Just checking in. My most recent page count:
Inching ever closer to 200. I’m kinda wordy :)
I now have finished drafts of the first 4 Chapters. Hope to have a draft of Chapter 5 by the end of the week, but I’ve got to work out some data/stats issues before I can do that. If I can do that, I’ll definitely hit my goal of a completed full draft (all 6 chapters) by the end of May. I know I can write Chapter 6 (the conclusions and future directions chapter) in less than a week.
Then, I have until June 16th to do whatever revisions my committee asks me to do before officially submitting my dissertation. Then I defend on July 10th. That should be plenty of time to put together a good talk. I’m not super worried about that; you can’t put together over 60 presentations (between the two lecture-based classes I taught this year and the workshops I gave for the writing program) in a year without developing some confidence in your ability to put together and deliver a talk. But ask me again when I’m actually putting it together :)
I actually *am* still knitting, just a little bit (on the Mitered Crosses Blanket):
But really, I’m pretty single-mindedly focused on the dissertation for now. I’ll be a more interesting person again in August. I hope.
whit::knits 
I, for one, am doffing my cap to your focus and your progress! I’m finding knitting sooooo much more compelling than my work deadlines right now. In fact I should be working right now, and what am I doing instead? :) Good luck! And think of the knitting time you’ll have while you wait for the comments to come back… the longer it is, the longer your committee will take, yes?