Who knew I had this in me?
I doubt you could find a Bitch that didn't. But sometimes you gotta do to believe.
And all the Bitches are batting their eyes and grinning beatifically.
Such good points. But, yes. I think sometimes you have to actually do it to believe. I did know it (the thesis) was in me. I didn’t know it was in me to get it done on time. After all, one of the reasons I did my thesis a year early was so if I couldn’t finish it on time, it wouldn’t keep me from graduating. I’m actually so very proud of myself. I was talking about this in my LJ the other day, but I’ll say it here too: this is great evidence for me that I can do life. All this work to get to this day (both tangibly and metaphorically), and it’s here. We should have a party or something! (Actually, a party is in the works…it will be the day my buddy and I present our work. BIG party afterwards at my place. I’ll keep you all up-to-date!)
First, a much-deserved WOO HOO to vw for finishing her thesis...and EARLY!
Thanks so much, babe!
wait... what? vw's finished her thesis?! OK I had a good reason for being distracted earlier but how could I miss this?
Honey, you’ve got big distracting things going on in your life right now. You’re allowed. But thank you!
My dad sent his final comments overnight, and I just read them. It’s mostly filled with things like, “WOW! What a great word choice!” and “This is a GREAT sentence!” and “This is a POWERFUL paragraph!!!! Excellent job!!!!!!!” He gets away with five thousand exclamation points here. Oh, and his final comment about the whole thing? “Wow! What an enjoyable, inspirational, and informative read I just had!!!! Thank you very, very much from the depths of my grateful and very proud heart!!!” I love my dad.
I think I said it before, but woohoo!
Oh, and the other great thing? (Sorry, I'm full of great things this morning, apparently.) It's not exactly 25 pages any more! (It's supposed to be between 25 and 40 pages.) It's 30 pages! So it doesn't look like I padded it to get to 25 pages!
Completely unrelated, BABY TOES! Mostly just for JZ: [link]
YAY vw!!! And your Dad rocks! (borrowing some of his exclamation points).
Congrats, bug! We knew you'd do it.
For we are omniscient and wise. The only reason we're not running the world right now is because TV is shiny.
Crap. I have one problematic section. Maybe you guys can help.
When I first started this project, I was told by more than one person that "shared authority" would keep me from proving my thesis. I'm addressing that in my discussion section. Here's what I've got:
Another implication not yet addressed in this study is that of shared authority. Michael Frisch coined the term “shared authority” for his 1990 book of the same name. Shared authority is a form of collaboration between oral historian and narrator in “research, interpretation, and presentation” (Thomson 23). Frisch explains how he arrived at the term: “the notion that what is most compelling about oral and public history is a capacity to redefine and redistribute intellectual authority, so that this might be shared more broadly in historical research and communication rather than continuing to serve as an instrument of power and hierarchy” (xx). When I first began my research, I was told by more than one person that I could never prove that oral history could be a form of literature, due to the issue of shared authority. If oral history was literature, who could be the author? After all, even a recording is a form of translation of the original interview. A transcript is even more of a form of translation of the original interview. Transcripts are often deeply edited, hopefully collaborating with the original narrator, but still heavily edited.
When I sat down with Michael Frisch at the Oral History Association’s Annual Conference in 2007, I asked him about the issue of shared authority. He did not directly answer the question during his discussion of his research and research of his colleagues and students. At the end of the conversation, I asked him again, “What about shared authority? Will it be the one thing that keeps me from proving that oral history could be literature?” He responded, “Don’t let my research keep you from proving your thesis. If it’s there, you prove it.”
With that in mind, this study makes several assumptions. First, “The Potter and the Clay” is the intellectual property of Marian Hunt. I make no claim to her story; it is hers and hers alone. It has been my distinct pleasure to work with her gifted interviews and learn much, not only about oral history and literature, but also about life. Second, as shared authority implies, collaboration is vital to a successful final version of a transcript. People misspeak every day, in every conversation. If a researcher does not give the narrator the opportunity to correct mistakes or misunderstandings, shared authority does become a problematic issue. Third, shared authority did not hinder any of the analysis completed for this project. The analysis is complete, even though the researcher understands that the narrator will read the final version and may not agree with all of the analysis. There is a deep understanding and respect between the researcher and the narrator, which has allowed for this kind of collaboration. Therefore, shared authority has been addressed and did not prevent the thesis from being proven or become a problematic issue.
What do you all think that is saying?
What do you all think that is saying?
I think this is saying: Joe needs more coffee.
You ever see a dog shake its head in that convulsive way that suggests it has a fly in its ear that it is desperately trying to dislodge? I just did that.
Which does NOT, I have to stress, mean your writing is incomprehensible or incoherent, vw. It means...I need more coffee.
ALSO, unrelated to vw's thesis: I was trying to think yesterday what was bugging me about Laga's sister's ex-asshat. What was I missing? What was I forgetting?
And it came to me in a flash, this morning.
Now, where is it? I used to carry it right here...ah!
*STABBITYSTABSTAB!* *SPLORCH! *squeeky!*
There. I feel much better.
