Day 6: Transcriptions

I did two transcriptions today. Well, I actually finished one that I started last night, and did a full one today. So that's 1.5.

I have in total 11 interviews, and I have four more interviews to transcribe, including two that are a little more than two hours.

Heavens help me!

Interviews left:
- Laura - 3 hours
- Mary - 53 minutes
- Zima - 2 hours
- Nisa - 1 hour

More day 6: Transcriptions

This interview I just finished transcribing is actually relatively decent! I asked all the right questions, I probed in all the right places, and I got some very interesting stuff.

I have one more interview from this population, and then I have three or four or five more from another population, and then, I think, I'm finished. I really ought to know how many interviews I have in total. This is ridiculous.

Day 6 (cont): This discomfort is temporary

I can put up with anything for a month. I have to keep remembering that. I just have to push and push, and just get through this one month. And then, I'll deal with the "then" later.

But for now... One month. That's all. Just give it my all and my best!

I need more cheerleaders in my life.

Day X: What day am I on again?

I don't know what day I am on, and when I should have started counting. I think I started counting December 15, and here we are six days later, and I'm still nowhere to be done with my transcriptions.

But, I am making progress. Well, as much as it is humanly possible to do so, considering what I have to deal with.

Today's goal is to finish two interviews. I think that puts me at 6-7. Reason why I can't remember how many I have is because I left the other ones at the office, and just don't feel like venturing out in the snow to get them. Working at home is working for now, so I just have to keep doing it.

What is NOT working, is being distracted by my friend who is going through a crisis. I can't be up chatting online until 11:30, and expect to be up ready for work. I actually didn't get myself out of bed until about 7:30. That's very late for me!

Oh.. interviews... why won't you just transcribe yourselves and save me the headache?

I think what might end up happening is that I will not finish the transcriptions until right before Christmas, which means that as soon as I return from Christmas on Saturday, I will have all my data transcribed, and I'll be good to go. Incha'allah!

Day 5: Still transcribing interviews

There needs to be a shift in the way I think about transcriptions. There are some basic things that I know:

1. They stink.
2. They're really a pain in the neck.
3. They take way too long to do.

But, they are absolutely fundamental to the research, and they all have to be done verbatim. I can do this on my own (which is preferable), or I can use my time more efficiently and ask someone else to do them.

As I said, I think I will give this until Tuesday for me to finish up the transcriptions. After that, I'm handing off the rest to someone else.

But, in the meantime, all I need to focus on is this interview, and try to wrap it up.

After I am finished, there's a nice bottle of expensive port waiting for me with some nice chocolate.

And, tonight, after all is said and done (in about 9 hours), I get to see Doctor Who "Waters of Mars", which I'm very excited about. Coupled with some pizza, and I'm having an awesome night. That'll be my reward for getting through these interviews.

Day 3: The worst part about this....

There are two "worst part" about this thing...

1. I absolutely hate transcribing interviews. There are lots of other I could be doing with my time.

2. I hate transcribing interviews because there's really nothing else I can do while doing it to make go any faster, or any smoother. Usually when I'm dreading working, I put on some music, and that makes things go faster. Not so with transcriptions. It has to have my full attention. It's a pain in the neck, is what it is! Ugh.

Maybe I should pay someone to transcribe, at least, the English interviews, so maybe I can focus on something that's a little more digestible.

I don't know... I'm going to give it until Tuesday, and then if I'm not finished by then, I'm going to pay someone to do it for me. I'm sick of this.

That didn't go over very well...

I ended up writing absolutely nothing worth of any substance for the entire month of November.

On the other hand, I did finish the outline for my dissertation, and a very preliminary first chapter (Chapter 2, the literature review). I just wanted to get the structure completed before I go on any further.

When I spoke to her last week, she thought that the outline was right on track, the chapter looked relatively OK. But, she recommended I make some minor changes to the outline, and write a paragraph for each section, and then, send it off to the committee. We also agreed that a tentative defense date was March 26. She thought it would totally be doable, which I have my doubts about, but whatever.

So, after I send them the revised outline, I'm to proceed with writing like a madwoman, until it's finished!

Classes officially ended on Monday. Finals are due tonight for the students, and final grades are due by January 4, leaving my TA and I plenty of time to get all the grading done, and the final grade calculations completed.

So, I have a list as long as my head of things I need to do, which ultimately include getting all my stuff together in one place, and just going for it.

In another post I'll write why that's been difficult to do... but that's for another time.