One Year Out

By: Meradeth Houston on 12:29 AM

I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that it's been a year since I took my Qualifying Exams. Pretty crazy, really. I can't believe that much time has passed. I honestly thought I'd be closer to getting the freak out of Davis at this point, but so goes the insanity of grad school--it can suck time like nothing else. I shouldn't complain too much though, I have a job I like, my co-workers rock, and I have some sweet samples to work with (starting on some Mimbres samples today, whohoo! Strange that it feels like Christmas :-). Still, it's been a full year. So, that got me thinking of all the junk I've been doing in the past year:

• Gave talks at two international conferences, which were well-received.
• Have an academic paper submitted, and am now doing the last of its revisions.
• 22 more samples with data.
• Wrote and edited a full book.
• Got an agent!
• Applied for two grants--got one, and the other is looking good (though pending).
• Am in much better shape, thanks to the the prodding of best friend who drags me to the gym every night.

I think I need to be nicer to myself. That's a pretty good list, and seeing as how that's the highlights (and doesn't count the trillion hours I've spent grading exams, reading good books, working on the WIP, or spending time with hubby and fam), things are okay. I'm not going to beat myself up that I haven't lost 15 pounds, gotten another paper ready, been more academically inclined, etc. It's just not worth it.