Highs, lows, and a little trepidation

So the summer has been good, bad-- a lot strange and a little boring. I have basically written the majority of my dissertation this summer. It's been great to have the time, but it is a monotonous task. Get up write, go to this library or that archives, write, go to Starbucks or the neighborhood coffee shop, write. You get the picture. I've had some great trips, Wyoming and NYC, and now I'm preparing for my big trip to China that starts at the end of the week. I've traveled a lot, but never completely by myself, and certainly not to Asia. Although I am pumped, I've had some pangs of trepidation this weekend. The usual concerns of the unknown and safety and getting around. I am ready to be there, so that I can relax and have a good time. The bad of the summer has been the slew of untimely expenses. My a/c had been a constant problem, and because I don't have 5000 laying around, I've tried to patch it best I can at the tune of 1500 dollars. Still, there are some problems and I just hope to get them resolved before I leave. On top of that, well my glasses broke, so there goes 300 dollars, my cell phone bill was out the roof because my better half is out of town this summer, and I have to pay tuition at GA State one last time. But the good news is because of all my hard work this summer, if I can stay on top of things this fall, I will graduate in December! Wow, what a burden lifted if I can pull it off. So all in all, if it works out -- the summer of highs, lows, and a little trepidation will leave me with a PhD and wonderful memories of China and the Olympics. Keep your fingers crossed for me next week.