The revolving door of committee members

So there is change on the horizon.  Our long-time Chair and committee member is retiring in August.  She is soooo good at what she does that there is, as yet, no replacement.  Juggling includes and interim Chair and a new Visiting Professor.  The Visiting Professor will take the place of the exiting Chair on my committee.  This makes me feel ill.  Just at the point when I am really ready to get down to it, I cannot get a schedule and answers to detailed questions because the players have not yet exchanged places.  While I still think moving through revolving doors is fun, it nearly makes me wet my pants each time.  No different then this process.  I think the real learning here is about persistence and the ability to manufacture confidence out of dizziness and other overwhelming sensations.  I am not enrolled this summer, but will work my buns off getting ready for the next phase, with all the "confidence" I can muster.  Weeeee!  Round and round I go.  Barf bag, please.

And the nominees are. . . .

Received an email from my advisor saying that I'd been nominated for an Excellence in Research award from the Graduate Council at my institution.  Wow.  What receiving an award really means is that I get a paid trip to TX to meet with my committee, which means prepping a 30 minute lecture on "my" research for the Council conference, and completing enough data memos to make any meetings worth the while.  Duh.  Always complicated, yes, but always exciting.  Meanwhile, dealing with derailment due to a surprise contribution as a book chapter and multiple conference abstracts with fun and promising presentations including musical collaboration.  So, when will the dissertation actual begin?  I tell myself that all of this is dissertation.  Each bit helps me gain clarity and perspective, not to mention good 'ol practice.  It's just a long road, long long road.