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Stumpage Reports
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Thursday, February 06, 2003 :::
Hot Damn I Passed My Oral Exams!
This afternoon I took and passed my oral exams to help fulfill the requirement for my degree. I will not give a blow-by-blow account here, but of course I have to share a few highlights (and lowlights).
To start off, I had a raging migraine this morning, I'm starting to get a cold, and I had to schlep five blocks in the sleet to get to campus to take the exam. The people on my committee consisted of my advisor, who's a big slavery guy, had him for a couple classes and we get along great (hereafter referred to as "Doc"). Plus a guy that works at the archives I have had two classes with and another history professor.
The First Question, and My Worst Moment:
Doc: When preparing a documentary edition, there are three methods of transcription you can use. What are the three methods and what are the strengths and weaknesses of them?
Me: Uhhhh....uhm....there's literal transcription...and....the other two!
Doc: Thats OK, you don't have to name them, just explain them. (Thank god thank god)
In Retrospect, The Fat, Slow One Across the Plate I Smacked Out of the Ballpark:
Doc: I've been told slavery was a large part of the southern identity and that it may have led to the Civil War. Could you elaborate on that?
Me: blah blah blah blah.....
My Favorite Part:
Doc (interrupting while I was answering the above questions): What did southerners think of blacks with guns?
Me, answering instantly without missing a beat: It was their worst nightmare. ...and went on with what I was talking about before.
They all said I did great, Doc even said it was one of the best exams he'd given. It sure as hell didn't feel that way while I was taking it. I'm glad I got it out of the way early in the semester.
Quote of the Day:
In the early morning on the lake sitting in the stern of the boat with his father rowing, he felt quite sure that he would never die.
--- Ernest Hemingway, Indian Camp
::: posted by tom at 9:43 PM
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