How Do You Know What You Know?

First, and most importantly, I haven't really done any writing on my dissertation this week. That sucks. Maybe tonight. I think in the back of my head I know I still have enough time to get this draft out by the end of the week so I'm not feeling pressed. Unfortunately, I need a little personal deadline pressure right now to get me going.

But my first two job application deadlines are approaching and I don't need the pressure. I'm definitely starting to feel rushed to put stuff together. I've been working steadily on my materials but I'm feeling a little frazzled. I think it's because this is my FIRST set of applications I'm sending out. My internal perfectionism is in overdrive right now. My first application to go in is to one of my top choices so that is keeping the stress level a little higher than normal. And because it's my among my top choices, I don't want to wait till the last minute to send this stuff off. I really want to have everything in the mail EARLY next week. Once I get these applications in the mail, I'll feel like I can breathe again--at least until my November deadlines start approaching!

So I'm polishing up my first two cover letters to go out. The one in my major field is pretty much set to go--feelin good about it. The second one makes me ask--how do I know what I know?? The institution has specifically asked that letters show one's interdisciplinary knowledge. Well how do you show knowledge in a letter? I'm not happy with what I have so far--I don't think it is doing what it's supposed to do--so I need to finish up this draft TONIGHT and send it out for feedback...