i.

I fell asleep this afternoon and dreamed I was on a sinking ship. I was up in the loft area of this ship, aware that we were going under, but I was making no effort to find safety. I was with my books for my thesis: Augustine and Updike were in there. I was reading, highlighting. I woke up from this dream thinking, Oh, what a metaphor! And, What a cliched metaphor! And, What if those books are there to save me, my life preservers? Or, What if those books cause me to sink?

ii.

I’m working on an outline for my thesis. But instead of creating a pronged outline or sentence outline, I’ve just created main sections. And then under those sections, I’ve written my thoughts about each of those sections, my musings about them, etc. I’ve also included lots of it’s OKs. Because, it’s OK if this changes. It’s OK if this section needs to move. It’s OK if this turns out to be the conclusion instead of that. As my adviser says, “Dare to be adequate.” My mantra.