And the beat goes on.......

This week is more of the same: read, research, write, edit, and write again. This dissertation is possibly the hardest thing I've ever done. By virtue of the fact that this is the highest award to which a scholar can aspire, it was not designed to be easy. Possibly the hardest part is that one receives criticism on what has been done, but there is no encouragement on how it should be done better. I guess that is the nature of the beast, but it doesn't make it any easier.

I have made some breakthroughs along the way, and every day brings more knowledge on the subject matter, but at some point the old brain gets maxed out with information overload. I will admit that this process has made me much more organized than I have been since I left school 100 years ago. That can only serve me well in a variety of different respects, so this whole process broadens the horizon.

But, when there is too much information overload it is time to relax a bit and do something else. That is why having people around to interact with is so important. My landlords are wonderful and have been so incredibly nice and welcoming. In fact, I scored two free meals at their house this week, both at dinner parties they hosted. It is a bit unusual to have Americans around this place (there are loads of Germans here for some reason), so I guess my accent and political perspectives are currently in vogue for dinner parties. I haven't felt too much like an organ grinder's monkey yet, but that may come!

The place is just so beautiful that even short distractions to hear and see the exotic birds that live around here, the tropical plants, and the expansive views of the mountains are just so awesome that it allows me to get that little respite I so desperately need. The name of this estate is "The Squirrel's Peep," and for good reason. There are plenty of squirrels around the place who live in a huge pine tree near the veranda. They are so active and fun to watch! We even have humming birds around that actually stop flying and suck their nectar right from the branch where they are perched. All told, it is really idyllic here, and this is a healthy environment in which to study. The climate here is very much like that of the northern Mediterranean. It is occasionally cold and rainy, but most days are sunny and in the upper 60s and low 70s. It is truly like a Seattle summer in so many ways.

Okay, back to the beat (as Cher used to sing), so the beat goes on.... ladidady di, ladidady da.....