It’s my dime

The real satisfaction of graduate research is what matters most and that is how I think about things. It’s not just about gathering what everyone else thinks and then collating the findings into some sort of order that suits my point of view. What if no one thinks like you? Or you have a distinct and not-too-popular viewpoint? The matter is complicated because you know deep in your heart you’ve got a lot to say. It’s been perking there for 65 years. Yes, I’ve said it before in essays, newspaper columns, commentary, etc., but now it’s different.

I have chosen to embrace a scholarly art form called graduate studies for the sole purpose of helping me articulate what it is I’ve been thinking about, and to say so in an intelligent, critical, and comprehensive way, with all the input I can get from texts, reading materials, and the valuable contributions of my fellow cohort and professors. It also means not being afraid to step outside the box and create my own independent study as an elective. Some may say I am verbose, wordy, but that’s just the way I do critical thought. Gone are my advertising agency days when a small paragraph of copy and a catchy headline, or an 8 word billboard, were all I needed to write. That by the way is a lot harder to do than you may think.

I write for myself. I present it for others to read and respond to. I participate in an open source dialogue and a greater discourse among many. I submit essays and research papers. I write more than is required. One paper required 3500 words. I wrote 6000. But, hey, it’s my dime. I’m paying over $20,000 for this part of my creative journey and the money is not coming from savings and investments. It’s my old age pension. I intend to make every dime count. I’ll do the editing after two years, when I have to present my Research Portfolio. Do I detect the beginnings of a rant?