This coming week is the last week I have to polish up my thesis. After tonight's contributions to the document, I am down to just fleshing out two sections: the Compton scattering contribution to the diffusion equation and my simulation results. Everything else is written in a form that I feel is acceptable for submittal. I wrote my acknowledgements and conclusion tonight and sorted through the various missing references and multiply-defined labels. It's pretty tight.

Friday, Kim returns from his XDRC obligations and we spend the following week making sure that he thinks its tight too. Also, I have to update my thesis defense presentation to include all of the upgrades, new data, and what-not that has occured since my pre-defense defense.

I fly to Boston on the 23rd and defend on the morning of Monday, April 25th. The remainder of that week is spent franticly jumping through whatever logistical hoops MIT requires of me. If all goes well, I will be done with everything by Friday, April 29th. My thesis will be approved and submitted, I will have the necessary paperwork for getting reimbursed by the lab for my tuition expenses, and I will have the necessary paperwork for convincing the lab that I am done so that N-1 can initiate my transfer to my post-doc which I am eagerly awaiting.

This is the home stretch, and it's looking good. Two months ago I would have told you this outcome was impossible.