Peruvian Nights and Jamaican Days

WHAT AM I DOING?

I met with my advisor for THREE HOURS today. We lopped off a substantial portion of my thesis. We keep doing that. If we meet one more time I won't have to do anything.

So the deal is this...I have about 5-6 parts or potential parts to the work I've been doing. Part 1 will be my thesis and be presented at AAG in April. Part 2 I will do and write up between January and April and publish separately. That will more or less fulfill our obligations to our funding source. That leaves about 4 things that I've either already done, or can do, mostly with existing data. These 4 things are probably enough for a PhD project, so my advisor says. No geography PhD here, though, so I may roll into a PhD program in Ecology here. This requires funding for the next few years, though. So will apply for a fellowship. If I got that, I'd be living like a fat rat until spring of 2007, at which time I should then have a PhD. Then onto whatever. Other alternative, if the fellowship fails, is I might be able to take on the teaching duties (as an Instructor) of my advisor, who will be on sabbatical next year (Biogeograhy, possibly World Regional Geography). The pay is shit. $3000 for a 3 hour class. But good experience..blah, blah, blah, and maybe enough to get by on. I set the condition that I would if my tuition could be waived, so I could finish my course work next year.

If any of this panned out, I could get my PhD as early as 2 years from this May..but most likely by the following December at latest.

Question 1: Am I motivated and focused enough to get through this PhD program if I go immediately into it?

Doubtful.

Question 2: Do I even want a PhD?

Good question.

Question 3: What will I do if not?

Even better question.

Question 4: Is there some viable alternative to getting a real job?

Bank robbing?

Blogland, I'm listening...caller go ahead...

-m