Operation: GRAD PAPER

Through a kind of complicated story, I have had one outstanding paper for my Spring graduate class. A few of my paper throughout the semester were mildly overdue... a few days, a week (always with the permission of my professor).

This last outstanding paper is... seven weeks overdue. Still with the permission of my professor, but nevertheless - SEVEN WEEKS this has been hanging over my head.

Today I wrote that stupid final paper! I still need to proofread it tomorrow, but for me, proofreading is not a big deal - maybe an hour and it's done. How long did I spend today on the paper, you ask? Twelve hours.

When I emerge myself into a paper like I did today, it is not a pretty picture. Thankfully my roommates are both out of town so I could turn the family room into an uninterrupted work space (aka disaster area):

SERIOUS.

DISASTER.

AREA.

Some parts of the paper were like pulling teeth, where I would tell myself to focus long enough to complete one task, or write one section, and then I'd reward myself with a few minutes of The Food Network and a quick jump on Facebook. Other parts of the paper flowed really well and I lost track of all time -- and I didn't pay attention to the oven timer thereby burning my lunch:It was during times like these of great focusing that Lexie sometimes decided that I needed a break. And she climbed on my shoulder making it so I had only one hand to type, or she simply sat down on top of the work in front of me, blocking my research articles and my computer:

"BREAK TIME, MOM!"

"PET ME, PLEASE!"

Also, on paper-focused days, I look AWFUL! Seriously.

I get out of bed, and never shower on paper days. I don't really know why, but I just never shower on paper days. I wake up and get in really comfortable clothes, make coffee and start working. Let's pretend that the only reason I look so bad in this picture is because I didn't shower this morning and I was wearing paper-writing "focus" clothes:When the paper is done (literally 12 hours after I started... 9:00am-9:00pm), this is how I feel:And this is how I relax:And this is Lexie peering around the shower curtain while I'm in the bathtub:What a great feeling to have this nearly behind me. One hour of proofreading and I AM DONE!