Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A Step Closer

Last Friday, I finalized my dissertation proposal manuscript and gave it to my committee members. This Friday, I will present the research to them and they will either be bowled over by how wonderful it is (which is highly unlikely), axe my project and doom me to another year in Ames (which I am praying will not happen), or will tell me that it's a bit crappy but can be fixed with their suggestions (which I am hoping will happen). I got caught up with sleep and a bit of reading. Now that my mind was not occupied with thoughts about research, I felt an urge to read some more of "Clarissa". I did, and loved it - it still takes me a while to get through some passages, but is a delight to read.

Remember long ago, in one of my first posts, I said that I wanted to be like Cleopatra - a woman of infinite variety? Well, something I read in Clarissa makes me want to be something similar. It's from Anna Howe's letter to Clarissa where she relates to the eponymous heroine what her mother (Mrs. Howe) said about her:

"Miss Clarissa Harlowe is an admirable young lady: wherever she goes, she confers a favour: whomever she leaves, she fills with regret. O my Nancy, that you had a little of her sweet obligingness!"

If someone ever said that about me, I'd faint with pleasure!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

wherever Ash goes, she confers a favour: whomever Ash leaves, she fills with regret. Your sweet obligingness makes me want to do things with you (....er...like research)!"

Hey, Girl ...let me know when you regain conciousness. Mystery Male

Azalea said...

Hee hee. You are hilarious J! I will let you know...