Progress

Enjoying a well deserved cup of coffee this evening. I made significant headway yesterday and today on the masters thesis research and by the end of this weekend the board will be set for the fieldwork season. If all goes as planned, this may be the last season for field research, then comes the joy of writing and defending the thesis. Being able to see the light at the end of the academic tunnel is certainly proving incentive enough to spend the necessary hours in the library even if it's the last thing I want to do on a particular day.

So come this time next year, I'll formally begin applying to PhD programs. This will require a fair amount of reflection as I'll be leaving the employment field for a number of years to become the classic "impoverished grad student." I've been rather fortunate up until now as I've been able to juggle the career with full time academic pursuits. Sure it's a lot of work, but the money is nice. Of course this form of multitasking is something frowned upon at the next level. Obviously it will come down to whether or not I have the fortitude and the burning desire to make that transition.

I suspect that when the time comes, there will be no question as to which path will beckon the strongest.