Tuesday: The Results Show

I have a dermatology appointment (just a regular ol' check-up) in about an hour, so I have to make this quick. In order of their discussion yesterday:

1. My meeting with my dissertation director went well enough. We're not going to extend my exam date yet because she's concerned about squeezing the time I have on my dissertation. It's all very limited, especially because I'm what's called an "internal" grad student. Basically means I got both degrees here, so I have fewer paid graduate hours than "external" applicants have. I understand the recommendation, but I am just a little bummed about it. I could have used the peace of mind that comes with knowing my exams are a year away rather than a few months away. But she said we'd reevaluate in December to see where I am and how I feel. Even though the results weren't what I wanted, she did manage to calm me down a great deal. She always does that, though. I'm very fortunate to have the kind of relationship with my director that I have. Not many grad students have the same relationship with her or with their own directors. I certainly don't take it for granted. (Case in point: when I told two other students who are under her direction that I was going to meet with her yesterday, they both gave me a wide-eyed, fearful look and said, "Oh God, good luck.")

2. The running class wasn't so bad. We walked for two miles at a pretty good pace, so it wasn't super easy, but it wasn't super hard, either. I started to feel a little discouraged about at the half mile mark (because my sister and I were bringing up the rear and it just felt like the distance was increasing between us and the rest of the class), but at about that point this man in the group started to hang back to chat with us. Turns out he's been doing this class for the past four or five years or so (it's been going for 14 years), so he could have been in the very front with the leaders. My sister and I were very grateful for his willingness to hang with us in the back. He kept our minds off of how difficult it was and offered encouragement through the whole walk. He said that around week 2 or 3, it gets easier because you find a groove.

Well, I have to end here and get myself ready for the dermatologist.

More later, if I have time.