Getting Ready to Start Over Again

So as we hit the mid-point of the month of December, I start thinking about what is less than a month away, and make final preparations for what will be ten great days in a great city working with some of the most talented people I know.

What is the same is the housing; we will be making our second stay at the Garfield Suites in Cincinnati. This is probably the best solution for going away and staying somewhere that doesn’t have a beach. Feels like a home away from home.

What is different this residency is that we are also having our classes at the same hotel where we are staying. To me this is a comfort–no coats, no boots, no snow, and no commute. It will be a relaxing situation.

What I am most excited about is the use of technology this time around. Sure, we have always had all the comforts of home (wireless access and Starbucks coffee), but this time I will be active in a technical matter. First, daily blog entries are planned (in some cases multiple daily blogs). Also we are going to experiment with some other technology.

The other item that I am excited about is the fact that I will be teaching a class back in Rochester with the use of technology. I am hoping that my master’s students are as excited as I am about me teaching them about “Leadership in the E-World.” The most exciting part here is that some of my colleagues will be teaching along with me and taking part in the action.

So much to still prepare…. Looking forward to our time together in a few short weeks and creating something special … again….

-j-

Life of the Ph.D. Student

I have been away from the blog for a couple weeks while I get the time to take a deep breath and reflect on what a difficult semester this has been for me personally, and begin thinking about new ideas as to how I am going to tackle yet another semester of learning, running a business, being a faculty member, and trying to live a family life.

I am here to say it can be done. I was told that with a little flexibility and a lot of Starbucks coffee, anything is possible. I can attest that this is true.

Now just a couple more loose ends to tie up, with some classes and one class that needs a little more than just tying up. I will be 3/4th of the way done with the course work. Now if only I felt 100% sure of my dissertation topic.

Hopefully this time away will give me some of the fire back. Based on experience, I know that it will. It is like finishing a marathon; when you are done, you are not surprised since you knew that you had it in you, but you really feel more tired than excited about being finished.

Now it is time to get in line at the starting gate for the next five months of running… I hope to improve my time. The fact really is, at the end of the day, I will just be happy to get done and try to enjoy the run.

-j-