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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 838 on March 8, 2006, at 4:29:37
figuring out a topic...
'tis hard.
usually... i know exactly what i want to do... and i already have things i want to / need to read... and so it is just a matter of getting into it. this time around... i sort of have an idea but i don't really know. and nobody here knows anything about it. well... they sort of do but not really... and it is funny. i guess where i was before there weren't many people so it was more accepted that you wanted to do something that nobody knew very much about. but here... there are a lot of people... and they are doing some good stuff... i mean people come here especially to learn about that stuff with people who are developing the new frameworks etc etc... and so i'm trying to get my head around all sorts of stuff that i've never really done before. but it is hard. and people have been working on that for years and years. and it is new to me. i figure it will take me a year or so just to get my head around it. and then i have no idea whether i'll actually have somehting to add or not... and so... i kind of have an idea... but the danger is... in alienating yourself from people in doing something they really don't give a sh*t about. so i don't know what to do.
and peopple say 'you have only been here a couple weeks and nobody knows anything about what they are doing in the first year or so'
but... it is the first time for me. and this time really matters. and i feel a little bit scared. i do.
:-(
Posted by Damos on March 8, 2006, at 21:50:29
In reply to stuff..., posted by 838 on March 8, 2006, at 4:29:37
Can leave ya sittin here all by yourself now can we? It's nice and quiet here though isn't it?
Being a little bit scared is okay. It is. It's normal, natural and understandable. But once you find your feet and start to feel safer and a little more secure that'll improve.
Okay, not knowing the "house" short-hand is difficult and finding that they're further down the track on some stuff than you are is scary. But the newness is good for you, knowledge is like food and water to you so drink it all in. Try everything that's on the menu and you'll learn what you like and dislike. You're like a person who's be starving in the desert and is now faced with a feast. Too much to take in. Give yourself time.
Just because something is my specific area of interest doesn't automatically render it uninteresting or mean that I won't be interested in it. Maybe I just never gave it serious consideration before, or was just simply focused elsewhere.
You can do this; will do this, I know it. Believe in you - we do :-)
(((((838)))))
Posted by 838 on March 9, 2006, at 19:18:29
In reply to Re: stuff... » 838, posted by Damos on March 8, 2006, at 21:50:29
> Can leave ya sittin here all by yourself now can we? It's nice and quiet here though isn't it?
Yep.
> Being a little bit scared is okay. It is. It's normal, natural and understandable. But once you find your feet and start to feel safer and a little more secure that'll improve.Yeah. Is a bit hard... Not knowing a lot of the standard stuff that other people have done and I haven't... And the stuff I've been doing is kind of... Not very mainstream... And sometimes it feels like it doesn't count for anything.. :-(
But then... The more I get my head around the dialect... The 'standard terminology' (in these parts) the more I have things to say that they haven't considered (because they haven't read MY standard lit) :-)
So... I guess it is okay... Bit worried though... Need to be a bit more mainstream... Danger of isolating oneself etc etc.
> Okay, not knowing the "house" short-hand is difficult and finding that they're further down the track on some stuff than you are is scary.
Yeah... But then I consider these people have nearly finished... And I'm only just starting. So... It isn't too bad.
> Just because something is my specific area of interest doesn't automatically render it uninteresting or mean that I won't be interested in it. Maybe I just never gave it serious consideration before, or was just simply focused elsewhere.
Yeah... But I think people are used to students adopting their topic... Need to show an interest to have a favour returned... Only so many hours in the day too... So why spend time on trying to figure my stuff when they can just work on their own and get people jumping on board?
Dunno... More people to be arriving... That will help... More people to be arrivign who (I think) are more likely to have sympathy for my project. And yeah, it is nice to be (struggling...) to get my head around some of these new frameworks. Hard work... But best take advantage of teh opportunities that are here... Also... It does impact on some stuff... It does... Change can be painful... And my view of the mind... Is about to change rather radically. Hmm... Hrm... Tis hard.
Posted by Gee on March 9, 2006, at 22:58:51
In reply to Re: stuff... » Damos, posted by 838 on March 9, 2006, at 19:18:29
It's hard doing you're own thing, but in the end it feels better... you know? More "right" I guess.
I just wanted to say good luck and I'm sure you can do it. I kinda know what you're going through. Are you at grad school?
Posted by 838 on March 9, 2006, at 23:36:24
In reply to Re: stuff..., posted by Gee on March 9, 2006, at 22:58:51
> It's hard doing you're own thing, but in the end it feels better... you know? More "right" I guess.
Yeah. I think... it might be about finding a comprimise... a balance...
> I just wanted to say good luck and I'm sure you can do it. I kinda know what you're going through. Are you at grad school?thank you. yeah... grad school... trying to find a thesis topic.
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