Dear Fellow Couch Gymnasts
Hello Everyone,
This is just a quick note from your TCG editor to fill you in on the goings on in TCG land. Basically, in a couple of days I am submitting my entire draft of my thesis/dissertation to my supervisors for a last big read before I do I must write up a final draft and submit it for my PhD.
For those of you who don’t know what a PhD thesis involves- in my case it involves an 85, 000 word research project that has taken me three years to research, write and complete. In order for it to be ‘accepted’ as a dissertation it must be read by three international examiners who must approve of it as a piece of worthy research that will contribute to the knowledge of scholars in my interest area. As you can imagine, this is not an easy task. For those of you who have done one, you know it is not.
But hey, at the end of it, you’ll (hopefully) have to call me ‘Doctor Brigid’ which I am sure will cause no end of hilarity (as it does with my friends!) when I continue, under this title, to trip over anything that lays in my path, spill red wine on white tablecloths and commit terrible, endless typos!
Anyway, while my supervisors peruse this draft I can’t do any work on it. Then, when they return it in early January, I have to work like heck on it to get it in by mid February, whence I am planning on handing it in and spending three months on delightful travel (and yes, some gymnastics competitions are on the itinerary) before returning to my lecturing work.
I thought I would take this opportunity to have a break, enjoy the holiday season and hang with my family while I have a rare opportunity to not think about my thesis for a week or two. This also means I have decided the blog will go on hiatus for a fortnight to give me and all the writers what I think is a very well-deserved break. It has been a long year and everyone has put in a huge amount of work to put out all the news, interviews, opinion pieces and feature we have had on the blog in this crazy Olympic year. It’s time for a holiday.
So, what this means is that you will see some new posts today, and maybe one or two things over the next couple of days, but then things might get a little quiet for a week or two (aside from a New Year TCG special retrospective feature- so look out for that) until early January. But never fear, we will back for the new gymnastics year -with a vengeance!
Thanks, as ever to all the amazing writers, contributors, commenters, gymnasts and friends of TCG for sharing their thoughts on another awesome year of gymnastics.
And dearest readers, thanks for the shared laughs, thoughts, enthusiasm and ardent love of our favorite sport that makes this blog tick. We’ll see you in the New Year for another great gymnastics year. This one certainly was amazing. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Have a great Christmas and New Years and take care of yourselves and, more importantly, each other.
Warm wishes for the holidays. Please feel free to leave seasons greetings, thanks, etc to all the fabulous TCG writers, photographers and editors who have worked so hard for you this year to bring as much gymnastics as they can to the blog!
Brigid McCarthy, Proud Editor of The Couch Gymnast
P.S Writers, readers, gymnasts- do not fear- if you have done a story, penned a Junior Watch, been interviewed for TCG, your story will appear- although not until January at least. But rest assured, you have NOT been forgotten!
Photo: A Christmas tree and Queen Khorkina.
22 Comments
Sarah
Merry Christmas, Doctor Couch Gymnast!
16 Dec 2012 01:12 pm (@Twitter)
alan rickmon
good luck with everything
16 Dec 2012 01:12 pm (@Twitter)
Andrea
Best of luck and have a well deserved rest.
16 Dec 2012 02:12 pm (@Twitter)
tokyochris
You are wonderful!
16 Dec 2012 02:12 pm (@Twitter)
Cat
Thanks for keeping us die-hard gymnastics fans up to speed on all happenings throughout the world. Happy Holidays!!
16 Dec 2012 02:12 pm (@Twitter)
jody
Thank you all so much, not only for what you write but for how you do it–with love, happiness, and a general good spirit. Merry Christmas!
16 Dec 2012 03:12 pm (@Twitter)
sophie
Thank you so much! We appreciate how hard you and your fellow writers work on this site.
16 Dec 2012 03:12 pm (@Twitter)
Louise Anderson
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thanks for putting together a great blog!
16 Dec 2012 03:12 pm (@Twitter)
Jennie
You and your team deserve a break. Have a wonderful holiday season!
16 Dec 2012 03:12 pm (@Twitter)
Kristen Ras
Best of luck Brigid! Enjoy the rest
:):):):) You’re the best !
16 Dec 2012 04:12 pm (@supergymfan)
Carolyn
I too will be submitting my thesis next week, I totally understand what you are going through! I want to thank you for the excellent articles I come here to read (almost every day!).
Best wishes for the holidays!
16 Dec 2012 05:12 pm (@Twitter)
K8
My husband has just submitted a thesis too. I know second-hand what hard work it is. Congratulations. It’s quite amazing that you’ve kept this blog going considering what you’ve also achieved. You’re too cool!
Thanks to you and your talented team for keeping me posted with gym news and views. You’re my main source of gym info. I love your blog.
Kate, a fellow Australian
16 Dec 2012 11:12 pm (@Twitter)
SK
I get it, and I remember the process well. I am sure you will do well. In the end, though it might be difficult to believe right now, your committee really does want you to succeed.
About the Doctor Brigid thing, don’t be surprised if you find your self hanging up on the first few phone calls where someone asks for Dr. _____. For the first few weeks, I would tell callers that there was no one here by that name. It took a while before I realized they were referring to me. Other friends report similar experiences,
Have a wonderful break before your defense, and thank you for all you do at CG with everything you have on your plate.
17 Dec 2012 02:12 am (@Twitter)
pi
Have a good holiday!
17 Dec 2012 04:12 am (@Gym)
Sarah
What a tremendous accomplishment. Good luck defending it too!
17 Dec 2012 04:12 am (@Twitter)
Joanne
Thank you for everything you do here. I found this site about 18months ago and it has been bookmarked ever since. Do you have to defend your thesis? I had to do that with my masters thesis and it sucked. Good luck on it because yeah it IS hard but when it’s done … no better feeling. Enjoy the hols and I know I’ll still be checking the site regularly.
17 Dec 2012 07:12 am (@Twitter)
Dianne
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too!!
And thank you to all the writers for such an awesome 2012
17 Dec 2012 08:12 am (@Twitter)
Sasha
Congratulations on finishing your thesis draft. I know how it feels, I am at the same stage of my PhD. And thank you for this wonderful website, which kept my head sane during the last four years. Have a wonderful holiday!
17 Dec 2012 11:12 am (@Twitter)
Anne
Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you, Thank you…
I could’nt say it enough…. thanks to you Brigid, and to all the other writers and contributors… it is so much fun to read you all and to have a place to satisfy my need for more gymnastics news… Have a nice holiday…. rest, laugh with your family and friends, eat and have fun!… and we’ll see you in 2013! ♥
P.S. Congrats for the almost-done thesis!!!
18 Dec 2012 12:12 pm (@Twitter)
Bea
Indeed Brigid, you are too cool! And I loved the title
18 Dec 2012 07:12 pm (@Twitter)
Isabelle
Thanks a lot, Brigid, and be assured that all gymnastics fans here strongly support you. I wish you the best for the coming holidays, and I’ll be here as soon as you come back blogging.
I won’t forget you either
21 Dec 2012 10:12 am (@Twitter)
Romina
Good luck with your thesis and thank you so much to you and all the writers and collaborators for the passion you put into the blog. Enjoy your holidays!!!
23 Dec 2012 12:12 pm (@Twitter)