I just met with my advisor. We haven't met or talked in about 2 months. He doesn't seem too worried by this.
let me tell you something about my advisor. he's a walking encyclopedia. he learned to fluently speak french in less than a month. he's brilliant. so brilliant i don't think he's mentally present at all times. he kinda floats through the day, perhaps performing difficult mathematical equations in his head, or constantly comparing
Homo ergaster specimen KNM-WT 15000's nuchal plane to that of
Homo habilis Sk 847. Something I'm sure we all spend many hours a day pondering. I think he's too busy being brilliant to see what's actually happening in front of him, in reality.
I bring in my outline and timeline (the dates i've set up to have each chapter finished by and blardy blar blar). I nervously hand them to my advisor. He sees how neatly and organized they are typed up.
Him: "oh, that looks just fine"
me: (expecting him to have something substantial to say about what's actually written on the paper....) "well, do you think my chapters look ok? organized well? in a good layout? they cover all the areas? do i need more?"
Him: "well, i guess, but i don't really know what your chapters are"
me: "well they're written out there on the outline"
Him: (pleasantly surprised) "oh, so they are!"
he reads over them.
Him: "It's Cladistic Analysis. Not Cladistics Analysis"
me: "oh yeah, sorry about that typo"
pause
me: "sooo.... what do you think of the outline? do you think the chapters are ok?'
Him: "oh yes, oh yes, they're fine"
me: "well what about the timeline? i lose about 3 weeks at the end of November and the beginning of December because I'm moving back to the states and my sister's getting married"
Him: "oh a wedding! how nice"
me: "yes... so... I'm trying to have most of my chapters written before then, so I can just be doing idle editing during all that chaos"
Him: "it'll be winter there, right? how nice"
me: "yes, she's having a winter wedding. so right after the wedding, that's when I'll write my introduction and conclusion"
Him: "oh yes, that's fine"
me: "and I'll just e-mail them to you, since I won't be here"
Him: "oh yes, that's fine"
me: "and every time i finish a chapter, I'll rush it over to you so you can edit it for me for the following week"
Him: "oh that's a good idea"
me: and then i'll take your hand and help you cross the street
Him: oh yes, that's fine
ok, that last part didn't happen, but that's pretty much how i felt.
don't get me wrong. he knows all the answers to all my problems, and is always willing to help, it's just with my personality... i need someone demanding work from me every week, giving me certain deadlines, yelling at me when i don't have something done, instilling me with fear of what will happen if i fail. but instead, i get a lovely, calm, happy-to-be-alive grandpa.
well, here grandpa, give me your hand, let's cross the street.
and another thing:
they call electricians "sparkies"
and carpenters "chippies"
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