i did it

i finally jumped on the iphone/smartphone bandwagon and bought an iphone 4 last week. i have to say, as a former skeptic, that i have become a total convert. you can now find me "checking-in" to places on foursquare, logging my food and exercise on "lose it!", checking email on my phone, and NOT printing out directions to places before i go! yes, i am a few years late to the trend, but wow, technology is amazing! suddenly i understand the draw of things like twitter and facebook status updates - just another excuse to dabble on your phone!

my dissertation defense generally went well. the presentation went off without a hitch, though i was grilled by my committee for quite awhile during the closed session. sometimes i think they just want you to concede that you don't know the answer to their question, after you speculate wildly on the possibilities of course. it's weird to have spent so much time working on something and thinking about a particular problem, that by the end, the deeper you dig, the more uncertainty you have and the more questions you can't answer... it's one of these things where sometimes i wonder if i really contributed anything useful at all. haha. what am i supposed to be an expert in now? do i feel any different from when i started grad school? more thoughts on the phd and transitioning to the job hunt to come, i'm sure... it's been almost a month, but it still feels like i haven't really had time to process it.

the best part of being done is definitely the FREE TIME! i have such an appreciation of life right now! it is amazing to be able to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, to drink coffee for pleasure and not out of necessity, and to be able to exercise!! since my defense, i have run the camp pendleton mud run, had my san diego bridal shower, visited home for my san jose bridal shower, had my engagement photo session with menzies, and just enjoyed life to the fullest extent. life is fantastic right now. :D

and now, everyone keeps asking: what's next? what's next is that i'm getting married in two weeks!! :D :D :D i can't believe it's almost here...!