Going, going....gone!

The PhD. Some people see it as a major life achievement. Some see it as necessary. And others trawl through it like it's nuclear waste. I found it to be a hurdle. A big one, a three and a half year one. Rather than jumping over it, I cut it up and threw it in the fire. I finished it, I took some time, I graduated, I never got over the burns. It's a strange mix of feelings when you feel burned by something that you are apathetic about. It's really the rest of my life that got burned, and now it seems to be affecting my career. I have some feelings. Maybe a lot of feelings. Feelings I'll never talk about coherently.

So what happens after you finish?

1. You take a holiday! I went to the UK for 3 months. Left my girlfriend behind. Girlfriend broke up with me half way into my trip. I blamed my PhD for this. I had a crisis, somewhat recovered, returned home to reclaim said ex-girlfriend, more crisis with another girl, then an eventual reconciliation with ex-girlfriend as my career crumbled post-PhD. The details are not important. But quality of life seems to improve without PhD.
2. You get sick. A lot. Because your body is in complete shock about not waking up and writing a thesis everyday. The stress has distracted you for so long.
3. You exercise again. I ran everyday in my unemployment. And I loved it.
4. You remain homeless and unemployed for far too long. Luckily living with your friends is like being on holiday.
5. You eventually give up the dream, and take a job totally unrelated to your extensive qualifications.
6. And then you quit, and run away when the life you've made has become too ordinary and unchallenging to the point you miss you thesis (?!)

This is where we begin. Said ex-girlfriend ran away to Japan and I ran away to the US in search of a completely new life, and perhaps a new home...you never know. But always with the hope for one another and connection with each other in spite of distance - something we never had succeeded well with while together.

1st stop IDAHO (via LA)...