Things are heating up. I got some work done on my dissertation over the weekend. But two big things also happened in the past few days.
On Friday evening I submitted the manuscript I have been working on FOR YEARS to PNAS (the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, no big deal). I messed up the submission a little bit but the editorial office emailed us Monday morning and I got it fixed up and it has subsequently been sent to whatever editor will handle it for the review process. I hope it goes well... it may not even get to the review stage if the editor feels it lacks the import to warrant consideration for PNAS. But I think the science is good, timely, and could be published anywhere. Maybe that is too high an opinion of my own work but if I don't think that highly of it, whatever is a reviewer going to think?
Then on Monday, I got in the car with Matt Manske, picked up some food, some beer, some whisky, and headed out a little farm near Mount Horeb, WI. Waiting for us there was the rest of the No Name String Band: Brian Zimmerman (vocals and banjo), Kelley Rolak (vocals and fiddle), Jeff Weiss (bass), and Josh Pultorak (percussion). Manske busted out his guitar and I my fiddle and Bear had the recording equipment ready to rock and roll. Over the next 24 hours, we lived a dream. 25 tracks down for our first album as a band. Along with some of the best camaraderie imaginable. I had ambitions of working on my dissertation during breaks in recording but those were quickly lost in a whirlwind of music and Bulleit and instead I focused on savoring the experience, an experience made all the more amazing by the most impressive thunderstorm I have ever witnessed, some exceptionally dank pizza and growlers from the Grumpy Troll, and did I mention the great comradeship and music?
August 14th, we have booked the High Noon Saloon here in Madison for a going away party I had only conceived in my dreams prior to this past week. Four bands on the bill, all of them I have played with at some point or another during my time in Madison. August 14th is the date all the leases in Madison expire so we are billing it as a "Move Out Bash." But wait.. there's more! We also anticipate most, or all, of the production work on the album will be done by then so its the "Move Out Bash and CD Release Party!" This is going to be so freakin' awesome. Defend August 12, pack all my stuff, epic music party at the High Noon on the 14th, then I can make my way back east for a week or two - I do believe I have some business to attend to out that way before the big move to the west coast.
I may have a great deal of loose ends to tie up here in Madison but the outlook for the future is so incredibly bright and happy that I can hardly contain myself. It is hard to focus on my dissertation when I know that I am oh so close to everything I have been working towards these past few years.
But, first things first. Write dissertation; write new paper on side project that took off last week; make a defense talk that will leave my committee speechless in all the right ways; ENJOY THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN THE GREATEST PLACE I HAVE EVER LIVED! That last one is big. Tonight is an all night writing night, but my reward tomorrow is the second to last concert on the square. I think it is going to be Old-Fashioned night for us.
Peace, world. I hope all the people I know and love are driven by whatever makes them happy. And willing to take risks, to make themselves vulnerable in whatever way is necessary for the world and the people in to have the chance to touch them and make their lives that much more wonderful.
Training notes: HA no time to run recently. And with a lack of sleep, I also lack the energy I need to train at a level that I need to. 30 miles in last week. Super underwhelming. That changes now... I am registered for Pine to Palm 100 miler in Sept. in OR so gotta get in mad shape for that. Gotta break this 4th place finish trend. Check back in a week or so for what, I hope, is a solid training regimen that fits in with the whole graduation schedule. Yes I said it... graduation :)
On Friday evening I submitted the manuscript I have been working on FOR YEARS to PNAS (the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, no big deal). I messed up the submission a little bit but the editorial office emailed us Monday morning and I got it fixed up and it has subsequently been sent to whatever editor will handle it for the review process. I hope it goes well... it may not even get to the review stage if the editor feels it lacks the import to warrant consideration for PNAS. But I think the science is good, timely, and could be published anywhere. Maybe that is too high an opinion of my own work but if I don't think that highly of it, whatever is a reviewer going to think?
Then on Monday, I got in the car with Matt Manske, picked up some food, some beer, some whisky, and headed out a little farm near Mount Horeb, WI. Waiting for us there was the rest of the No Name String Band: Brian Zimmerman (vocals and banjo), Kelley Rolak (vocals and fiddle), Jeff Weiss (bass), and Josh Pultorak (percussion). Manske busted out his guitar and I my fiddle and Bear had the recording equipment ready to rock and roll. Over the next 24 hours, we lived a dream. 25 tracks down for our first album as a band. Along with some of the best camaraderie imaginable. I had ambitions of working on my dissertation during breaks in recording but those were quickly lost in a whirlwind of music and Bulleit and instead I focused on savoring the experience, an experience made all the more amazing by the most impressive thunderstorm I have ever witnessed, some exceptionally dank pizza and growlers from the Grumpy Troll, and did I mention the great comradeship and music?
August 14th, we have booked the High Noon Saloon here in Madison for a going away party I had only conceived in my dreams prior to this past week. Four bands on the bill, all of them I have played with at some point or another during my time in Madison. August 14th is the date all the leases in Madison expire so we are billing it as a "Move Out Bash." But wait.. there's more! We also anticipate most, or all, of the production work on the album will be done by then so its the "Move Out Bash and CD Release Party!" This is going to be so freakin' awesome. Defend August 12, pack all my stuff, epic music party at the High Noon on the 14th, then I can make my way back east for a week or two - I do believe I have some business to attend to out that way before the big move to the west coast.
I may have a great deal of loose ends to tie up here in Madison but the outlook for the future is so incredibly bright and happy that I can hardly contain myself. It is hard to focus on my dissertation when I know that I am oh so close to everything I have been working towards these past few years.
But, first things first. Write dissertation; write new paper on side project that took off last week; make a defense talk that will leave my committee speechless in all the right ways; ENJOY THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN THE GREATEST PLACE I HAVE EVER LIVED! That last one is big. Tonight is an all night writing night, but my reward tomorrow is the second to last concert on the square. I think it is going to be Old-Fashioned night for us.
Peace, world. I hope all the people I know and love are driven by whatever makes them happy. And willing to take risks, to make themselves vulnerable in whatever way is necessary for the world and the people in to have the chance to touch them and make their lives that much more wonderful.
Training notes: HA no time to run recently. And with a lack of sleep, I also lack the energy I need to train at a level that I need to. 30 miles in last week. Super underwhelming. That changes now... I am registered for Pine to Palm 100 miler in Sept. in OR so gotta get in mad shape for that. Gotta break this 4th place finish trend. Check back in a week or so for what, I hope, is a solid training regimen that fits in with the whole graduation schedule. Yes I said it... graduation :)
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