Today in Self-Esteem

In general I'm angsting mess, but today I feel good about myself. I had a really good call with my adviser who is very happy with my dissertation and thinks it's going to be easy to turn into a book--she basically said for me to go start send inquiring emails with presses and named a few. It's looking like my defense will be in early October and I can skype in, and knock on wood it will all be easy enough.  

And through crazy random happenstance I happened to read an old journal entry from like nine years ago, where I had talked to my Mom who, as is typically, was wearing me down. She was "worrying" about how I would ever find my "next job" (which was funny because at the time there was little reason to think I'd leave that one) because of how I dress and so on. (In case you're wondering, my typical work "uniform" consists of button shirt, cargo pants, and black tennis shoes, with nicer clothes for events and tshirts for when I'm doing gross work.) Anyway, it's funny that here I am in my "next job" where...I wear the same casual outfits, get treated with respect, have solid rep, and so on. It's almost like what matters to people are my accomplishments and the fact that I'm a good person to work with and not what I look like....