Wal-Mart on Tuesday Night

The one in Tullahoma, at least, is empty. I needed supplies for producing cornbread and some mind-control chocolate to help my thesis defense along tomorrow afternoon, so I headed up there about 7:30. The parking lot had about 4 cars in it. Inside was just about as empty. It was following the standard Wal-Mart policy of only two registers open, but there still wasn't much of a line. It's almost like someone up here actually knows how to schedule shifts. THAT would be noteworthy. Yes, I know I just wrote a paragraph about Wal-Mart. I'm from the South.

I finished up my thesis defense PowerPoint today and printed off copies to hand out to my committee. I also printed myself a copy of the thesis itself, for reference if I need it. I also talked with Dr. Schulz about his comments on my draft. I was hoping to pre-empt questions at the defense. I don't know if that will work, but it was worth the effort. The only person I haven't heard from is Dr. Vakili. I'm not sure if that's his style, or he just got busy, or what, but he was the least familiar with the experiment and the methodology, so hopefully he won't be too hard on me.

Moeller told me to aim for about a 40-minute presentation with time for questions pushing the entire defense to an hour or so. I have a 33-slide PowerPoint. There's no way it lasts 40 minutes on its own. I'm going for a smaller prepared section, and if their questions don't last very long, it'll just be a short defense. It's supposed to be a defense of the thesis, not an explanation of it. (That's my story anyway.) My work can stand on its own merits; it shouldn't need me to explain it. I understand that's part of the deal, but it's the paper that survives in an archive somewhere, not the presentation.

As for the presentation, I feel prepared for it. I didn't really do much with it tonight. Big tests I will review for, but I try not to do too much the night before. It's the same with this presentation. I don't want to over-think things. I do well with extemporaneous speaking. I enjoy the adrenaline rush. Nice suit. 3 Ph.D.'s against me. That's my time.

Leo McGarry: You know, sometimes, I don't even know what you're talking about.
President Josiah Bartlet: Sometimes I'm just making it up.

More tomorrow.