I actually didn’t add to my page count today (which means tomorrow’s picture will have to be something other than a self-portrait holding an index card! OMG!), because I went into campus to participate in a lab meeting, take care of some logistical things relating to defending, write a couple of recommendation letters for students, and finish grading for my writing class. Tomorrow it’ll be back to the diss.
My advisor hasn’t had time to read all of the 120 (!) pages I sent him yesterday (my first three chapters), but I did pester him for feedback on what he’d read so far after lab meeting, and he said “If you’re worried about being too long/wordy or needing to sound more formal, don’t be – your writing is fun to read!” And yes, I was worried about both of those things, since I tend toward a writing style that is more conversational, so not like typical dry/direct science writing. I mean, I can do dry/direct when it’s called for, but that’s not the form my “voice” naturally takes in writing.
Of course, “fun to read” doesn’t really tell me that the underlying ideas are any good, but given our conversations about said ideas that took place before I had time to seriously start writing about them, I’m probably in good shape.
3 more chapters. I can do this. I can do this.
whit::knits 
You can do this! You’re so close!!