The Dissertation Cliff

Ever since the elections everyone’s talking about the fiscal cliff. So we all know the economic dangers facing us in the new year. But did you know there is also such a thing as a dissertation cliff?

I didn’t. And I fell right off of it.

Photo cc licensed and shared by scpgt

I Think I’ll Start a New Hobby

The dissertation cliff happens when your dissertation becomes the priority in your life and everything else takes a back seat. Things like family, odds and ends around the house, or rewriting lectures for my classes at the seminary. Then, as the dissertation starts coming to an end you naively begin thinking to yourself

Wow, think of all the time I’m going to have when I finish my dissertation. I’ll have time to publish a couple articles, a book, start new research projects, prepare new classes, preach and teach in local churches, spend more time with my family, update the dissertation template, and start video theology posts. This is going to be great! Why, I could even take up a new hobby. And we can get a dog!

The End of the Blackout

A person with a whit of insight would see this coming. Unfortunately, I ignored all warning signs and walked right over the edge. That explains our communication blackout. After dissertation there were certain cans I could no longer kick down the road (e.g. rewriting my lectures and preparing new classes) and so I’ve been playing catch up on those. I’m hoping by the end of Christmas I’ll be caught up can begin engaging in more forward looking activities.