I can see it from here.
On 2 January 2007, I began my doctoral program in music education. On this day next week, I will have officially completed eleven courses (44 credit hours) and twenty months of nonstop study — roughly 35 hours per week in addition to my full time job.
I have learned much. For instance, in addition to helping me cultivate a whole new thought system on the philosophy, history and cultural context of music education in America, this experience has taught me to:
- Operate on 4-5 hours of sleep per night
- Balance a daytime teaching job, nighttime rehearsal schedules for four mainstage musical productions, concerts, family gatherings, a wedding, the birth of a grandchild, web clients and other commitments with 30+ hours of homework per week
- Truly appreciate the Thriller for basically living on his own (and doing all my jobs around the house) for the last 20 months
- Love and appreciate my family more (the Thriller, #1 Son, Jakey’s Mom, Lars, Helen, Mavis, Simone and Johanna) for always being there for me and remaining patient and supportive
- Keeping up with it all without sacrificing my important personal commitment to write every day
Yikes — big list. But the heck of it is, this little party’s nowhere near over with. In April, I will take the dreaded exams, which many people (including some brilliant folks whose ideas and accomplishments I admire) have failed. No joy in Mudville till that’s done and in the books — one way or the other.
Still, it feels good to have come this far. If you’d asked me three years ago what I’d be doing today, I wouldn’t have said “finishing up my DMA coursework.”
Life is goofy, eh?
Fink out.
Good for you! I have complete faith. If you can pull all of the above off, exams will be a walk in the park. LOL
Wow! I am in awe. I sincerely mean that. And, you’ve also kept your sanity and had time for your friends. Thank you. I believe that all of this will have a great outcome, and I’ll be thrilled to call you Dr.
The thought of you 2 having coffee together once the doctorate is complete makes my head spin: RD & DR.
HA! And to make it even more goofy, RD *is* a DR!!
Oh, fer cryin’ out loud! Did I know that? I’m trying to remember way back in the day if RD was a Dr already….or if that happened during the post-BoomR era…??!!
Not sure, sweetness…maybe he’ll post his Dr. year if he reads this. It was awhile ago, though, I know that. Maybe he’s too old to remember…
RD became a Dr. in December 1983. When I book an airline ticket, I never use the Dr. I don’t want them paging me to take care of a medical emergency. Most likely I didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn the previous night. And, my wife never calls me Dr. It’s still “Hey you.”
HAA – good advice from the good doctor. If and when I ever get the prefix, I hope I can look at it with the same laid-back attitude as you do, RD. Hey, speakina coffee…
@Ladybeams – thanks, luv – I just want all of this to go away!!