D-day +4

Many people might believe I failed terribly, since I haven't updated the blog since D-day morning. Well, many people might be wrong. I didn't fail at all actually. Indeed, I can now titule myself as Doctor.

Including my presentation the defense took about 2.5 hours. This was followed by a painfully long wait for the committee to return with the good (or bad) news (which as I said turned out to be good), after which we had sandwich cake (makes way more sense in Swedish) and bubbles.

At night it was time for a traditional disputation party. Or well in fact, this didn't use to be a tradition of ours, but since Lise had her party the same as the disputation day in November, and I had it the same day now, I hereby declare it a tradition. We are now in every bit as traditional as any of the traditionally traditional universities, like KTH, Chalmers and Uppsala. The traditional party ended traditionally late, when the today of Friday had in fact already turned into the tomorrow of Saturday - hence the relative slowness on activity here.

Photos can be expected any time between now and eternity (probably closer to now that to eternity, since eternity is reeeeaaaally distant).

D-day

See you on the other side.

D-day -1

People keep asking me whether I'm nervous and the truth is that I'm not so much nervous as expectant, in the way I remember feeling expectation the night before Christmas when I was 6. Light sleep, a few butterflies in the belly, the feeling that something is about to happen very soon. Or as I feel when about to do a skydive juuuust outside my comfort zone - I (think I) know I can do it, but what if not? Besides, defending a Thesis is nothing against doing the AFF instructor exam - now THAT was nervous.

So far today I've done some general stuff and practiced the presentation in the actual room where it will take place. And ordered a new computer. Sort of....

Speaking of presentation....

D-day -2

Acute panic anxiety (to speak Swenglish) set in today at around 17. Not about my preparations for the defense (or rather the complete lack thereof), but about that I suddenly realised that it is customary to invite your opponent and thesis committee members to the disputation party - and lo and behold, I soooo haven't done that (I blame the culture here at the division - during six years only ONE person has had the party the same day as the disputation, and that was on a Monday...).

Anyhow, I of course fell down into the stress cone like a static line student on jump 2. With tears in my cow-eyes and severe tunnel vision I ran to my supervisor, who helped me phrase an "invite-with-the-elbow"-email. So far, three out of five have replied and not one (so far) have said that they'll recommend FAIL, due to late invitation. Pheeeeww....

I still haven't recovered completely, so instead of doing something important, I'm making placement cards with a creative naming convention.

By the way, do you remember that day of fame last week? No? Really? You know, I got interviewed and all. Still no bell ringing....? Anyway, today it was published and they even posted a press release. Now I'm just waiting for the phone to start ringing. Everybody will want a piece of me now. Time to get that assistant going...

D-day -4

In order to maximise the potential preparation stress for this week, I decided to spend the weekend on Bosön, trying to teach a bunch of skydivers how not to die. I think I succeeded to some extent - both regarding this week and regarding the not-dying-part.

I also learnt that a surprisingly large and random number of people are reading this blog. Apparently the opinions differ on whether my Thesis writing progress chart makes me seriously disturbed or nerdy in a charming way. I believe it's equal shares of both.

Since I'm as good as done with the presentation, my weird dreams are now focusing on the party (no tables, forgot to tell caterer that the party had been moved, and so on). To avoid more of those I did some party preparation stuff today. Like a little party booklet. The plan was to make it very casual with just a few songs and nothing else. To nobody's surprise I completely and utterly overdid it. To my defense I'd like to say that it was really fun to do and since I never had a party before I think I'm worth overdoing things. As a compensation I'm considering using handwritten post-it notes for placement cards. And just so you don't think that could be chic and charming, you should know that my hand-writing would make a real doctor proud.

