Unit 9 Blog Response

Feelings This Close To The Finish Line

With your paper almost done, how do you feel?.

With my paper now almost done, I'm feeling largely indifferent and ambivalent about my Final Paper. I usually like to let it sit and settle some more, before I return for one, last round of polishing it up. Paying a little more extra effort, time and attention can really make a difference to the overall quality of the end result. Generally, just by quickly scanning my paper, I can have a good 'gut feeling' of what stage I'm at, this far on in the writing process. It is satisfying to look back at the bare bones of my pre-writing, and to compare that with the numerous, subsequent versions of my paper. Then, on a personal level, at least, I can feel contented and enlightened with how my paper has evolved and taken shape.

Do you feel nervous, accomplished or just plain tired?.

I feel accomplished. Writing energizes me, while also expanding my horizons and perspectives on several, contrasting levels. I feel as if I can take on my next writing challenege with more vitality and insight.

How do you feel about your writing at this point?. Has your idea of writing changed throughout the course?.

I feel mediocre about my writing at this point, mostly because I am very self-critical of my own work. My writing is a little more like a journey to me, rather than simply being a final destination. In this sense, my idea of writing hasn't changed much throughout this course. At least, not at the core of my basic academic writing skills. Perhaps, slightly more so on other, more minor technicalities and details. This is because I have quite deliberately spent a number of years identifying what works best for me, and in making those writing techniques and approaches work to my greatest advantage, time and time again.

What other topics would you like to research?.

The other topics that I would like to research are numerous and varied. In the shorter term, I plan on researching Kidney Function and the Urinary System for A&PII next Term. As a part of my public health professional activities, I intend to expand on my research interests in bioethics. Specifically, by looking at the legal and ethical issues to do with developing Medical Futility determination guidelines and protocols for health providers here in the U.S..

September 02, 2010

Whether the Weather be: Fog (55F/13C)
In the News: Hurricane Earl (CNN)
Events of Note: Unit 9; Anat&Phys Seminar 9

* Neurology at Stanford called yesterday morning, so that is where I'm headed next week, for some outpatient medical treatment. Which puts the squeeze on me right at the end of this Term, especially with my completing Final papers and exam study preparation. There will be an additional treatment schedule following this one, which I'm going to have to map out carefully in consultation with KU. It's a 12 hour return commute between here and Stanford, so there has to be some advance planning, whenever possible. In some ways, it'll be nice that this Term is over with, but the next one will roll in just as quickly. Term break isn't really a vacation, from my point-of-view-it's just brief bit of a non-contact time, is all.

* Today, I hope to do a lot of final editorial work on my paper for Comp II. I want to be sure that my Abstract is well-thought out and reads well, too, and not just something tacked on there at the last, possible moment. Mainly because the abstract sets the 'tone' and reflects the overall slant and quality of the paper itself. After that, I can respond to this week's Discussion Thread for Comp II.