Proposal, Take One

I should point out that this blog describes what is actually my second dissertation proposal.  The original one (what I'm calling "Proposal, Take One") was submitted in March 2007.  It was approved a little later that year.  

Shortly after that, I changed jobs and moved to another state while Hubby stayed behind to remodel the house (that really sucked!--the weekend-only marriage, not the remodel).  That job was virtual hell...worked on average 80 hours a week, gained a lot of weight, had NO time for coursework, much less the dissertation.

After 16 months of hell, I moved to my current company - work is hectic, particularly in Q1 each year - but no where near the insanity of 80 hours a week with no time for anything but comfort eating and fitful sleep.  Six months after that move, not surprisingly, I was diagnosed with Stage II cancer.  For about a year, I was in no state - either mentally or physically - to do much academically.  

Due to the job in hell and the cancer treatment and recovery, I lost about 28 months of my seven-year doctoral program.  Two years ago (program was to conclude on March 31, 2012), ISM graciously granted me a two-year extension.  I completed the four PhD core courses in those two years - three of the four since June 2013 (I obviously got moving last year!) plus getting my teaching requirement done in Paris in the winter of 2013 (it sounds more glamorous than it was) - becoming ABD just two weeks ago on March 18th.

So if you're counting, tomorrow (March 31st) marks the end of my program.  ISM doesn't appear to be enthused by the dissertation going past 3/31, but it's being tolerated for the time being.  There's a note in the PhD handbook about a six-month extension period being given to finish the dissertation.  So I think I'm OK.

So, why am I not going ape-crazy about my original proposal not being valid anymore?  A few reasons:

• Take One proposed a 16-chapter, 100,000-word paper on something that is very boring.   
• The newest requirements mandate only five (big) chapters and 80,000 words.  Plus this topic is much more interesting (to me, anyway).
• For the "new and improved" dissertation process, unless its a germinal work, I can't use any literature older than seven years.  So NONE of the entire literature collection made for the last submission can be used.  I'd have to start over anyway.
• The title plus subtitle of Take One contains 28 words.  I'd owe Dr. S $105!  :-)