Last week I passed my Thesis defense. I'm wrapping up this degree....and I can't seem to believe I'm actually going to pack everything up in a month and leave this place (assuming everything goes well with my Spanish reading exam tomorrow and that I get all of my revisions in on time....ok so I probably won't believe I have this damn degree until they give me my transcripts and my diploma).

Don't know what the results are with the songwriting thing.....the band running it seems to have forgotten about posting the results. It was, despite the horrible amounts of smoke, a good experience. It's basically convinced me that I want to try and find a regular gig once I get to Outdoor Haven City (home of West Coast U).

In addition to end-gaming it, I've also been looking at goals I want for the next 4-5 years of my life....I guess this is my "Goals I'd like to reach before I turn 30" list.

So here goes:

1. Get published: I feel like this is the next big step for me in my academic career, and one I feel I need to accomplish before I can set out to get an academic job.
2. Present at a National Musicology/Ethnomusicology conference: See reason above.
   
3. Record a CD: Or maybe two. I really want to put out a recording or two. I'd like to record a traditional CD, but I'd also really like to do a CD of originals. I've really gotten into the songwriting thing recently, and while a recording of my originals is not likely to earn me big bucks or be popular outside of my circle of friends/family, I think it would be something I was really proud of.
4. Finish the PhD: I want to be done in 4 years, and have a job....please god.
5. Study Buddhism: I am moving to a place where this will be a lot easier, and I'm _really_ looking forward to that.
6. Run/Row a marathon: I'd really like to run a marathon....but I have a bad knee...and so recently I've tried rowing (on an indoor rower). I can work infinitely harder on the rowing machine and though I feel sore the next day, I can still move. So in the event that I can't run a marathon, you can actually row a marathon (something like 26,ooo+ meters). As a relative beginner, I can easily row 5k+ in 40 minutes, so I feel like it's a doable goal.
7. Find a life outside of my profession: I've spent most of the past 4 years solely focused on my profession. I'm going to still be doing a lot of that, but I think I need to establish hardcore boundaries so that I don't get quite as burned out.

Anyway, back to studying and revising.

Peace, Love, and Tunes,

Mac.