Ph.D. ABD and in mid-air!!!!

So if you image-google "Ph.D. ABd," this is one of the awesome super awesome pictures you get.

Umm, the other images are stunningly unflattering head shots of professors languishing in part-time, no-benefits, temporary college teaching positions until they write their dissertations.

But this guy, the dude in the middle, in THE AIR FLYING, yeah, oh yeah, he too is PhD ABD.

In ninja awesomeness.

That's right folks.

I sat in a little room while five very smart people pummeled me with smart and tricky questions.

I sweated. I shook. I gave stupid, rambling, answers that let everyone know that I  don't know what "close reading," "new criticism," or "deciduous" really mean. Which makes me a moron.

And I gave pithy examples of rhizomatic methodology. Which were cool.

Then those five asked me to leave the room while they discussed my work and my pass/fail grade. Then, after 15 minutes (during which time stopped and the stars began to implode), they asked me back in.

And then they said, "Congratulations! You passed!"

Which makes me able to jump up, kick, fly around, and be Ph.D. ABD ninja ready.

(I still have to write a 200 page dissertation.)

flashes of rhizomes of lines of flight!

So Hugo and I flew to Edmonton.

It was cold and the wind was blowy and I bought The Watchmen there.

And I read it in between exams.

Exams were hard. My brain started to feel foggy. It was clanking, groaning.

Although at times I lit on points of creation : of ideas and words flashing together in synaptic rhizomes, maps of study-time.

And I passed.

Thank EFF.

In two weeks I go back for the Oral Examination. Sounds gross, hey?

Five profs sit around me (in a semicircle? as a linear panel? holding hands?) and ask me questions about what I wrote in my exams.

I'm not too worried.

As long as I'm rested and the brain stays clear.

I am much happier than I've been in a long time. Even today, whilst grumpily shopping at SuperStore, I was fairly happy. Even when BOTH my classes revealed that they hadn't done any of the VERY EASY and VERY SHORT reading assigned for today, I was happy.