Got the word from JW today that we’ll be doing a directed study this Fall. I am so excited! The central focus will be the idea of community in online spaces and I can’t wait to start reading. The new job has kept me busy and distracted from academic things, but frankly, I feel like I needed that break to make me excited about it again. Things in my dept. are still a little hairy, but now that I’m not there as much, I can just focus on finishing my course work, taking comps next Fall and then moving on to the dissertation. As long as it’s all done before the 2008 election, I’ll be a happy girl!