13th anniversary

Today is the 13th anniversary of my dissertation defense, and every year I’m glad to be reminded that I never have to be a graduate student again.

The defense actually occurred under difficult circumstances. My grandfather was suddenly in intensive care, it didn’t look good, and I flew down to Kansas City to see him for what I thought would be the last time. (Fortunately he recovered and lived another 5 years.)

I was set to fly back to Chicago at something like 7 P.M. the night before my defense (which was scheduled for something like 10 A.M.). The flight was a cheapie on the no-longer-extant Vanguard Airlines, something like $195 to fly Chicago-Kansas City round trip. And guess what? The fuel nozzle was jammed open and we couldn’t leave. 

I thought I was going to miss my own dissertation defense. Actually, I was determined after a certain cut-off point to leave the gate area, rent a car, and simply drive all night back to Chicago. That would have been something like a 9-hour drive, I think. I’d have gotten back to Chicago with no chance to sleep and no chance to write an opening statement.

Instead, they somehow fixed the fuel nozzle, and the flight left just a couple of hours behind schedule. We landed at Midway Airport, I took a taxi back to the North Side (much more expensive than the L, but time was precious that night), and from about midnight I started writing my opening statement. Can’t remember what time I finished it, but probably around 3 AM or 4 AM.

I must have had a few hours’ sleep, and somehow woke up on time. The defense itself went much better than I expected it would. In fact, I really enjoyed it.