I've just remembered I am supposed to be graduating today. The ceremony was cancelled of course. I booked today and tomorrow off as leave but I'll cancel those. Hubbie also booked leave and is taking the opportunity to treat the next four days as a mini Vipassana retreat. That means he has to get up at 4am, be on his mat from 4.30am to 6.30am sitting in silent meditation. Breakfast is from 6.30 to 8am. It is now 7am but there's no sign of him.
As we walked through a deserted Douglas last night he asked me the typical vipassana day schedule. Once he says he'll do something he stubbornly sticks to it. We got as far as the turn off to the Gael Scoil and met son (22) jogging towards us. He introduced us to the entrance of Tramore Valley Park. I pass it everyday driving to work and never noticed it. It used to be the city dump. I knew it had been turned into a park but did not know how to actually get in. I shall return there this evening and maybe attempt jogging.
I digress. I woke up this morning and had my usual reaction on waking up, "Fuck, I'm still here." I immediately corrected myself and tried to think of things to be grateful for. It's a work in progress. The old demon of self-pity simmers constantly in that part of the brain just behind my third eye. And then I remembered that today I'm supposed to be graduating and somehow that made me feel better.
I resurrected this blog so that I could write up the insights gained during the writing up of my research and thesis. I forget the terminology but the bones of the thesis was to explore the role of spirituality in coaching, if any. I think there is. The 16 coaches I interviewed as part of my research bar one did not agree but I think they're wrong.
In an hour long conversation with the course supervisor, Pat I became carried away in my crazed enthusiasm of the subject matter. Pat brought me to a screeching halt when he gently asked, "Is this about spirituality in coaching or this about Geraldine's exploration of spirituality?"
I did eventually finish it. It was the most interesting six months of my life but lonely because you become obsessed and lose all sense of time. A colleague, who works with post graduates told me that PhD students frequently suffer from depression while working on their thesis. I'm not surprised. If I had to come with 80,000 words after four years, I'd be hiding down a fox hole too.
I digress. Later today, I shall insert segments of my thesis. The purpose? In coaching speak my life long goal is to become a wise old woman - a cross between Judge Judy, Dolly Parton and Oprah. The old is here; I'm working on the 'wise.' It's also so that I can explain to my children and grand-children - please God give me grand-children - my thought processes while I was ruining their lives.
I bought Starbucks coffee pods in Supervalu yesterday. The coffee smells of cigarette butts but I shall drink it: waste not want not. I'm a slave to my upbringing.
I digress....time to log on for work.
As we walked through a deserted Douglas last night he asked me the typical vipassana day schedule. Once he says he'll do something he stubbornly sticks to it. We got as far as the turn off to the Gael Scoil and met son (22) jogging towards us. He introduced us to the entrance of Tramore Valley Park. I pass it everyday driving to work and never noticed it. It used to be the city dump. I knew it had been turned into a park but did not know how to actually get in. I shall return there this evening and maybe attempt jogging.
I digress. I woke up this morning and had my usual reaction on waking up, "Fuck, I'm still here." I immediately corrected myself and tried to think of things to be grateful for. It's a work in progress. The old demon of self-pity simmers constantly in that part of the brain just behind my third eye. And then I remembered that today I'm supposed to be graduating and somehow that made me feel better.
I resurrected this blog so that I could write up the insights gained during the writing up of my research and thesis. I forget the terminology but the bones of the thesis was to explore the role of spirituality in coaching, if any. I think there is. The 16 coaches I interviewed as part of my research bar one did not agree but I think they're wrong.
In an hour long conversation with the course supervisor, Pat I became carried away in my crazed enthusiasm of the subject matter. Pat brought me to a screeching halt when he gently asked, "Is this about spirituality in coaching or this about Geraldine's exploration of spirituality?"
I did eventually finish it. It was the most interesting six months of my life but lonely because you become obsessed and lose all sense of time. A colleague, who works with post graduates told me that PhD students frequently suffer from depression while working on their thesis. I'm not surprised. If I had to come with 80,000 words after four years, I'd be hiding down a fox hole too.
I digress. Later today, I shall insert segments of my thesis. The purpose? In coaching speak my life long goal is to become a wise old woman - a cross between Judge Judy, Dolly Parton and Oprah. The old is here; I'm working on the 'wise.' It's also so that I can explain to my children and grand-children - please God give me grand-children - my thought processes while I was ruining their lives.
I bought Starbucks coffee pods in Supervalu yesterday. The coffee smells of cigarette butts but I shall drink it: waste not want not. I'm a slave to my upbringing.
I digress....time to log on for work.
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