Graduation and new projects...

Ok, lets get the first one out the door (we  know it's what you came here to read about anyway...)

Lisa has officially graduated with her doctorate! Which is a real accomplishment (and gives her the right to wear a silly hat...)

In this pic she's on stage and about to get officially 'hooded' as a doctor...

Would someone explain to the camera person that I am smiling... (seriously... look at the other pics on this blog...)

Here's Lisa with her partners in crime (also graduates of the program).

I'm really proud of Lisa. And I'm going to let her tell her version of the story of this adventure before I say too much... So, on to other things...

What you are looking at here is the reason I got a really good deal on a rifle (it also happens to be the action of a Marlin model 60 I picked up to celebrate Johnson Farm being launched). Basically the guy who owned it previously didn't clean the action... That means it started jamming up on him, and after I cleaned it up it looks pretty new. Unfortunately thanks to the weather and our project load I haven't had a chance to test fire it yet (stay tuned for this and other fun!).

Yes, I did mention Johnson Farm being launched... The e-book version is ready for me to proof (it should be on sale on the 20th...) and a small run of physical books will be available fairly soon. I'm not going to talk about that too much right now (the focus really should be on Lisa's accomplishment...), but it's happening...

As a final item...

This is the best adaptation of Land of Confusion I've heard since the original video in the 1980's...
This is a great Rogue One tribute...
And...

There's a hint to what's special about the third Johnson Farm book  in there... (more than one maybe?)

See you next time...

Dissertation Defense...Check!

Well, it is done.

It still feels a bit surreal, but good.

I know we've usually been posting on Monday evening, but even last night words just didn't seem to work themselves together to give you a good description.

Sunday, I would tell people it was like a giant sigh.  I can still feel parts of my body releasing the tension.  I'm not sure some of those muscles have relaxed in a very long time.

The defense process is an interesting one.  You have this committee of 5, who have read, reread, and advised you through this entire process.  But the defense is that time to present the whole thing, in defense that you have done what it takes to complete the degree.  It felt very much like everyone there was a witness to my learning.  But I only had 30 minutes to present it all!

I'm not sure I could capture all that I have learned in this process.  There were definitely times of stress, and times of excitement.  But overall, I'm glad I took this journey.

If you'd like to know about my study you can watch my 3 Minute Thesis competition from 2015.  It doesn't include the results.  I ended up with a small sample size, but some very interesting differences between Time and Tool in feelings of disorientation.

I'm not sure what is next on the horizon.

But in many ways, I do...

Patrick's novel will come out in May.

He will continue to write.

I will continue with teaching, learning, and technology.

We will continue to share our adventures.

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Oh, and lots of knitting!

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First I want to congratulate Lisa and thank her for finishing her doctorate (Oh come on, you didn't really think I wasn't going to comment did you? ). In general I'm going to say, "Yeah, what she said...". In specific: "...will continue to write." That would imply it was possible for me to stop...
Take care everybody and see you in the next one...

The end is in fight??? (yes pun inteded people...)

Well, I missed posting last week (almost missed posting this week...).

On Patrick's side of the office the Johnson Farm Kickstarter closed Friday. It didn't fund the backup plan (you did realize there is  a backup plan right?) kicked in and we are somehow still on course for a May release! (Just not the way I'd initially planned...)

On Lisa's side of the office... Lisa is doing her dissertation defense this Friday (which means you can start calling  her Dr. Kidder on Saturday... ( Don't worry you won't have to call me doctor... yet...). So, she's pretty busy and I'm going to let her tell you all about it next week.

Tonight we just had a major meeting on getting books printed (you know since we both have books to print and such...) and will have more news to share soon. In the mean time...

I'd like to thank Drwhoforever96, the BBC, and Guns and Roses for summing up this month so far pretty well...

See you next week...