Yesterday was a VERY big day 'round here

Much of this blog has been dedicated to the accomplishments of the smallest member of the family: the first step, the first word, first attempts at sitting up, first...you get the idea. Well, yesterday it was Daddy's turn to do something remarkable, out of the ordinary and truly monumental. Yesterday was Thesis Defense Day.

That's right folks: Six years of reading, writing, editing, transcribing, case studying, and drinking far too much coffee have come to an end. TDSH is now Dr. TDSH! Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

For those of you not familiar with the finer points of a thesis defense, the event starts with a 20-minute presentation by the candidate, two rounds of questioning by the committee (in this case, five people who took 15 minutes each for the first round and then five minutes each for the second), and questions from the audience (it's open to the public - just to add another layer of cruelty to the event) before the candidate and audience are kicked out of the room for deliberations. After that, only the candidate is invited back to hear the verdict.

At first I wasn't going to join in the fun, opting instead to take the day off work and spend the morning biting my nails from the comfort of my own couch. But when TDSH specifically asked me to be there, I couldn't say no.

I'd have to say that this is probably as close as I'll get to experiencing the helpless feeling that fathers must get while watching their wives go through labour.

He did a fantastic job of the presentation and handled what I thought were rather challenging questions with ease. To say that I am proud of him is a complete understatement.

I managed to snap a few pics of the lovely thesis defense room before everything got started.

We're both so glad the experience is over. All that's left to do is make some minor revisions and submit the thing to the library (which I hear some students find more difficult to accomplish than the defense itself!)

So, know of anyone looking to hire a recent graduate with expertise in sustainable community development? If you do, please post their contact info in the comments section ;-)