Still not back on track but a little progress

Had first consultation with my thesis adviser after the proposal defense. Basically, we’re working out the kinks in my proposal revision. I have to remember that this is just the introduction and not talk about heavy points right away.

I don’t know why it is, but my thesis used to be my entire life. Or was I just using it as an emotional crutch because I had just then stopped dancing for that company I used to dance for? Now, it’s not my entire life anymore, just one of the things that I have to schedule.

I haven’t shown my adviser yet my paper that I delivered to China. I guess I don’t want her tsk-ing and saying, “But there’s a lot of holes here…” Sigh.

On the other end of the coin, my editor of the newspaper I used to write dance reviews for is urging me to write more reviews for her.

This is why I love blogging. In blogging, you don’t have to worry about the holes in your writing, or what your adviser/editor will say. Blogging is more relaxed. Blogging rules!

See more progress on: finish my masters thesis

i passed my defense

Not entirely happy with some people on my panel but I should be happy that I’m now on to the next step and the work involved looks like a lot of fun. I rewrite my introduction now. relaxing

See more progress on: finish my masters thesis

hey there, how ya doin'

I haven't blogged here lately, and since most of my friends have been blogging on their blogs, I got a bit inggit and here I am.

Today is a hectic day. Starting from late last night, when Lucas finally installed his software for editing videos into Lucy (Lucas' desktop PC) and we spent the next six hours editing the video that is required to accompany the paper I'm delivering in China next week. It's not perfect, but it will do. There's so much hassle that was involved in the making of this video, starting from requesting the clips from the CCP, but I don't want to worry about it anymore, so there. It's a bit long, I guess, especially the clips of my dad's choreographies. Lucas said, "Isn't it a bit too long?" I said, "Okay lang. Anong magagawa ng mga Intsik?" To which he said, "Nanunura ang mga Intsik no!" Haha. Apologies to all Beloved Intsiks in the audience.

Now I'm tweaking and fine tuning my paper so that it will be perfect and sync with the video, but when I tested it a short while ago, I was over by four minutes (it should be 30 only). I'll have to practice again, and figure out when to come in so that I don't pause for the videos too long.

I was a bit harassed also because Charlie Brown (the main family desktop) is being wishy-washy again, hanging all the time, etc. This sucks because the printer and scanner are connected to it. So I can't really print stuff out. Mom says to just print the paper out in China. I feel like I'm going to war without my chain mail and broadsword.

I'm bringing Linus (my laptop) and Dad's bringing Snoopy (his laptop). But it just doesn't feel the same as having the paper on paper, in hard copy, and having several copies for the other delegates. And I was so anal about the lay-out of my paper too.

I have to pack and I have to shower. So many concerns!

Generally though, I feel like my life is going exactly where it's supposed to. Despite the heat and the hassles and the near-migraine that's threatening me, I'm quite happy.

pre-proposal defense

I contacted the members of my proposal defense panel already. One of them emailed back and said she was “honored” to be on my panel (I think it’s her first time on a proposal defense panel, I’m not too sure). The other one I went to visit today and he stirred up a lot of things – my topic is too broad, doing all these histories is just a waste of time, am I looking at this artistically or sociologically (and he won’t accept that I’m trying to do both), what then is my definition of ballet to tie these three companies together, yadda yadda yadda.

I remember writing my undergrad thesis; he was my adviser. Before I was finished, he demanded I show him what I’ve done so far and he said it was all cluttered and pointless. I was so depressed that I nearly threw in the towel and my brother said I would be so cool if I just stuck him with an unfinished thesis and no degree (which was a big deal because I was supposed to be the 2nd to graduate from that degree and the second to write a Bachelor’s thesis for that course. And I am.) but my mother made me finish the darn thing, never mind if he flunks me, at least I had finished it. He ended up giving me a really good grade.

I tell this story to remind myself that he really just loves to give me a hard time and not to buckle under.

I went to my thesis adviser after discussing with him and she was optimistic about it, despite chiding me for confering with him already – that’s what the proposal defense is for. She acknowledges that he’s probably still in the old school formalist mode and to convince him that I can do the artistic and the sociological as my topic demands a multi-dimensional approach (gawd, I love my thesis adviser). She also agreed that we should collapse my histories so that it’s not too broad. It’s not the overhauling I thought I would have to do.

I should make a to-do item in 43 things entitled “stop freaking out when people criticize your thesis…” Yep, I’ll do that right away.

See more progress on: finish my masters thesis

first things first

My thesis adviser likes what I’ve done so far, but has advised me to concentrate first on defending the proposal. I’m in the process of fine-tuning it. It looks very promising, I can see a lot of the things I want more organized into their proper shelves, yay.

Tomorrow, I’m going to the CCP Library to check out a couple of things. I need to complete my definitions list, and wouldn’t you know it, I’m hard pressed to define BALLET on my own. Of all things. Haha.

Also, I have to look at repertoires of the three companies and decide if I’m going to focus on a particular period or whatever. Eep, I’m tamad.

But we’ll see how it goes.

See more progress on: finish my masters thesis