So as 99.999% of the people who read this blog know, I am in graduate school. I am also new to graduate school. What most people don't know is that my advisor is also new to UA. This newness has come to the forefront in a recent dilemma: I am drowning in work. Yes, friends, I mean flailing around in a sea of research, seeing no end. This came about in an unfortunate combination of newness, specifically mine and Jamie's (my advisor).
You see, last semester wasn't all that hard. It was challenging, but I managed the first 4.0 of my life (yes, ever. The highest semester GPA I got in college was a 3.9, but no 4.0s until now). I was happy, and apparently overconfident. I brought my spring schedule to Jamie with the intent of taking three full time courses including an upper-level seminar. On top of that I thought I'd add some thesis hours and contemporary issues. I thought I could do it. Jamie thought so, too. But now I am learning the errors of my ways.
I brought a similar schedule to Fran and Dave yesterday to ask them about some classes. They looked at it like I was crazy. They basically told me that there was no need for me to take on that kind of load so early, and that it might impede progress on my thesis. I said that I was in the process of finishing up a semester pretty much just like that one. After telling me of my craziness they helped me whittle it down to something more manageable. Now that the last three weeks of this semester are upon us I can see why this is a good thing.

Whew. That sure was a lot of bitching. Sorry. But I had to get it out that my overzealousness for the fancy "book learning" may have finally caught up with me.

In other, much more important and much more happy news, I have been dating Jenn now for eleven months and not managed to run her off. Next month makes a year. Time has some very large and efficient wings.

I hope everyone is well, and is not drowning in research articles.
Peace,
Joe