So it turns out there's a PhD position open in Bergen, Norway that would be just about perfect for the likes of me. It's in the field I'm doing (or not doing, as the case may currently be) research in, and I'd be working with a professor who's really making a name for herself in blog and hypertext research. Not only that, but it pays $45,000USD per year for a guaranteed four years. Yes, that's right - in Norway, they pay their PhD students.

Of course, I'm not done my MA yet; part of the reason I'm considering applying for the PhD position is because it may serve as a kick in the ass to get work done. With the two books (go and buy a copy if you haven't already and maybe they'll let me do another one), I had a rigid deadline in place that I couldn't miss. The MA thesis has been really nebulous - I'd like to defend some time around Septemberish.

Now, the chances are really, really good that I won't get the PhD position, and I'm actually quite happy with that. I don't really *want* to go to Norway, especially since it would entail living apart from K again for at least a few months while she worked out selling the house, getting a work/residency visa, getting the dogs up there, etc. But it would serve as fuel for getting my work done, and that might be just enough to go through the application process.