The saga continues

Brief update.

Day 1. relative success. Finished in just under the alotted three hours despite the egregious interruption and removal of self to another room half way through, and the obnoxious attitude of office manager. Poor woman, she knows not what she does.

17 pages. Few factual errors. I hope. And 9 hours of sleep to boot. Today, I thought, would be the easier day, as it more closely approximates my knowledge base. Now, not so sure. All of my committee specializes in this area too. Which means I am more likely to get slammed in my defense. Ah yes, the joys of nervous anticipation. Next week is next week.

I have been practicing dissociation. That is, each event as an individual, isolated and completely aleatory one. My stress level has been under control, taught class yesterday, will teach again today. Before. Didn't get nervous until 10 minutes before when my dear Cheyla fitted me with hair accessories, a honeysuckle hand cream massage for the writing hand to avoid cramping, a bottle of water, several juicy pens, and some cantaloupe lip gloss. She rocks my world.

So...18th-20th Centuries. It seems so backward that everything you know should be judged by your response to only a couple of books, but that is how it is. There is always the door, as we like to remind ourselves.