Thank you all!

T-minus 34 hours minus 3.5 hours

Update:
Top Ten Things Left to Do:
1. Check all my citations for proper punctuation. DONE
2. Write a moving concluding paragraph to inspire reader(s). DRAFTED
3. Add the date to my title page. Still don't know what "the date you receive your degree not finish your dissertation means"
4. Add a table to the methods (if there is time). There was and it looks freakin' gorgeous.
5. Deactivate spelling and grammar checks so my committee doesn't see all the frickin "passive voice" Don't dare to just yet.
6. Reread my notes from my defense to be sure I have included special little gifts for each of my committee members (per their request) in my final draft. DONE they should be very happy with all of their suggestions I took.
7. Watch last week's episode of the Bachelorette so I am ready for this Monday. NOT YET
8. Be sure that the page numbers do not start until page 4- tricky! OH yes they do!
9. Remove all notes to my self within the text that are in blue. Have to check one more time.
10. Hit send. This is terrifying me.

T-minus 34 hours. . .

I am surprisingly calm right now. I am thinking about adding an extra table because I have so much time on my hands.
Top Ten Things Left to Do:
1. Check all my citations for proper punctuation.
2. Write a moving concluding paragraph to inspire reader(s).
3. Add the date to my title page.
4. Add a table to the methods (if there is time).
5. Deactivate spelling and grammar checks so my committee doesn't see all the frickin "passive voice" I use.
6. Reread my notes from my defense to be sure I have included special little gifts for each of my committee members (per their request) in my final draft.
7. Watch last week's episode of the Bachelorette so I am ready for this Monday.
8. Be sure that the page numbers do not start until page 4- tricky!
9. Remove all notes to my self within the text that are in blue.
10. Hit send.

In a little over 48 hours I will be hitting "send." And then the wait begins. I think it is adrenaline, but I am feeling energized and motivated and ready to tackle these last few details. I can't believe I am almost done. My to-do list fits on a post-it note. This is it! I will keep you posted as the next few hours unfold.

Future plans

With the end firmly fixed on the horizon, I have started thinking about the things I am going to do with all the time on my hands after I finish my degree. I welcome suggestions, but here is the beginning of the list

Top 10 Things to Do With Free Time After Completing Dissertation:
1. Read some novels.
2. Make cute cat videos for You Tube.
3. Get my 26-year old body back.
4. Take naps.
5. Carft time.
6. Find a place to live.
7. Water the plants.
8. Play some games.
9. Watch Lifetime movies all day on a Saturday.
10. Start thinking about my next degree.

Soon to come: "Top 10 Practical Uses for the Dissertation"

Progress

I am looking forward to a productive weekend. One of the last weekends I will spend working on this. I am heading to Boston so I know I will be able to work. I just need to finish my final chapter and then do some revisions on my results chapter. I am starting to get nervous that there is more I should be including. Whenever I read something new that applies it makes me think that I have not be thorough enough. I will be glad when this is over.
I reserved a room on campus for June 9 at 4:00 to do a run through to be sure I can present everything in the time I am given. I am looking for a few volunteers to listen to me and look really mean and then ask me questions after (I will even provide the questions). It will be good practice.

Let the coutdown begin

Things are coming together. I have almost officially set my date. I am waiting for one more response from a committee member That gives me two weeks to put the finishing touches on this and to get chapter 5 in order. I feel like I have done a lot of rearranging in the past few days and that is a little scary because somehow I feel like I may have lost some things. Now I just have to work on the transitions. I want to tell the story as clearly as possible. It feels good to have a set date (although I’ve really had it in my head all along). I can’t wait to get this thing done.

Maybe it is common to start having doubts as this point in the process, but I woke up this morning feeling like I don’t have a lot to say. I know that isn’t true, I have 200 pages to prove it, but I can’t help but think that it is not what I think it is. I trust my committee chair though. She has high expectations, so I don’t think she would lead me astray.

Relief is on the horizon.

And then there was one

Today is the day. I am going to hammer out my final chapter. I am still waiting for my revisions on chapter 4, which would really help me to know where to go in the last chapter. But I'm not mad. I will just assume that it was brilliant and there was nothing wrong with it and proceed with that in mind. Just two weeks until I can breathe a little and a month until this can all be behind me. Okay, time to buckle down.
Things within arm's reach:
1. Cold can of Pepsi
2. Blackberry (in case anyone needs to call me)
3. Computer (obviously)
4. Tissues (needed them yesterday)
5. Assortment of colored pens and highlighters
6. Chapstick
7. Notes to write chapter 5
8. Fork (to poke myself in the eye)
9. I-pod (loving Adele lately)
10. Easy button

Congrats

I am trying to stay calm right now, but I am two weeks away from needing to be done. My chapter four revisions have not come back yet and I am still waiting on them to really dive into chapter 5. I am really ready for this to be over. I am feeling stretched a little thin because it is that time of year when lots of things are going on and I can't say no to any of them. Right now I am about to head over to graduation to see some of our alums get their degrees. This is such a special day for them and what an accomplishment. I am so proud of all they have done and will do. Congratulations!

Current Status

Chapters complete: 4.3333
Pages: 179
Revisions: several
Days since last email from dissertaion chair: 13
Cans of Pepsi consumed today: 2
Minutes until massage appointment: 45
Papers on the floor of office: 41
Days until the final draft is due: 19
Remaining chapters: .6666
Average hours of sleep per night: 7.5

Addicted

I am addicted to making progress. I just finished chapter 3. I know, if you have been following along that I finished chapter 4 last week. . . Well, I wrote the first three chapters before I started data collection, so now that I am done I need to go back and write what I really did (not what I planned to do). So, today I worked on my methods chapter, going back and looking at the details and writing about rigor. I am now printing a copy and heading home to edit it. I can't wait to get this thing done with. I am about a month away!!!!!!