Monday, April 25, 2005

My last week of classes...EVER

This is the second time in my life I have said this phrase. The first time was when I was finishing my master's degree in 1996. I never thought I would go back to school for anything more than a class here and there just for fun, a professional development opportunity, or a piano lesson.

But this time it's for real. My wise advisor said to my cohort at orientation in the late summer of 2002: "For most of you, this is the last time in your life to be a full-time student. Better take advantage of the opportunity while you can." That "last time in your life" phrase is still ringing in my ears. Kinda spooky. But kinda right on. After all, I'm in the 21st grade, for crying out loud!

Still cranking out this dissertation proposal draft. It's gonna be a long night. But I'm remarkably calm, probably because I'm feeling good about my work. This is a fairly new thing for me; I'm glad Mr. Imposter Syndrome is staying away from me tonight.

OK, time to crank up a few paper-writing CDs and put them on "repeat." Mozart piano concertos, Brahms string quartets, and how about Rachmaninoff's Vespers? Yeah, Vespers, an all-night vigil, is appropriate for what I'm doing tonight. ACK!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beethoven piano sonatas?

Anonymous said...

I actually prefer Respighi when I'm paper writing, but maybe a brief interlude of sex pistols is appropriate to keep you on your toes?

Rob said...

Dave, you crack me up. Are you still listening to Maaaahhhhler in your sleep?

Lemming, I LOVE Beethoven sonatas. It's funny, though: I can't listen to them when writing because I end up listening to the sonata itself and I lose focus on the writing! I guess I'm a piano geek: a throw-back to college.