Status on to-do-list:

• Buy wine and beer and other things crucial for the disputation party (see picture below)
• Decide on food and order it 
• Make to-do-list of all the other little party-related things that need to be done - started
• Read some Very Important Things - almost started
• Think really hard about what I've really come up with (if any) - started
• Finish presentation 
• Decide on what to say in presentation - almost done!
• Practice presentation at least once to get the timing right
• Decide on what to wear during defense and party - thanks to supporting sister
• Clean apartment since people will be visiting
• Be instructor on BAS-kurs (course for fresh skydivers - completely not Thesis related)
• Get rid of almost-but-not-quite-cold that has been in my system for over a week now
• Make party song booklet
• Make seating arrangement plan

D-day -9

Freakishly low number of days left until D-day...
Good thing I'm right on track with almost everything, and successfully ignoring the rest.

Status on to-do-list as below. Some new stuff, some finished stuff. Feeling highly confident.

• Buy wine and beer and other things crucial for the disputation party (see picture below)
• Decide on food and order it 
• Make to-do-list of all the other little party-related things that need to be done - mentally on track
• Read some Very Important Things
• Think really hard about what I've really come up with (if any)
• Finish presentation 
• Decide on what to say in presentation - halfway done!
• Practice presentation at least once to get the timing right
• Decide on what to wear during defense and party - thanks to supporting sister
• Clean apartment since people will be visiting
• Be instructor on BAS-kurs (course for fresh skydivers - completely not Thesis related)
• Get rid of almost-but-not-quite-cold that has been in my system for over a week now

My office right now

It has also come to my knowledge that I apparently almost committed murder during the nailing a few weeks ago. According to recent reports the dissertations at the tree trunk have been acting as housing for a particoloured bat. If comparing the images below you can clearly see how close I am to bat murder. The story (in Swedish) can be found here.

D-day -14

My dreams related to the disputation are becoming increasingly weird. Last week I dreamt that the defense had been moved to my parents' bed room and that the opponent started with saying "This is not passable". Even worse, half-way through the defense I realised that I'd forgotten to buy the sparkly wine for the celebration toast. I guess a hobby psychologist could have good fun analysing this, which is in fact what my colleague started doing right away.

Last night I dreamt that 20 min before the defense was about to begin I realised that it would have been a good idea to rehearse my presentation at least once in advance. When I looked at the slides I didn't recognise any of them and had no idea what I had planned to say. Good thing I'm a master of improvisation so I don't feel so worried about that.

Today I at least finally got around to starting with the presentation. Number of slides finished so far: 4 (including the title and thank-you slides)

I'm also fast approaching fame and celebrityhood. Today I gave the (as I expect) first interview about my research. She even said she might twitter about it. Woah, big times now! Maybe I should think about getting an assistant? Come to think about it, I'll actually soon have one. Or at least I'll co-supervise a PhD student, which is practically the same as having an assistant. Right Linda?

Still on to-do-list to accomplish in the next 14 days:

• Buy wine and beer and other things crucial for the disputation party 
• Decide on food and order it
• Make to-do-list of all the other little party-related things that need to be done
• Read some Very Important Things
• Think really hard about what I've really come up with (if any)
• Finish presentation (the hard parts are done - title slide, thank you slide, aim and studied systems)

D-day -21

Nailing is done! No damage reported. And the top picture might be slightly fake. Not that I didn't nail the nail, but it could be an arranged picture. I would of course never nail blindly.

D-day -22

I always thought that the moment of delivery of the finished printed books would feel grand and momentous in some way, that I would get an inner feeling of fanfares, sparkly bubbly wine and glittering fireworks - a feeling of accomplishment. But to my mild surprise, I felt - nothing really. Not even that emptiness that can sometimes be noticed when a bigger project is done. I just picked up the books, took them to my office, opened the boxes and sighed a bit over the next task - to sign and post to people who might or might not want a printed copy.

110 printed copies? What am I ever gonna do with all those...?

Apparently, the list of people I believe need a printed copy of my Thesis is quite long. Two days of signing later, I have less than 30 copies left. It should be admitted that quite of few of the original 110 copies were reserved for the library, the faculty and other administrative receivers, but still - a loooot of signing, I've done. Feel a bit like a rock-star, almost. If rock-stars were super-nerdy and prone to write unnecessary amounts of text, that is.

If you haven't received your own personal copy, and believe you really deserve one - send me an email and I'll think about it. Otherwise, in case you really want to read it and can't wait long enough to get through my screening process, it can also be found free online.

