2012: The Video

Moving pictures! I'm stepping it up for the year-end review.

The Year, 2012

Merry, Merry

Though It's Been Said

Auntie Cassie is here! That means it's officially holiday break time. The only hangup is the fact that I did not quite finish the chapter. But I will sneak in some time today and tomorrow to make it happen. So let the reindeer games begin!

You Better Watch Out

I did not stay up all night, but I did get up a six a.m. to work on the writing. It's freezing in my office so I'm sitting here wearing a coat and hat. I'd turn up the heat but Dave is still sleeping and the radiator is crazy noisy. Sacrifices, people. Let's get this chapter done!

The More Things Change

You can measure my stress level by the number of peanut butter chocolate rice krispie bars I've consumed this week. I won't even give you a number.

But I am making progress on the chapter. Is it possible I'll have to pull an all-nighter? That just seems wrong at my age. And yet so necessary.

Horizon

I had a great meeting with my writing group last night. Those ladies are an inspiration. They both just turned in full drafts of their disses. That's very exciting. I'm next.

Semantics

I've been using a new strategy with Sam where I frame my requests with the word WHEN instead of the word IF. The difference is subtle but important, I think. Check it out:

If you eat some chicken, I will give you more mac n' cheese. 

VS. 

When you eat some chicken, I will give you more mac n' cheese. 

The first one implies that Sam may not eat his chicken, and then I will punish him by withholding mac n' cheese. The second implies that I believe Sam will eat his chicken, and then we will all be so happy about him having more mac n' cheese.

I can't say if it works because, chicken or not, Sam gets more mac n' cheese. I'm a total pushover. But I do feel better about myself saying it this way.

So I'm applying it to the dissertation too.

When you finish this chapter on Friday, you will schedule a massage. 

See, it feels good.

Again, I'll schedule the massage either way, but at least I believe that I have the potential to earn it.