Please read this one.

(I realize this whole well is tl;dr.)

By now y'all may realize some of my reasons for doing this well. I want to help, I want to give counsel — but I really, I needed to get some things out, and also I need help. Let this be my appeal to POG for help.

I need to finsh the paper I discussed above. I will never be happy with myself if I don't. (I may not be happy anyway, but that's another matter.) And I cannot seem to come up with the will to do so, and this has been true for almost fourteen years.

So I ask you, my POG friends, to do something for me: Let me borrow your willpower. Make me do it. Don't ask me to join your games — tell me I can't join unless I am working on it, too.

There is no great rush, except that I have told myself that if I don't complete it by the end of this academic year (i.e., by next May), I will give up thinking I ever will. That's the boundary.

Beyond a general "help me", I don't know what's going to be required — it's not as if I've ever succeeded at this before. Maybe just gentle nudge; in fact, it may be that's it. Nudges from people who like me despite everything, which I hope some of you do.

Having just been the beneficiary of tremendous largess, I feel odd asking for this now, but in fact the two are tied together as the trip will make proceeding down the temporary income tax path harder. I knew it would; I knew it would have this effect. In the long run I hope, and mostly believe, that it will all work out.

So that's said now. When I get back from the test (still need to take it; still need to d what I can to secure a job, if only a temporary one), I'll get back to telling y'all about werewolf and bridge and such.

Atakdog,

I have 2 sociology papers that I have to write. I took this class, 'The American Community', and all I even had to do for the class was just write two papers, which I never did.

My professor gave me a B for the class anyways because he's an awesome guy-- and was a huge influence on me. I used to think he was crazy because he was conspiratorial before I ever was, called NPR national petroleum radio.....

anyways. I told myself that I could not go back to school until I wrote those papers. Still haven't written them and haven't been back to school

So you aren't the only one

Atak,

Once both of us have written our respective papers, I will come find you, and we will play a few days of a regional or sectional.

Hopefully this will serve as motivation for both of us.

GL, and I'm glad that you're going to finish it.

writers block itt

I read everything except WW and bridge stuff.

My idiotic opinion is that you are going about this paper the wrong way. Face the reasons that you have practiced avoidance, fully and consciously, sit down and write why you aren't writing the paper, every day. In a short time, instead of writing why you aren't writing it, you'll write it.

We could have a race, who can finish their degrees first?

Seriously, you know I'm here for you in every respect, including this one. You can shout at me, get frustrated at me, email me massive pieces of writing which I will have absolutely no idea what they're about if you like. Ring me in the middle of my night if you want (can't promise I'll be very responsive, but I'll be there).

Basically, I want you to do this, because I want you to be happy. You happy = me happy. We Win!

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.

What you need to is come up with a concrete plan. Make an outline for what you need to do and set deadlines throughout. I would also plan to have it done a month before the deadline.

Then you break it into smaller manageable pieces. Then you can say as long as I get my task done, I can do whatever else with my time. That way, you have control but you also get to reward yourself with things that you enjoy like playing ww.

One of the most important things I've learnt about planning is that a key to success is to share your plan. Share your plan with us POGGers but more importantly, share your plan with your father. He's helping you out right now and I think he'd greatly appreciate your openness and honestly and what you are doing to rectify the situation.

I think that would also make him feel better about you being there, he would feel like he's helping you do something that you've wanted to do for a long time. It would also help keep you accountable but would make you feel probably less guilty as well.

Atak,

Help us help you. Some questions:

1) What are the requirements for the paper in terms of topic/length/citation format/anything else that matters?

2) Where are you in the process? If you have a draft please email it to me. If you have not even started out yet then let's take it step by step and FIRST, pick a topic.

_____

McA is right that you need a plan. But imo you don't necessarily have to plan out the whole thing right now. You, at a minimum, have to plan out the NEXT step. You may plan out a step or two after that. But let's plan out the NEXT step together so that you have something concrete to focus your attention on.

Just fyi, I was e-i-c of my school's law review, so I know a few things about legal writing and most importantly for my ability to help about the PROCESS of legal writing. This project is not an intellectual challenge for you. It is a process challenge. Though it was a decade ago now I guided some 30-odd second-years through the note-writing process. I can help you do this.

There is much wisdom in this Jedi.

IMO, amp does not know the meaning of the word "idiotic".

i could start a game thread for POG Degree

Can I join in this degree race?

I love that MSPaint so so so so so so so much

I would get in the degree race, but I would lose.

I am currently in year 28 of my 30 year plan. I need 9 or 10 more classes for my BS. I have been taking them one here, one there, when I feel like it.

I have had the same problem motivating myself to finish papers and such. I usually procrastinate until the last minute, then wait another few hours, and then write some complete slop and manage to get it in just under the deadline of the 2nd extension I had requested.

I have no idea why that is, but it is.

There is a lot of stuff in this well that I can personally relate to.

Except I am not a communist

FCBL - I think we're working on the same schedule for our degree. At this pace, I'll be done in 2018 or so. aka, after it's usefulness is gone.

Damn babies, ruin everything

sure

POG Goals

I made it open for more than just Degrees

I was going to say something similar, albeit less helpful. Curious what length/other requirements there are for your paper, if you have a topic (even a broad idea of where to start, etc). On law review now so I have access to plenty of concepts and ideas that could be used to stimulate the process. Additionally, I have Westlaw, something I presume you don't (sucka).

GL all around. It's all about block quotes taking up significant portions of your length requirements.

oooh, yeah. Love the block quotes!

I'm sure manupod's got you covered, but I'm also happy to help if you (or anyone, really) needs library access, photocopies/pdfs of journals, etc.

Add me to the list of former/current law review people who are willing to look at your paper, Atak.

Might as well plop me on that list as well (former, '08 grad).

POG.

The current state of the paper is nonexistent, and I don't even know the requirements. In the PST I've never made it beyond the choose-a-subject stage. I do know that the official status is that all I need to do is complete it to the satisfaction of my advisor, whom I know to be willing and in fact eager to help.

I will check with him soon and find out exactly what's required.


_______________


So I'm guessing my well now goes on the list of weirdest POG threads ever...


Back to welling after I grab some dinner.

get together with TL first and then take it from there, together you'll overcome things, she'll help you a lot

Yes, this is the next step. Plz to be completing before Thanksgiving. I suggest email so that you have the requirements in writing.

P.S. expect a little nagging

Heh, no doubt. I need a reason to combine bridge and Lou Malnati's...