Thursday, January 15, 2009

General Exam

Oh.

My.

Creator.

I was shut in a room with five men two to three times bigger than me for three solid hours having every soft bit of me kicked and poked and gouged and kicked some more and punched and sliced open and packed with salt.

I made it out of the room. I tended to my wounds while my tormentors decided my fate. Would it be thumbs up, be on your way, valiant gladiator, with our thoughts on how to fight better the next time? Would it be thumbs down, thrown to the lions for the violent death of your dreams? An hour later, I knew.

Thumbs up, with caveats.

I now must meet individually with my tormentors. The beatings will continue.

11 comments:

Neil said...

It sounds like congratulations are in order. So, Congratulations, Dr. Allenbach!


And if I'm a bit early, forgive my enthusiasm, but I'm sure you'll do fine.

Zen hugs!
Neil

yanub said...

From PhD to PhD, congratulations. May your road in academia be more successful than mine has been. It's a tough world out there, but I think you have what it takes.

Lisa Moon said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Dr Dawn Allenbach... you f'in RAWK, grrl!

Lookout world... and tormentors... go, Dawn, go!

Optistatic said...

Congratulations! That's excellent news!

Defying Gravity said...

Hi Dawn

A reader from Screw Bronze here. Just wanted to congratulate you on the doctorate - a fantastic achievement, well done! (I quit mine!)

Donna Lee said...

Congratulations and great good luck to you! Beth said to come and wish you well. Here's hoping the individual interviews will not be as horrendous as the group.

Lene Andersen said...

Congratulations! That's amazing - a huge accomplishment.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Dr. Allenbach! Whew, it sounds like it was grueling...

SharonMV said...

Dear Dawn,

Congrats! You made it through the ordeal. I never finished my doctorate (in Classics - Greek & latin lit.), but I did pass my exams. Stuck in a room with 4 professors asking me questions. What you've done is a real accomplishment.

SharonMV

Unknown said...

Three cheers for the new Dr. D. M. Allenbach. You have prevailed through only what God can throw at you. Storms and floods. A job well done Dawn. A job well done. Congratulations and a hearty hurrah.
Laura- Of Wheels and Wings

Dawn Allenbach said...

Sorry, everyone, for the delay in responses, but I took a few much needed days off since I didn't really get much of a Christmas/New Year's holiday/vacation.

As a general comment, I am not a Ph.D. YET. I presented my dissertation proposal -- I gave a presentation on the research I've completed so far and a summary of what I still need to do. My actual Ph.D. is still about a year and a half away.

Neil -- Thank you. I can still use all the Zen I can get.

Yanub -- Let's wade these crazy waters together then and be each other's life vests!

Lisa Moon -- Thanks. I roll, too! ;-)

Abi -- Thanks.

Defying gravity -- I've seriously considered quitting a couple of times, but I will not give the tormentors or doubters the satisfaction!

Donna Lee -- Thanks.

Lene -- Thanks.

Cheryl -- You have no idea! :-)

SharonMV -- "Just a bit more." That's what I keep telling myself.

Laura -- Thanks.