McCalls 2013 – Sewing and Cycling!

Two of my favourite things are cycling and sewing, so I was really stoked to see McCall’s 2013 Spring catalogue full of awesome looking sewing projects and bikes!

Sewing and Cycling in McCalls 2013 sewing patterns catalogue
Sewing and Cycling in McCalls 2013 sewing patterns catalogue

 

Now let’s get on our bikies in our new frocks!

M6696

 

Mega-milestone

I just crossed the 70,000 word threshold on my thesis!!

thesis

As you may or may not be aware the maximum length for any thesis at Victoria University of Wellington is 100,000 words.  That’s a limit, not a target.  I don’t want to jinx myself by being too confident, but i feel really good about the progress I have been making lately.

The end is nigh!

My submission deadline is 30 June 2013.

Then I guess I have to find a job or something.

Actually my plan is to stick around NZ a while, I have to wait for somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks for my oral defence, and then I will probably have to do some revisions (hopefully not too extensive) before finally resubmitting and then another few weeks/months before I get my final results.  It’s a very drawn-out, anti-climatic process, and I intend to celebrate at every step along the way!  That’s an opportunity for at least 4 separate parties as I see it-

  1. Submission
  2. Successful defence
  3. Final results
  4. University graduation ceremony (probably next May, unless I can get in it under the wire for this December)

Apparently I am not officially a PhD until my thesis is bound and the university library has a copy.  Realistically that probably won’t be before December of this year.  In the mean time, once I submit, I can find some full time work (maybe doing research, teaching, or library stuff?), try to get a few papers published, and apply for academic jobs starting the following August.  Unfortunately, I won’t be done in time to be seriously considered for academic postings starting this August/September, but in a way I don’t think I’ll be ready to pick up and leave Wellington in 6 months.  I still have a massive stash of fabric that I have not had any time to make anything with in ages!

Also I just got my bike rebuilt.  I have 5 more gears now, and I’m looking forward to breaking them on the hills around Wellington!