Long Update

Dissertation update:
I am about a week late on the schedule. I should've finished Chapter II this weekend which contains the bulk of experimental method and background theory behind the method. It just taking too long because I am sort of being idealist about stuff. I view writing this chapter (and the rest of the chapters for that matter) as a part of interviewing preparation more than anything else.

I can sort of copy/paste materials from my papers for the cream of the dissertation: Chapter III, IV, V, and maybe VI. Each chapter will have approximately two weeks editing time and any other necessary supported measurement or what not dedicated for it. I'll scoop in Chapter I, which is the Introduction, and Chapter VII which is the Conclusion somehow in the middle of this craziness. I am planning to give the finished product to the advisor by April 4th, and to the rest of the committee members by April 9. That leaves me two weeks for working on the slides and what not. Time really flies when you break it down like that.

Job searching update:
It still sucks. I haven't heard any interview opportunity for an industrial position, from my job hunting sources: school's career center, the internet, the department, etc. Until about Tuesday last week when an opportunity presented itself to me. It is for a post-doc at the next door department. I'm pretty heaved about it. Money is for sure not as lucrative as a spot in the industry, but future careers in academia or industry are sort of opened smoothly through it. We'll see, I am not even sure I got in, but apparently they kinda want me bad.

Some semblance of a romance update:
B' asked me to watch a movie with him. "What kind?" I said, I read him the list of the website. "Pick a good one for date movie," he said. I was pretty confused about this. "Are we dating now? Or is it the type of movie you want to watch?" I wish I had the courage to ask. LOL.

The day of the date, he called me in with an invitation to dinner at his friends' before the movie. During the dinner the friend said something to him that sounded similar to this. "I forgot that you are on a date tonight." "Now you make me look bad in front of her," he said. So, yeah, there was my confirmation. We really were on a date. I should've picked it from the way he dressed that night.

His friends, a pair of husband-wife, were really welcoming, nice, and imposing. They are about two-three years younger than me. The husband went I-hope-you'll-be-a-regular here several times, referring to me hanging out with them. The wife went it's-nice-to-finally-have-a-girl-to-talk-to. It seems they have higher faith in this relationship than me. Honestly, I don't even know what B' sees in me. We haven't really talked all that much, we haven't really cross-assessed (mentally or other-ly speaking) each other that much. He amazed me though, by remembering the detail of our first going out, even the shoes I wore. "They are pointy, they are green, like an elf shoes..." "You remember all that...I'm blushing now." "Don't be...they are cute." Shoes fetish alert? j/k.

We went to watch the movie. There were some sort of intimacy here and there, proper hand placements and all, which I didn't object to. We went to his apartment afterward, he made us Mudslides and we sat by the pool. A couple of people with Indian background came down carrying cakes and candles, apparently for a surprise birthday party. I asked B' when is his birthday. "The day I defended was my birthday. And we went to that play that Friday." "Oww...why you didn't tell me that?" "It was an early stage for us, I didn't want to bother you, besides I have the thesis to work on, I didn't prepare for anything." Early stage, huh. Hmm..he's been thinking about that night and about us since. I am scared now.

He walked me home after, hugged me goodnight, and said he had a good time. There were future plans to movies, to basketball games. So yeah, it's not too far fetched to say I'm kinda dating him. Exclusively or not, either way I have to figure out how to act on this (and also on the termination of J-gate, if there is ever a J-gate. It wouldn't be fair to him otherwise). I am so clueless every time and blaming it totally on being a "late bloomer". So help me God. In the moment of awkwardness during that hug, I kinda kissed him on the cheek. LOL. I feel I need a confession now.

The End