The end of a long journey

So the thesis defense was yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately, one of the committee members couldn't be there because of a family crisis. That means I won't get her feedback until later in the week. But the other committee members were very pleased with the thesis. Stephen Kopcha, whose feedback was of particular value to me as I specifically wanted him personally on the committee (even though he isn't "graduate faculty" and the grad school had to make me jump though hoops to allow him to participate), had a lot of positive things to say about it, particularly that it was well-written, easy to read, and that the quotes I'd pulled from the interview transcripts were just the right ones. He was happy that I'd provided transcripts of all of the interviews in the appendices, which he said were interesting to read (he read them!) and showed that the sampled quotes provided in the body of the document were appropriate and not out-of-context.

When the time came for them to "deliberate", they didn't even ask me to leave the room .. they just asked to see the form and signed it right in front of me. The only changes they had for me was a single sheet of minor typographical edits that Stephen had put together.

So yeah. I am still in shock, but I couldn't be happier with how this went down.

What makes this even more meaningful to me was the choice of the date. I chose October 23rd for the thesis defense specifically, because on that date in 2003, my married life ended abruptly and painfully. It will always be a date I remember as being one of the cruelest rejections in my life, but now I have reclaimed the date as standing for comprehensive achievement and accomplishment.

I know my ex couldn't give a damn .. but someday I hope my stepdaughter will be proud of me.