The experiment two nights ago worked.
I created a new user account on my Macbook with access only to my word-processor (Scrivener), then reset my admin password to something like 673hdhsa568fdje8sosjyr8jdhs7si which I wrote down on a piece of paper and put in my sock drawer. I then went to the library, and could do nothing but write.
I have a deadline of Monday to turn this thing around. I’ll do it.
This morning I was listening to Macbreak weekly, when Andy Ihnatko gave his pick of the week: Freedom.
It is the most wonderful piece of Mac software in the whole world. Basically, you launch it, and then tell it how long you want it to block all Internet connections.
It then shuts down your wireless and Ethernet, and there’s no way to turn it back on unless you do a restart. I really don’t like restarts so this suits me very well.
I’ve spent about 11 hours in the library today. Just came home for beans on toast, then will go back to write another chapter.
A lot of my time has been spent reformulating my question, and then rewriting what I have already written to suit my new argument. I’d started off by seeking to show how wonderful the 1998 Non Profit Organisation Law was. After doing that for a bit, I discovered that actually, it had been a bit of a flop. So then I switched to showing why it had failed. But I didn’t like that, it was negative, and I was getting increasingly frustrated by the lack of reliable data on which to base my argument (civil society is notoriously difficult to define, let along quantify).
Finally, in despair I emailed my tutor – and got the green light to change my title again. I’m now assessing the changes that have occurred since 1995 in Japan’s third sector, including the effects of the NPO law, and many other factors that have brought civil society to where it is today. I’m happy with that.
The thing is, 3 new laws come into force in December, and the whole situation will be turned on its head, meaning that my dissertation will only be current for about 6 months! Well, at least I’ll have graduated by then!
Ok,better heat up the beans.