Decisions

On a personal note, those who read this blog might like to know that big decisions loom on the horizon for yours truly. Tomorrow I face a decision that is somewhat artifical but hard to diminish in its significance: whether I should graduate by the end of this semester. To answer yes sets up what is sure to be an arduous three-month trek to the end, with the first month devoted to getting out one more manuscript and the next one devoted to the writing of the actual thesis itself. To answer no brings some immediate relief but prolongs my stay here in Michigan between one and five months.

Right now, the feeling that I've already overstayed my welcome is gnawing at my marrows. The prospect of facing another winter with all that that entails -- from missing the bus, to missing the sun, to cursing my thin dry skin -- saddens me. But the thought of busting my chops at breakneck speed doesn't feel too good either. Adding to the dilemma is a job opening that arose recently that may, who knows, disappear at any time. Do you lock it down now and damn the consequences or let yourself let it go, trusting in fate to see you through? I'm up late these days for a reason.