Prolonged rituals
I didn't think I had the time, but after a conversation with the dean and the headmaster of Volda College, and a phone call from the University Director's Office, I managed to find a spot in my busy schedule for a trip to Bergen, to the Doctoral Promotion January 23rd. Jill will be giving a speach on behalf of the PhD students at Bergen University! Could there be a better, quicker and better adapted speaker? I think not.

I had problems finding a hotel though, so I ended up at one of the really nice ones in Bergen Center. It will be a treat: a night in my favourite Norwegian town, seeing friends and having no duties but to smile in a friendly polite manner while wearing a robe, and it is still defined as work. But after this, I am definitely Dr. Mortensen, no more doubt. Well, at least if I manage to dig up the money for the doctors' ring. I imagine it is an absolutely neccessary accessory for knocking on the doors between me and an overwhelmingly bright future.

Right.

(Irony/sarkasm warning: the entire last piece of this post, particularly about the "doctor's ring" and the "overwhelmingly bright future" is meant to be read ironically. The whole situation is pretty ironic, as I had not planned to talk about this almost embarassingly odd part of the PhD rituals. Why am I there at all? Well, get an invitation, be in Håkonshallen Friday, find me, and I will tell you the story.)