So! What can it be?

Yesterday, classes started in full swing.  From 9.00 to 11.00; 12.00 to 2.00 and 3.00 to 5.00.  This semester, I have 2 classes - 5RM (2 hours of lecture and 2 hours of tutorial/workshop) and 5QM (2 hours lecture plus 2 hours lab work). On top of that, a dissertation. Since lectures, tutorials, workshops and lab work are only for Mondays and Tuesdays, I have the rest of the week to work, I mean to really work on my dissertation.

But then again, though I have started looking for the suitable topic since last year, I haven't really decided on which yet.  I want a topic that will keep me going.  Something that can prolong my interest at least until I completed the whole thing (yep! Right to the References).  Something that I can nurture with growing interest each time I work on it.  Something that can be a beginning to a new study later on.  Something benefitful to the society or at least something which can be referred to in future. Well, I know it sounds like I am embarking on some major research work but I am not! It is just a dissertation which I need to complete within a three-month time line.  But, to me, no matter how small or how insignificant it may be to others I want it to be a good paper - something that can give me a good credit for my efforts (after all, I need a good grade don't I?).  And for something like this I can't lose interest halfway. I have to fight till the end with enthusiasm, with devotion and of course as few grammar and spelling mistakes as possible.

Yesterday when I told my friends Monica and Rizal (a PhD student from Aberdeen - somehow he has to attend classes at Dundee - a special Departmental program between the two Universities) of this problem of mine, with a smile Monica said, "Maybe you can continue with Corporate Governance?  Not many are doing a paper on it." And Rizal was telling me,"You have no choice but to choose one.  If not, you are in big trouble. Focus. Just pick one and never lose focus on it." Hmmmph.... I know he has a point but I want to focus on something that I really really like.  But which?  Among the topics that I have in my list are :

(i) complementary currency (if DrSam is reading, yes..., the rubbish thingy)

(ii) interest-free banking

(iii) the Malaysian Corporate Governance

(iv) something on Emerging Markets (but I have scratched this off - there are already a few who wanted to do this.  So, if I join in then there'll be something generic about it).

(v) something on Efficient Market Hypothesis? (Oh I have a lot to say about this! But for sure that is not enough!)

So, you see what I mean?  I can't remember since when I become one very confused lady - All I need to do is to pick one topic and stick to it. (Though I still have to get Dr. Burton's go ahead first!  Actually he has already given me the go ahead on the 3rd topic but I found myself not as excited to work on it anymore!!!)

Well, as I was leaving the Tower Building yesterday, I heard my friend Mokhtar called me (remember him? from My Dear Friend? The one who have his own version of my name?).  I asked him how he is getting along with his research paper (Oh yes! He is working on his PhD).  Oh Dear, I think I have a much lesser problem when he calmly said, "I am not sure of what to do yet. I haven't decided." And he registered about the same time with me - last September!

Is that supposed to be a consolation to me??

(Source of images : both Mortarboard and Blue flowers are from www.upload.wikimedia.org)