Friday, February 22, 2008

How Elin Got Her Groove Back

It's now been a month since my laptop was burgled. It had my entire thesis on it as well as articles and interviews for my thesis. And my backup was in my computer case, which was burgled as well. The strangest part to me is that as heart-wrenching as it has been to lose all of this toiled over writing and other stuff, the worst part has been losing my motivation. Luckily I emailed myself most of the sections I had written, so I didn't end up losing too much writing. I mostly lost my will. I lost a lot of hope and respect for mankind as well. For a couple weeks every person I saw walking down the street was the thief. I know, so unfair. I was surprised to feel so much bitterness. But anyone who would steal a poor grad student's laptop from 2002 worth about 20$ to anyone else, but priceless to me for the hours of work held on it as well as the even more hours of guilt for the lack of work on it. As if it hasn't already been hard enough to stay focused and driven enough to finish this thing. Anyway, I motivated to work on it again and I'm glad!

3 comments:

chilidawg said...

Elin, do you know what helps me to stay motivated to finish my dissertation? A baby coming any day. You should consider it for yourself.

kel bel said...

As one of your fellow members of the grammar police (your mom being the chief), I feel compelled to point out the incomplete sentence in this posting. It happens to us all. I won't hold it against you but I will bring it up if you ever beat me in an arm wrestle or a hugging contest.

kel bel said...

by the way, I lost/had stolen from me/misplaced my glasses at Bonaroo a few years back. Until I miraculously recovered them from the lost and found an hour before we left the festival, I felt the same way you did about everyone walking around. I kept thinking, "all you lame, evil, hypocritical hippies! one of you has my glasses and is trying to trade them for hashish or something!" (But the moment I got my glasses back, every person I walked by was potentially the wonderful, sacrificing, loving person who found them.)