Weekend Work

At the end of the weekend, I am sometimes fretful about the amount of work to be done. Working fulltime, keeping a happy marriage, staying in touch with friends (I found this is very important piece to my mental well-being), keeping up with the adult children, o, yea, and remembering to eat healthy and exercise keeps me organized when I don't really want to!

In addition to all of the above, I have volunteered to work on a research project, which I absolutely love. Doing research on a regular basis actually appeals to me. Wonder if I could make any real money doing that?

Speaking of money, my personal goal of financial independence has led me to help create a number of websites, which require a fair amount of writing also. Luckily, I have and outstanding graphic designer and superb programmer. Writing the patent application and completing the text portion of the website require a lot of time -- maybe next week?

However, the content paper assignment is complete. The requirement was for two pages. I took a 20 page proposal from a prior class, changed a few items based on what I learned from other classes and created a six page concept paper that should take me quite a way into this term. I'll find out this week if I am on track or not.

A few of us met as a small group today to review some items from the comprehensive exam in preparation for the rewrites and oral exam. We've been meeting on Sunday afternoon since the comprehensive exams. I feel very comfortable with the group and free to ask 'stupid' questions and pound out the answers until everyone in the group understands. I wish that everyone in our group would join us -- maybe they understand everything so well that they don't need the interaction. I really learn more through our give and take process. I have tremendous respect for our professor (who I hope will agree to serve as my advisor), but do not feel comfortable in challenging any information that I do not have a deep and complete understanding.

Huge breakthrough today in discussing semi-partial regressions from a simultaneous regression and from a hierarchial regression. The simultaneous regression calculates semi-partials from the correlational matrix while the hierarchial regression calculates semi-partials from the regressions calculated through the analysis. HUGE breakthrough, thanks to the patience of my study group.

For some reason, PhD classes do not encourage study groups. Independent study is preferred and promoted. Understandably, you need to earn your degree by yourself. However, the constant discussion within our study group inspires me and allows me a platform to discuss statiscial options with the others that is unlike any other platform. Thank you, study group!