If I want to work on hearing-aid related technologies for my EE doctoral work, maybe I should look into the Harvard-MIT Speech, Hearing, Bioscience and Technology (SHBT) program. It seems not uncommon for folks there to go for dual doctorates, but a triple (SHBT, electrical engineering, educational sociology) may be... a bit... much.

Also,

"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things." --T.S. Eliot

Okay. What do I need to do? I have loads of email to reply to - some that need immediate responses, some that really don't. I'll take care of the important ones real quick first. Then I've got a tech manual to write, an 8.2.1 test plan to work on so that it's ready to review tomorrow, Activity testing to check in on (notes from the SL meeting have to go out, test sprints have to be followed up on), and... laundry. I want in-unit laundry in my next domicile.

I was going to go climbing with friends tonight, but don't feel particularly physically awesome today; my immune system's been fighting off things with various levels of success for the last 2 weeks or so. I want to climb and hang out with them, but it may not be the best thing for me to do. Argh. I'll knock off emails, take a shower, eat lunch, and then decide.

Even the small things would be easier if I knew I had someone to come home to and collapse on, which is why I think I've been pondering the loneliness bit so much lately, but no. It's not a good idea; it's just me being lazy. I have to pick myself up when I fall. And yes, part of this is asking for help when it is needed, but only when it is needed. The web of trust of friends and teammates being held up by each other in a circle is... amazing. And the things I have to do are not that big a deal. Seriously. The stuff I have to do? It's easy.

So what am I waiting for? Get back out there.