And the catch is...

D wants to make sure he's done with his Ph.D. before we go on the East Coast tour we're planning. So... it may have to wait until spring break 2009 if he isn't done by the end of summer 2008. The good news is that their next trip to LA will probably provide the last bit of data he needs to get writing on his dissertation. Luckily his comps paper (paper in preparation for the thesis) was much longer than normal and much of it can be reused in his thesis. By his calculations, the comps paper will probably end up being about 1/3 of his final thesis. He's staying on here until May/June 2009 regardless of when he finishes so that he can help his advisor finish off this grant, and then he looks for a real job, wherein he will quickly make more money than me and can start paying off his student loans. :-)

I told him I am throwing him a huge-ass party when he finishes.