IU PhD Candidate Jeremy Reed shares his fieldwork experience researching how music festivals in Jordan act as a metaphor for trajectories in contemporary Jordanian history. His path to this research began in 2013 and continues through 2021, despite a changing research focus that began with an interest in alternative Arab music. Jeremy mixes stories from his fieldwork with insights into fieldwork methods, emphasizing real-time sensory data as supplement to audio/video recordings and notes. Recognizing the solitary nature of writing a dissertation, Jeremy reflects on the importance of maintaining community and confidence throughout the process.