Tomorrow is another big day - the day of nailing! Which I by the way realise most certainly is not the correct English term, but it's too funny to not say.

Nailing time!

On a side-note I wonder whether this new bleakness is the feeling of doctorhood? Is this equanimity what I can expect from now on? Well, only 22 more days to wait - then I'll know!

D-day -30

After 4 months, 400 hours, 30790 words (including those 3065 words that have subsequently been deleted - meaning I have a 10% over-production of words) and 2.5 proofs, it is done. The Thesis Quest is finished, the Thesis has been spotted, tracked down, killed, spitted and roasted, and I'm (finally) completely devoid of words.

This occasion asks for multiple graphic illustrations. First, of course, the final Quest Stat graphic (click for larger version):

Next, the result:

Quest Stats - Final Results
Hours on Thesis Quest: 400
Words written: 27725 (69 words/h)
Figures included: 22
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:   100% 
Quest level: 19 -  Thesis Accomplisher

D-day -37

This week has been spent proof-reading. I don't know if I said this, but proof-reading is pretty boring. I've found just enough things to justify all this reading. Like writing about the "six papers of this Thesis" in the Outline, when the Thesis has actually had no less than seven papers since early October. Other than that, mainly cosmetic changes.

Today's Achievements
Status: mind already in tunnel, Thesis looks good btw
Detailed progress: proof-reading, polishing, trying to stay awake
Thesis Hours: 8
Words written: 56 (ok now then, the very last?)

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 394
Words written: 27717 (70 words/h)
Figures included: 22
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:   99%  (ok actually NOW it's 99%, last week it was technically only 98%)
Quest level: 18 - Almost Real Scientist

Status - detailed report (%)

Polishing status	90
Abstract	100
Sammanfattning	100
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	100
2. Background	100
3. Biomass gasification	100
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	100
6. Results and analysis	100
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	100
Acknowledgements	100
Papers	100

D-day -39

Proof-reading is mindnumbingly boring

D-day -42

Today I attended the last disputation before my own. Of course the defendant did a perfect job and of course she passed with no problems - congrats Johanna! Or maybe I should call you Dr Jönsson from now on...?

I also sent the Thesis to the opponent and committee, and made an invitation for the party. Will be sent tomorrow - now it's time for disputation party!

Meanwhile, a picture of my office window. Thanks to (the other (or the first)) Elisabeth and Hayley for the pretty flowers!

D-day -44

Today has been spent in a mind-numbingly frustrating haze of administrative issues not related to the Thesis. That and preparing to go in and get my last course credits tomorrow. I've been aiming for "good enough" in this pedagogy course, but I've been over-shooting horrendously again and again. For this final task I thought I'd finally found the right balance between "not good enough for an almost-doctor" and "waaaay too much for a 6 hp mandatory course". But alas, it seems like I'm again using a canon to shoot mosquitos, as we say in Swenglish.

At the end of the day I finally also tired of the Thesis and sent it to test print, without checking some of the stuff I had on my list to check. Well well, that's what test prints are for anyway, right?

Today's (and Yesterday's) Achievements
Status: balanced, peaceful, totally zen - and with severe tunnel cravings!! Just one more week now...
Detailed progress: finished Acknowledgements, read through some parts, added numbers and stuff to cover inside pages, moved around some pages
Thesis Hours: 4
Words written: 373 (the very last?)

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 378
Words written: 27661 (73 words/h)
Figures included: 22
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:   99%  (decided to say that all the text bits are ready - enough is enough....)
Quest level: 18 - Almost Real Scientist

Status - detailed report (%)

Polishing status	70
Abstract	100
Sammanfattning	100
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	100
2. Background	100
3. Biomass gasification	100
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	100
6. Results and analysis	100
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	100
Acknowledgements	100
Papers	100

D-day -46

I realised I had to add a category in the status report below - "Polishing status", in order to capture the fact that although most chapters are now on 100% there's still some work to do. So I'm basically estimating how finished the Thesis end-work feels to me. Of course this is a highly subjective measure, as opposed to all the other measures which are all hard science. Obviously.

