on completion

Well, team,

I'VE DONE IT.

Wrote my MLitt dissertation, and handed it in yesterday. Mixed horror, pride and relief. Horror, because it'll never be good enough-- that's just academia. Pride because I DID it, dangit. And relief because I don't have anything at the back of my mind, begging to be worried over, anymore.

Packed my flat today-- which involved my friend, Tamara, showing up after my 11:30 pm panic to  help me put my odds and ends in a suitcase and moving my entire life down the stairs, up the street, and up the stairs to her flat. Yeah, she's a beast. / a saint. / frickin' awesome.

CanNOT believe it's nearly been a year. And what a year it's been. Did some of the best and most rewarding work / research of my life. Made some amazing friends (who've kind of become my family over here, which I have to say, I love). Lived in my first big-girl flat. Saw a little bit of the world. Got to know my surroundings. Learned how to be a bartender ("barmaid," as they call it here. haha. what is this, the 19th century?). Got ENGAGED to the love of my whole life (!). Realized that I'm exactly where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to be doing at this point in my life.

Yep. I'm pretty proud of myself. And I kinda think I deserve to be :)

So tonight, while I'm sleeping in my little bed for the last time, looking around at the empty room that's been my home for the last year...I'm a little sad to leave. It's been a good year. Tough at times, of course, but-- let's be honest here for a minute-- what year isn't? I'm happy to leave though, too. As Greg said to me just this morning (while he was helping me wade through my laundry to start packing- just so you know how wonderful he is, basically all the time), "Our future is so bright."

And it is. And that's kind of what's making it easier to leave, knowing there's something so good and wonderful waiting for me after I do. Even if we have no answer for what we're doing once we actually graduate this fall...At least we've got no answer together! That makes it all a little better.

notes from the front lines

Dissertation draft: completed.

Beginning editing today.

It only took threats of physical harm and my most deep-seeded fears coming true to get me to kick it into high-gear and write the last 7,000 words this week. Um, that's what friends are for?

But seriously. They're great. The friend that threatened me also supplied me with cupcakes, so how bad could it really be?

I also went to the Edinburgh Book Festival with a buddy so that she could see Garth Nix speak...and so that we could generally nerd out at the bookishness of the whole thing. A much-needed break. Also there were burritos! (They're rare here, okay? Stop looking at me like I'm crazy).

Greg's family was also in town last week, and I got to spend a wonderful day hanging out with them, daydreaming about the wedding, walking around the city, taking in some modern art...generally catching up. Seeing Greg with his family makes my heart so happy. It was the best.

And I've been camped out at another friend's kitchen table pretty much all week-- which, as it turns out is much better than my desk--partially because I can no longer think with 30-odd books piled up round my ears, partially because they always invite me to eat dinner with them, and mostly 'cause it's good banter when we're all slowly losing it over our dissertations :)

So, it's really not so bad out here on the front lines of dissertation-writing.

Other than the mild panic that's setting in.

But it's mostly over having to be out of my flat at 10 am on Friday and not having anywhere to go (except for my friends' couch. Seriously, THANK goodness for these ladies.) That's another story for another time, but if you'd like to know about the illegal practices of one particular registered Glasgow landlady from whom I nearly rented, I'm happy to provide a name for you! (hmph.)

Anyhow. I'm off to print and edit this dang draft. Lord willing, I'll be done editing on Monday, and by Tuesday, it'll be out of my hands, leaving me with TWO glorious days to pack up my life and move it...um...elsewhere.

Here we go.

Nanny, you rock. (And other assorted post-holiday thoughts)

Well, team, I'm back from my globe-trotting--and, as you might gather from the timestamp on this post, still a little bit on the wrong time zone.

First of all, as the title suggests, I've gotta to give a shout out to my grandma (Nanny) for her unswerving devotion every last one of my ramblings. In my absence, she's read every single word I've written, AND spent the week making me feel like a literary genius by quoting me directly on several occasions. So Nanny, you just rock. (The rest of you, endeavor to be like her. And not just 'cause it strokes my ego! :p)

Secondly, it was QUITE a trip. Now, normally, I'd strongly recommend against flying halfway across the world for only 10 days, 4 of which are spent alone on an airplane, grinding out a dissertation and having your seat kicked by a large German woman for the better part of 6 hours*. But in this case, I have to revise: if you can see your younger cousin marry the love of his life, dance like a fool with your favorite people, laugh so hard you think you'll never catch your breath again, shed a couple tears, give an inordinate amount of hugs, relive (or re-learn) family history through photos and audio-tapes, fulfill a 4-year standing goal of couch-sitting/Olympic-watching, have a couple heart to hearts, find The Dress for your wedding, eat a lot of gourmet cooking, and soak up all the love your family has to give for just one week...

Then you should probably get on the frickin' plane. Because it's worth it.

Yeah, even the wicked three-day travel-hangover.
And the nasty dissertation stress.
And the realization that I also have to pack up my whole flat and move to a brand new city in 3 weeks (more on my country-mouse anxiety at a later date)....

Yup. Still totally worth it.

Anyway, if I go MIA for the next 3 weeks...that's what I'm up against. When I emerge, I'll be DONE with my M. Litt in Mediaeval Literature.

So,  without further ado--I'm off for one final brain-wringing. Catch you on the flipside.


*Don't throw a pity party for me just yet--I did spend one leg of the journey dining on steak and having my wine glass refilled by an overeager flight attendant during an mysterious and unexpected business-class upgrade. Yeah yeah, tough life.