It's time to retire to the study
I've spent the weekend working on my dissertation proposal...put it to bed a while ago, just in time for the Oscars (Matt Dillon is still yummy). I'm turning it in for a fellowship tomorrow. The weekend started with me thinking I'd just clean up the draft I was working with, but noooooooo. I had to tear it apart and write a whole different proposal...48 pages later and I'm a bit tired. That brings me to the point of this post.
Over the past couple months, I've had an increasingly difficult time maintaining a consistent blogging schedule. I've been teaching a full load (nothing unusual with that) but also devoting more time to completing my academic work (I've been recovering academically from a depressive crisis I went through a few years ago. Finally caught up.) The past couple weeks in particular (in addition to the proposal, I cranked out a 27-page paper last weekend, graded 90 papers, and taught several classes. Something's got to give, and that something is blogging. If I'm going to finish this dissertation in the next year, I'm going to minimize my other commitments (I think that also means I'm going to miss my New Year's Resolution of dating more...but I've still got almost 10 months, so it's not dead yet.)
So, I'm going to retire to the study to write my dissertation: A Boston Marriage: Narrative, Normalization, and the Politics of Marriage Equality. Before doing so, though, please allow me to say a couple things.
First, thanks to all of you who've read what I've written. I hope you've enjoyed it from time to time, or maybe even learned a little from it, or gotten pissed off.
To Lorraine and Liza: It's been a hell of a lot of fun, and it's been wonderful getting to know the both of you. I wish I could keep it up, but, well, ya know. I'll be stopping by hear from time to time....and, well, y'all better keep in touch (I know I will)....there's an Afghan restaurant I'm dying to take both of you to.
And, Liza. Thanks for the invite to come over here and write. The more I stuck around, the more I was struck by your vision. I was serious when I said we should write something. Don't lose the vision, girl.
Just for the heck of it, I thought I'd let you see who it is that's been writing all this stuff. So, here's what' I'd look like if I were on South Park (well, if they had more choices with gray hair):
It's time for me to retire from the kitchen and move to the study. So long, for now, y'all. Keep on fighting, and have fun doing it.
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Life
AbFab celebratin
Submitted by Jeffrey Langstraat on 6 March 2006 - 6:42am.
As long as I get to be Patsy! 
Now, we've still got to get you to Boston for Afghan food at Helmand....
If you don't like me, I'm going to make you hate me. --Margaret
Cho
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ahh
Submitted by Lorraine on 6 March 2006 - 11:51am.
Jeff,
Finishing the dissertation must be your priority, and I admire like hell your ability to prioritize. I am in full support of you doing whatever you need to do to finish.
BUT I am so going to miss you. You rock my world, and I'm holding you to your promises to keep checking in.
Now I have to go retire to my study and cry my eyes out.
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No crying!
Submitted by Jeffrey Langstraat on 6 March 2006 - 7:48pm.
I was gonna say "There's no crying in baseball!" but it's not baseball season (no, I'm not a big enough fan to pay attention to spring training).
I may be out in your neck of the woods this summer. I'm part of a working group at BC, and we may be participating in a conference out there this summer. Here's something the leaders of that group wrote in response to Lakoff. Liza was particularly fond of this bit, and I have to admit we all had a good time with it when Bill and Char brought this to seminar:
In failing to embed framing guides in this broader movement-building context, Lakoff asks us to ignore not only the elephant in the room but also the moles, ferrets, chipmunks, occasional black panthers, raging bulls and wild boars, and the more domesticated donkeys and carrier pigeons.
I'll be around
If you don't like me, I'm going to make you hate me. --Margaret Cho
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bye bye jeffrey
Submitted by Joyce Barry (not verified) on 7 March 2006 - 5:49pm.
hi jeff,
after all that writing, i don't know how you even managed to write a send-off blog entry
i'm sad that you are taking a break, but also happy that you are being so productive. there is nothing more relieving that getting a dissertaion off one's back. with that kind of writing pace you should have the entire thing written in a month:)
good luck,
joyce
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I am so going to miss you here
But as I said, I am behind your finishing that dissertation so we can get all Absolutely Fabulous celebrating.
Kiss kiss darling.