Today's Achievements
Status: except for the thighs I feel awesome. The thighs are awesome too, but a bit wooden from maybe slightly too much weight on the barbell
Detailed progress: corrected language, went through some old comments, began to write acknowledgements, upgraded stuff to more finished
Thesis Hours: 8
Words written: 302 
Figures included: 0 
Tables included: 0

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 374
Words written: 27288 (73 words/h)
Figures included: 22
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:  91%
Quest level: 17 - Almost Doctor

Status - detailed report (%)

Polishing status	70
Abstract	90
Sammanfattning	90
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	100
2. Background	100
3. Biomass gasification	100
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	100
6. Results and analysis	95
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	97
Acknowledgements	30
Papers	100

D-day -50

So much happens each day those days that I can hardly remember it all when I sit down in the evening to summarise the day. Or maybe I'm just starting to acquire that slightly confused, totally absent-minded, charming personality, now when I'm thiiiis close to being a real scientist?

Anyhow, this is what I remember from the day:

• More administrative stuff, forms to be filled out, emails to be sent, and so on
• Finished final task in last course that I need to become a doctor (just a liiiittle bit behind schedule, like 7 months or so)
• Fixed new passport (no more wait in lines at Stansted!)
• Had resting day so only did slow 5 km jog on icy tracks

Hmmm, sure there was something else.... hmmmmm....

Oh yeah that's right - the Thesis committee is confirmed! March 2 it is folks :-D

D-day -51

The progress today includes sending the other half of the Thesis for proof-reading, decolourising some figures that strictly speaking could just as well be greyscale as colour, polished the layout a bit, ticked off some administrative issues on the check-list (found check-list this week = 7 weeks before disputation, just a few things that should have been done 12 weeks before...), and spending most of the day complaining about muscle soreness.

And not that it applies so much to me (hrrrmhrrm....), but this was pretty spot on.....

D-day -52

Since I utterly and completely dissed all your title suggestions, I now offer you another opportunity to affect the outcome of Thesis quest - to decide on the cover layout! Way better than deciding on the title, eh?

You can vote in the poll at the top right of the page until January 17!

By the way, which of the two forest silhouettes is printed in the darkest green? The one on the left or the one on the right....?

Today's Achievements
Status: I can actually feel I'm almost a doctor
Detailed progress: worked through comments from supervisor, added a few more related studies, added some discussion, worked a bit on the Abstract
Thesis Hours: 8
Words written: 550 
Figures included: 1 
Tables included: 0

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 358
Words written: 26986 (75 words/h)
Figures included: 22
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:  87%
Quest level: 17 - Almost Doctor

Status - detailed report (%)

Abstract	70
Sammanfattning	70
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	100
2. Background	100
3. Biomass gasification	100
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	94
6. Results and analysis	90
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	90
Acknowledgements	0
Papers	100

D-day -53

Back at uni - full steam spacemachine from minute one!

Today's progress:

• Met with supervisor: apparently I'm not the only one who's starting to get a bit tired of this Thesis - which is good, since the Thesis has now been judged "almost finished"
• Trimmed title down. It's now so short that I can actually remember it and say it without having to pause to catch my breath in the middle. Unfortunately no witty catchphrase
• Met with printing people: decided on paper type, cover type, cover design in no time at all
• Wrote on results and conclusions for a conference paper, deadline tomorrow. Oh right, that's not Thesis related
• Got back into the habit of fika breaks
• Revisited the uni gym. Slightly worse for wear than the IIASA gym, but better mirrors. Think we'll become good friends again, me and that place
• Realised that the plants that managed to survive a summer and an autumn of my absence (thanks to good people) died two weeks after the care was returned into my hands. Well well, guess next summer will be easier then

D-day -57

After yesterday's huge success, today was destined to feel disappointing. Most of the day was spent reading through the entire Thesis (it's not a fun read, I'm telling you) and making minor adjustments. Sent some emails, added some, removed some - same old, same old. Oh and submitted a paper for journal publication.

I treated myself by defining some sections as more ready than they were before. Progressing towards 100%.

