Hi all,

Well, the thesis defense went better than I could ever have expected. I felt slightly loopy just before, but I was so focused that once I was in there, the fog lifted and I was clear as a bell. Thanks to the dizzy gods for answering my prayers!

Long story short, and to brag on myself just a little while I'm in this zone, there were four professors and the toughest ones (that my advisor and I were a little concerned about) started off by saying that my thesis was the most beautifully written and researched thesis they've ever read by a student at our university -- and they've both been at my university for several years!!!! Well, needless to say, that was a nice way to start things off. They also had great constructive criticism, which I was actually looking forward to because it will strengthen my work. All was given in a very generous and helpful way, not overly critical or harsh. My main advisor thinks once I make a few edits, based on the committee's suggestions, the thesis is a publishable piece. Ka - ching!!! Cross that goal off the life list :bouncing: . I've always dreamed about having something published. Not for the money (ka - ching might be misleading) but for the sake of being published. I'm a nerdy sap :D

Well, anyway, I must say that I invoked the courage of all of you before I went in there, and strangely enough, with the exception of my parents and a couple very close friends, you all are the first people I rush to tell, my dizzy friends. Just want to say again, thanks so much for all your encouraging words over the past year. You'll never know how much the support here has helped me to achieve this degree over what has undoubtedly been the most difficult 1-1/2 years of my life. You are all angels. :angel:

Cheers,
Terri, M.A.

Hi Terri,

Well that's just AWESOME news....I was thinking about you yesterday wondering how the defense went down...it went up!! Very inspiring for me to hear with this last year of a PHD still to get through and not yet out of the woods....but if you can do it, there's no reason I can't too!!!

Let us know when you get it published in one of the journals.

Congrats to you.....Scott :)

Hi Terri,

Fantastic news - what a great experience. We are all proud of you!

Let us know when you get published and where we can read it.

Madeleine

Hey Terri, M.A.

Good Show!

:cool:

Terri:
A Giagantic Yipeeeeeeeeeee for you!!!!!!!

Oh, yeah and a big Yahoooooooo too.

Kathy

Thanks guys!!

Terri

Congratulations Barnsley!!!! Way to go!!!!!!

:bouncing:

Hi terri,

Way to go girl, well done!!!!!!

Ilia xx

hi terri

congrats! well done! best wishes!

brina

Brilliant news Terri..................sorry Terri MA

xxx :)

Kept meaning to ask Terri....what made you look at Barking Abbey - I know that area so well - just wondered what your connection was with it.

Thanks everybody! You are all so sweet :)

Lizbef,

I had no previous association with Barking Abbey. I was just searching for a place to write about on the Internet (there's a great web site dedicated to women's monasticism) and as I perused all the possibilities, Barking stood out because of its prominence, wealth, etc. I, foolishly it turned out, thought that with such a prominent place there would be plenty of extant primary sources. Ha!! Lovely Henry VIII and his religious reforms, which led to the closure of the monastery of course, likely made it so that much of the abbey's documentation disappeared also, as things were confiscated, destroyed, hidden, etc., during the dissolution of the monasteries in the late 1530s. My best hope is that there's still documents in some funky manor's attic somewhere!

So, can you tell me how far Chelmsford is from the abbey site? The Essex Record Office (archive) is in Chelmsford and I want to go there when I visit the abbey site in June.

Terri

Hi Terri................Chelmsford is about 25 miles from Barking - doesn't sound much but remember these are English roads we're talking about!!! When exactly are you coming over and how long for?

Lizbef,

We'll be there from 27 June to 1 July. We are staying near the South Kensington tube stop, and I realize (or have heard) that the tube ride out to the Barking stop (which from what I can tell basically lets us off at the abbey site(?)) takes about an hour. Does the tube continue to Chelmsford?

Terri

Fraid not...............but there are main line trains which will take you there. The tube connects up to the main stations - that would almost certainly be the easiest way..............I'll look up on some local sites for you and post up a recommended route for you. Are you somewhere else after London or just in the UK for a few days?

Lizbef,

After London, a few days in Ghent, Belgium, then a few days in Amsterdam before returning home.

T