Almost Done

I NAILED my presentation on Monday. I thought once I got past the initial horrible moments of the beginning, I'd ease into it and be okay. Nope. I was nervous the whole time. And I got grilled as I knew I would. Most people are just not into theory in my department but surprisingly it wasn't necessarily the theory that got people going. I got good questions about it from who I expected and was able to answer them. But what got people was how I was approaching the memoir. One woman accused me of ignoring the politics and history of memoirs which pissed me off. I know the past scholarship on the religious memoirs, and had made a point of not doing what they did. Looking back I wish I had said "Okay you're right. These stories are often used for the purposes of some forms of power BUT did the people who wrote them also have a story to tell." I did point out that I saw my thesis as very politically involved. Any kind of definition of the self involves a politics.

Still it's done, and I got some nice compliments (as well as a free dinner). Our department head was very proud, and told me he was proud to have me teaching for the department.

Done! Just need to officially submit. It feels good.
Not the best pic. but me with the famous awesome adviser and the head of our graduate department along with my beasties who came with H to congratulate me!