Mission (im)possible

Today is the day. The beginning of two-month "purgatory" (as my husband called it) before the oral exam.

I have a plan. A masochistic plan with impossible expectations for each week. Yet there is no other way to get things done. Stay posted for the frequent freak outs.

My husband got strangely excited last night, when I told him about my "mission impossible" plan. He quite enthusiastically started painting this grim picture of me not sleeping, not eating, not watching TV or playing on the Internet but working from 7 am to 10 pm every day. I could only occasionally insert "dude!" in between his tirades. After awhile he agreed that maybe I should get some sleep after all.

I love that my husband is very supportive and not selfish about this! He believes in me more than I do. And he seems to be also more excited about the prospects of life after the oral exam than I am. And I am quite excited myself! I really need to keep this happy thought throughout these two months. Maybe I should post on a cubicle wall what I can do after passing the exam.

So far my list has one item: get drunk. Now, this is definitely my deeply ingrained Russian heritage speaking here, because the conscious me does not like heavy drinking at all and frankly I can only hold one drink, maybe two. So I need to think of some other inspirational activities which are only possible after the oral exam. Also, you know, my employer might not appreciate the perpetual note "Get drunk!" on my wall.

Well, it's time. Time to write the first draft of my paper which must go out to my co-authors by Sunday morning. AND, if I get done sooner, I'm treating myself to a badly needed haircut. Wish me luck!

P.S. I meant, wish me luck with the first draft, not the haircut.

P.P.S. Come to think of it, luck with a haircut wouldn't hurt either. I've got plenty of bad ones before.