It's more difficult than you thought, right?
Every day now, partly to beat the heat and partly to get into a work zone, we head out to the university library. With lunches and snacks packed, and books in hand, we take the bus to town and start work between 8:30 and 9:00. Our goal is to stay (and work) as long as possible without breaking down in tears or punching a computer monitor. So far, so good... just a little crankiness. We tend to lose it around 6 or 7pm and head home to a late dinner. It's starting to feel like routine. Matt has a cubicle on floor A and I have a computer nitch on floor B (don't worry, we still love each other).
On my first day I was so motivated and almost didn't feel the hours go by, even into the afternoon. The library was cool (almost too cold-amazing feeling) and so quiet and empty with great computers and awesome high-speed internet connection. I felt great after a successful day's work and had an ice cream fudgcicle that night.
On my second day, right around 3 or 4pm I started dragging and took longer-than-usual breaks. There was a little complaining. My back and rear end started to hurt from sitting on my hard wooden chair, and my eyeballs ached a little. Like good soldiers, we pushed on until after 6 (or 7?) and finally called it a night. Matt only went home to read some more, and I looked at him like he was some sort of iron-man championship winner. How DOES he do it? He acknowledged my fatigue and said, "it's hard, right?" Amazing.
We're still at it and accomplishing plenty. I've recently started a computer war with anoher grad student who looks to be writing his dissertation. I had the computer first for about a week. Then one day when I came back from lunch, he had taken over. The next day, I got it for the whole day and he took another nearby. The next day, he stole it again as I was leaving for a break. Why does he like that one so? He's probably wondering the same thing about me. I was forced to take the computer that didn't back up to a blank wall (fewer distractions), but instead looked out onto a lower level of tables and studying students, with a skylight above that always shines in your face!
Should I surrender at war? I'm afraid if I try to find another computer station, I won't be able to find my way back to Matthew and civilisation!
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At least you know that whatever you're doing is surely more important than his dissertation! :)
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