather jealous of the keynotre speakers who get a full 90 minutes to bestow their wisdom on us, since my original 70 pages would have fit prefectly into a 90 minute slot. Maybe after I get my Ph.D.

In any event, I am happy to get my mind back working after a 15 month hiatus. I once again have access to a university library system, so I can actually check out books at will. Interestingly it took me a few days to realize this, since I am used to looking for bargain book deals online, but I suddenly remembered today I can just go to the library and get it! Makes my life so much easier. I can even wander around and check out books I didn't think of in the first place - what a concept.

Getting back to actual academic writing is good as well. After I got here I felt my brain start to slowly shut down from the boredom of no friends and nothing to do in my new apartment, but gradually I am taking time to read my books and work on editing down my paper. I've always thought, at least for me, that hard work leads to more work and good thinking leads to more good thinking, so as I write and think more my mind tends to snowball into more writing and thinking.

Tomorrow evening I am heading home for a quick visit to traffic school and a fun downtown Chicago anniversary date with Shewara (3 years - inconceivable) and then coming back here on Monday to really get started with my life in grad school. I have a bunch of meetings, social functions, and lectures, and then classes start September 5.

It is good to be back.