Safety Guide to Cougars

Research (thanks to Tom) has shown that cougars are far less likely to eat me than I'd previously thought. I learned that if I meet a cougar while frolicking through the wilds of British Columbia, there are important safety precautions to take: Do not approach the cougar. Remain calm. Wave a large stick over your head.

Sounds pretty simple, eh?

This bit was a little disheartening:

Cougars seem to be attracted to children, possibly because their high-pitched voices, small size, and erratic movements make it difficult for cougars to identify them as human and not prey.

Sadly, you could replace the word "children" with "Your Small American" in the above sentence and it would be a fair description. While in Canada, I'll try to cut down on my erratic movements.

In another another country

The author of this blog will shortly be in Canada! Will my powers still work? Unknown. But now with the happy addition of a digital camera (thanks to all who helped!) this blog will feature photos of upcoming Canadian Vacation (contingent on aforementioned blogger not being eaten by a couger).

I am a finalist!

Prestigious grants not received, but unprestigious grants received!

I am happy to say that I received news today that I will receive the Anonymous Wine Importer Grant from a wine importing company that wishes to remain anonymous! I am also a finalist for a grant/loan from the Mom and Dad Center for the Study of Sexuality and German History.

And, my sister had these encouraging words: "You don't need a prestigious grant. You have money in your heart."

Encouraged, I've decided to stick around in this grad school racket at least until the end of the week.

Dissertation Year Reader's Forum, Edition the First

In order to help the reader of this blog feel happy and valued, here in the Reader's Forum reader responses will be published. Though this blog has not existed for long, already several people have read it and made remarks that display a not-very-strong interest in it!

READER'S FORUM
My Sister noted that Dissertation Year, as well as a google search of my name, contains "a lot of lesbian stuff" and that maybe I should consider "branching out." She also noted that a blog about a dissertation is inherently boring and urged me to post about my fabulous personal life.

Another reader read part of the blog and then said that she would "read the rest of it later."

A potential reader said "Oh, you have a blog? Everyone has one these days."

It lurches off the table! Diss proposal drafted.

In between studying for my comp exam and gallivanting around New Jersey, I actually drafted a diss proposal. It is basically several grant proposals stuck together. And it lives! My Advisor's reaction was quite positive, especially when she remarked on the "truly impressive" footnotes, the highest praise a history grad student can receive.

However, she also noted that the "chapter outline" section, which should be the centerpiece of the proposal, is about 4 sentences long. And you know what that means, reader dear. I have to make some more stuff up.

Coming up next: redraft the proposal. Run it by My Advisor again, then use it to win over the members of My Committee (and your committee!) some of whom do not yet know that they are members of aforementioned, unweildily large committee. Will I defend it before the semester ends? Probably not...which means a September defense.

But I'm supposed to be in Berlin in September...du nu nu naaaaahh!