Ok, so I pretty much am sucky blogger all around

I've been so busy reading, I've forgotten that I even have a blog dedicated to preparing for my comps. Don't worry though, probably-not-dedicated-readers, I have done lots of reading. In fact, I am now shooting for a February 15 start date, two weeks ahead of my last start date goal of March 1. My committee chair seems confidant about it and I do too. I am getting restless. I've done so much reading already that I just want to get them done...

So this is the game plan: I am going to read for about two more weeks. Then right before Thanksgiving break, I am going to send revised questions and reading lists to my other committee members and schedule a meeting for finals week. During that meeting I will be given more revisions and reading suggestions, but that will give me about two months to get that done and be ready.

Then, I will have close to a month to prepare for the 4 C's, because YES, I got into the 4 C's.

Then, hopefully, I will be able to defend the comps next spring instead of next fall and I will ABD by May 2011.

Wow, that sounds like a busy 6 months that will accomplish a lot.

It's good though, just when I begin to feel a little burnt out, I get great incentives to keep going

God, I'll be so glad when I just get the PhD.

So Much Going On

I don't think I thought I would be doing as much reading as I am. I read every day. I was breaking down how much I've read in the last 8 weeks and I am looking at about 7-10 readings a week - articles, chapters, books. I've been reading so much that I have not been as great here. Well, let's face it, I've never been very good at keeping this blog up with reading summaries. Let's just say I've come across some really great sources.

A meeting with a committee member gave me beaucoup books (various cultural readers) in cultural studies and it made me remember how much I loved reading about cultural studies.

Found some great books about Technical Communication and the World Wide Web and Technical Communication and Cultural Studies.

Will soon start reading straight up composition theory.

Then there is the Western States Rhetoric and Literacy Conference where I will be presenting with a colleague of mine. Then I will be applying for a department award.

And yesterday I found out the best news - I got into the 4C's. This was my first try and the proposal didn't get a lot of rave reviews in workshops. I ultimately decided to submit because, well, why not?

Lots and lots of work to be done. Better get to it.

Update

I've been doing a lot of reading. It's a very exciting life I lead.

I got some feedback from my committee members on my questions. As was expected, the majority of the work left to do on the questions is on my specialized question. I'm not going back to the drawing board (thank god), but there is some major revisions to be done. I just met with my chair and have some additional feedback as to where to go.

My reading lists are heading in the right direction. I think that by figuring out my questions first, it really helps guide my reading lists so I am not reading a bunch of stuff that aren't worthwhile for question. My chair also gave me some suggestions to look at and then to look at their sources. I also have an appointment with another member of my committee who is more specialized in culture studies and I hope she can really lead me to some readings as well.

I've included some previous readings to my list: "awaywithwords: on the possibilites in unavailable designs" by AF Wysocki. This works with multimodal composition and asking students to be aware of choosing the right modes in their compositions, as well as looking at space as a design mode.

I've also included Prensky's "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants," which is an interesting piece that discusses the digital divide between older and younger generations. I find some of it problematic, especially since I don't consider myself an immigrant, but I know that I am not a native and there are probably many people that find themselves in this position. But, it of course, has to be brought up.

I am looking at a huge pile of readings I've done (and think of a huge pile of readings I have at home) and I think, I am not really keeping up on discussing these readings here. So I am going to pick a few and talk about them here.

"Cultural Studies: two paradigms." - Stuart Hall.

This provided some interesting analysis of Williams', Thompson's and other key cultural theorists definitions of culture. This may sound like I am dumb, but it actually put into perspective structuralism and post-structuralism and why we use those theories as a way to understand culture. I know theory is a way to understand, but it's so much nicer to have it put into plain terms.

Ok, I know I said I was going to discuss a few readings, but I need to get back to teaching right now. But stay tuned. I will return.

Clicking

What I am beginning to like about this comps. reading process is how it is all starting to run together. That actually sounds bad, but what I mean is that a lot of what I read is referring to other readings I have done. It makes the whole process seem a little more applicable.

Update

I have received feedback from my committee members and it is productive. I wish they would've just said I was brilliant, but I knew they wouldn't, so I go back to revise them this weekend.

Still plugging away at reading. I never think I read enough and sometimes I think I am reading way too much. Is there ever any real balance?

I have decided I never feel truly comfortable in this process. I am always in a state of worry. I am anxious. Some moments are better than others, and I would like to think I will feel better come April, after I am done with the comps, but I am sure I will feel like a fraud at some point for the rest of my life. Oh well, I can deal.

I actually cleaned some of my house today, which felt good. I am not going to campus tomorrow and that makes me happy (even if I'll just be working from home).

But for tonight, I am going to relax and watch Modern Family.