Today's Achievements
Status: feeling right on track
Detailed progress: read-through, lots of minor changes, submitted Paper VII for journal publication
Thesis Hours: 8
Words written: -99 (those days are exciting, never know before counting whether it will be plus or minus)
Figures included: 0 
Tables included: 0

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 346
Words written: 26436 (76 words/h)
Figures included: 21
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:  84%
Quest level: 16 - Master of the Progress

Status - detailed report (%)

Abstract	70
Sammanfattning	70
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	98
2. Background	97
3. Biomass gasification	99
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	94
6. Results and analysis	90
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	77
Acknowledgements	0
Papers	100

D-day -58

I did it. I wrote the Abstract and the Sammanfattning. Kaaablaaam on the progress!
Wonder how I'll ever be able to top that tomorrow....

Today's Achievements
Status: darn me, I think Ze Flow is back
Detailed progress: sent papers to opponent, wrote first draft of Abstract+Sammanfattning, made some polishing to the layout and corrections to page numbering,  added some important stuff like nonsensical quotes
Thesis Hours: 8
Words written: 820
Figures included: 0 
Tables included: 0

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 338
Words written: 26535 (79 words/h)
Figures included: 21
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:  83% !!! - getting there
Quest level: 15 - New Year Resolved

Status - detailed report (%)

Abstract	70
Sammanfattning	70
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	98
2. Background	93
3. Biomass gasification	97
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	94
6. Results and analysis	90
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	70
Acknowledgements	0
Papers	100

D-day -59

Wooah, inspiration hit me big time today! I rewrote the entire CO2 evaluation Methodology section, just like swoooosh! AND added a new figure to the Results. A bit of a västgötaklimax, as we say, that now, 12 hours later, I'm still at the same Progress level, and only 44 words ahead of yesterday. Funny, felt like I put all the 1000 words I deleted yesterday back again, but apparently not.

Tomorrow I think I'll go for something more radical, that brings me forward a bit. So I guess it's either the Abstract or the Acknowledgements then. If I do 50% of Abstract and of Sammanfattning, I'll leap right up to over 80% - that would be an all-time high!

Today's Achievements
Status: got pulled out into the dark, rain and wind for a run after 12 hours of working. Felt good afterwards
Detailed progress: rewrote CO2 methodology, polished Results for RQ4, probably something more as well..., sent current version to supervisor
Thesis Hours: 11
Words written: 44 (!)
Figures included: 1
Tables included: 0

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 330
Words written: 25715 (78 words/h)
Figures included: 21
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:  72%
Quest level: 15 - New Year Resolved

Status - detailed report (%)

Abstract	0
Sammanfattning	0
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	98
2. Background	93
3. Biomass gasification	97
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	94
6. Results and analysis	90
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	70
Acknowledgements	0
Papers	100

D-day -60

The new year could not have started better. After a week of general holidayness, I today had no problems keeping full focus, and brought out the big scissors (actually, I'm not using scissors but the delete button, but that's not really that big, to be honest). Deleted a whole bunch of stuff, and only added minor things. Plus inserted some of the general, fancy Thesis pre-stuff. Whoooa, this will be a productive week - I can feel it already!

Today's Achievements
Status: definitely not in the Schloss anymore
Detailed progress: made some updates from comments from kind readers, added pre-pages and updated Nomenclature, trimmed Research journey, trimmed Studied systems
Thesis Hours: 9
Words written: -1099
Figures included: 0
Tables included: 0

Overall Quest Stats 
Hours on Thesis Quest: 319
Words written: 25671 (80 words/h)
Figures included: 20
Tables included: 6
Equations included: 2
Overall accomplishment level:  72%
Quest level: 15 - New Year Resolved

Status - detailed report (%)

Abstract	0
Sammanfattning	0
List of Papers	100
Thesis outline	100
1. Introduction	98
2. Background	93
3. Biomass gasification	97
4. Studied systems	100
5. Methodology	90
6. Results and analysis	90
7. Discussion, conclusions and future work	70
Acknowledgements	0
Papers	100