Updates on my updates

So Margaret asked why I mentioned my Facebook competition before my defense. I think because saracasm and humor is my way of dealing with serious issues and pressure.

So you guys know of course that I am not REALLY in competetion for facebook friends, right? I am just being silly and a little sarcastic. (though I am totally serious about wanting to delete my irritating old crush.)

But, with that said, I did get some new facebook friends (thank you mosey and Isabel--it's an honor (or honour)-- I was already fb friends with some of you--which is also an honor) and have now surpassed my hubby, and I can't deny that it feels victorious and glorious. I'll have to rub it in later.

Though truth be told, I have now exhausted all of my facebook-friend-resources. My friend suggestions are even empty... totally empty. Facebook has got nothin' for me. My husband on the other hand has lots of friends that aren't on his fb yet--and everyone loves him... I mean everyone. And in Chile, they keep all of their friends FOREVER--he has fb friends that he went to kindergarten with. I can't even remember where I went to kindergarten.

Now that I think about it, I had better not rub it in. If I start gloating I am sure he'll look up the other 5000 people he knows and I will never catch up. So for now, I am going to bask in the glow of my temporary online popularity (haha) in silence.


Defense... what defense? Oh, you wanna know about my defense?

Ok, but first, I'll tell you that the funniest part of the whole day was the blister on my heel. I wore these shoes that I hadn't worn in a while. I am ashamed to even say that I got a blister, because these are not hot little blister-worthy shoes (is there such a thing as bister-worthy shoes?) They just aren't re-worn in this year.

By the time I walked from parking to my building (15 minutes). I had a blister and was limping, trying to stop the abrasion. I looked around in my bag and found no band-aid...the only thing I had was a pantyliner. So I sat down and put the pantyliner around my heel, inside my sock protecting the heel from further pain. It worked wonders... highly recommended... as long as you have socks on, without them it might look funny.

OK OK OK, so the defense went pretty well. Everyone signed and called me Doctor (though you don't have to quite yet). I am mostly just relieved to have it over with. I wasn't nervous at all until all of my committee members had shown up and then I got the butterflies.

A defense is not really the END end... but it is the last big task. But during the defense, there are always concessions to make and suggested revisions, so it seems anti-climactic in some ways. I have one little addition to make and a few little revisions, but I WILL graduate. YAY!!

I was worried about one committee member because he is the program director where I collected data. He was added to my committee late and I have never had a class with him, so I don't know him that well--but my study is relevant to him. At one point during the defense, it sounded like he was suggesting an addition that would involve a lot of work and I suffered a minor internal panic attack, but it turned out that it wasn't all that major.

So, there you have it. Two successes! I'll tell you when I give my dissertation to the graduate school and all is officially official and then you can call me Doctor!