Goals (Academic and Otherwise)

So, this week's been a bit crazy for me, as I've been cranking a bunch of stuff out for my thesis. I'm determined to get the lion's share of my work done by mid-April, so that I can graduate in June. This is a bit later than what I originally intended (I was shooting to have my thesis done by December. Ha!), but it's not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I'll just have a little bit longer to look for a job and to save up money to start the repayment of my student loans.


I was going through a few of my files from the past year of school and I came across a paper I did on the media's coverage of the Unabomber manifesto. I'd received a good grade on the report, some criticism, and a few suggestions, one of which was that with a bit of editing, I could submit it to the AEJMC for inclusion in a conference. That work will have to wait, as I have my priorities and the last thing I need is one more distraction.

Because the bike racing thing is distracting enough.

I've not planned too far ahead past April, as I might turn my focus to Wisconsin. I do need to find a race or two between the Mid-Ohio Tour and Hocking Hills. The only reason I'd do Hocking Hills, is because I need to go down to Athens (OU) for some school stuff around then and it'd be nice to get a good ride or race in while down there.

This is my tentative calendar:

2/16-2/17 Mentor/Schabobele Road Race, Cincinnati/NKY
3/1 Mid-Ohio Tour — Oxford, OH
3/22 Tour of Hocking Hills — Logan, OH
3/29 Hillsboro Roubaix – Hillsboro, IL
4/5 Mississinewa Reservoir Road Race, Peru, IL (from CBR calendar)
4/6 ABD John Fraser Memorial TT — Maple Park, IL
4/13 Lynchburg Road Race – Cincinnati, OH
4/19 Tour of Hermann Day 1 Time Trial — Hermann, MO
4/20 Tour of Hermann Day 2 Road Race + KOM — Hermann, MO
OR
4/20 Gettysburg Road Race, Gettysburg, OH (near Cincinnati)

All I know is that Ben Popper says that I could be a Cat. 2 in 'cross if I bust my ass hard enough this summer and fall. I just can't get into the trap of putting on junk miles in over the summer, as I am so wont to do. But with Ben and a steady training regimen, I think I could pull off a pretty good 'cross season. But as long as it goes better than 2007, I'm happy.