Brainstorming & painting

09.13.2004

Spent much of the weekend painting my apartment, especially last night. The kitchen's almost done, after I pulled the cabinet doors off & covered the countertop w/ an old sheet. I'll try to finish that up this afternoon. I also prepped much of the bedroom, and hope to get through that by the weekend. Well behind schedule, but slowly getting there.

Spent much of the morning brainstorming my chapters content outline. I'm still tossing around whether I want to structure chapters by election year (there's five) or by dependent variable (there's six). Additionally, I've to deal w/ several breaks w/in the timeline: Institutionally, the 1994 reforms (munipalization & adopting an MMP electoral system). Regime-stability-wise, the October 2003 popular uprising.

Once I get a bit farther along, I'll post a brief sketch, let you sound off (oh, I fixed comments so you don't have to use TypeKey anymore). Sort of "open source" dissertation writing. An outsider perspective is often so useful.

So far I'm leaning towards centering chapters on dependent variables. Still kicking that around back & forth. If I don't come up w/ something that makes me happy, I'll switch gears & move on to writing the introduction, which might help me clear up ideas.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to keep up w/ my parents back home. We're just waiting for the end now. I'm trying to keep busy & not think about it.

Posted by Miguel at 01:28 PM

Comments

It seems to me that by variables is better. That way you can tackle ea. var. at a time. You can talk in terms of pros and cons; what is better and what not, etc.

Whereas by eleccion year should be a bit restraining, or not? You are bounded by cronology.

Hope it helps.

Sorry to hear about you abuelito.

Posted by: MB at September 13, 2004 03:08 PM

Sorry to hear about your abuelito.

With regards to the dissertation I soon will be in a similar place, seems like the dissertation idea I have now is a workable one.

Posted by: Melli at September 13, 2004 03:23 PM

Thanks for the solidary, guys.

And I'm glad your dissertation's going well, Melli. Mine was, too, until October. He. So now I'm revising my pre-fieldwork chapters layout. I'm still leaning towards a variable-based approach (as in the proposal).

Posted by: Miguel at September 13, 2004 03:31 PM

Best wishes re Abuelito

Posted by: T'su Rii [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 13, 2004 09:07 PM