Old Year/New Year...

Happy 2021 to everyone in our wonderful TLQ community! Thank you for being excellent companions through this year and the ones before. I think many of us found a little oasis of peace in this group that became extra important this year... Thank you for laughs, commiseration, space to speculate or vent, and for being a steady presence in a year where everything else changed and changed and changed some more. This space was a great reminder of the positive things we are all grateful for and the successes we sometimes forget to celebrate properly!

I think we can use the flaming embers of the dumpster fire that was 2020 to roast some nice chestnuts and warm up the mulled wine for the evening to celebrate in whatever fashion you prefer! So, let's celebrate the wins, small and big, personal and professional, while we pass over into the next year. Cheers to all of you!

Wishing you peace, health, and joy in the New Year!

Happy 25 December, TLQers!

Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it, and a pleasant, peaceful day if you don't! Movies and Chinese food are always good, anyway, or you can just curl up with a book or handcrafts or whatever appeals. Or take a nap. If you're with the same people you've been cooped up with for months, may you re-discover their good qualities; if you miss the people you'd usually see, maybe you can be glad you didn't have to travel, this year.

(I'm not sure how long I can keep up the Pollyanna act, as I miss traveling, in general. But I do remember all the annoying bits of it.)

Thank you to all who consider themselves part of the TLQ community, and I hope you have a lovely day.

Last quarter 2020, week 14 (actually 15): the coat-check and beyond

What I (DEH) said in early September: “What can we do, what must we keep track of, for the next 15 or 16 weeks? Let's go until mid-December—that is, have our last check-in around Friday, 17 December 2020, as we wrap up the semester and face the holidays, whatever they may involve this year.” That makes this our last week of the session! Is that "already" or "at last"?

I hope you’ve enjoyed the museum tour, and that you’ll tell us what you’re planning to do at the end of it: what are you retrieving from the coat check, are you going out to dinner or straight home, are you maybe staying in a hotel and doing something else tomorrow, what memories and souvenirs are you taking with you?

Also let us know how you did last week, and how you've done with session goals.

For the next session, to start in January, Daisy and DEH will be your hosts. We’ll consult about when to start and how long to run, and suggestions from any of you are welcome! Do you prefer longer sessions, shorter sessions, ones that run quarterly or by semester or up to some significant date? Would you prefer a winter intersession and a shorter spring session, or a longer winter/spring session?

Session goals (apologies if I'm missing anyone, and thanks to heu mihi for collecting them; also for being an excellent co-host):

Daisy:

1) Finish and get rid of the Albatross Paper
2) Learn and do some computer-based analysis with fancy tool for new paper and local grant
3) Get DEI program approved and instituted in my professional society
4) Deliver excellent graduate course for new project students.

Priorities:
1) Health for household – mental and physical.
2) Two research projects: local grant and Albatross. The rest will putter along by themselves mostly so these are the ones that need the most focused attention.
3) Be excellent for my good people and help them as much as I can, be those child or co-authors or grad students or the good colleagues
4) Be good enough for/with everything and everyone else.


Dame Eleanor Hull:

Look after my health first.
Do a decent job teaching, and be kind to students.
Revise essay; try to make progress on book, and do at least a bit of language work every week.
Get boxes out of storage unit.


Elizabeth Anne Mitchell:

spend my research leave at a nearby archive to do a final check of my critical edition against the exemplars;
finish the article that grew from a presentation I gave;
pull together a good literature review of the flavor of digital humanities that interests me;
walk more, eat better, meditate when I wake up at 3am, and write every day;
be more positive about life.

Research:
Incorporate research from hoped-for archival trip into the critical edition.
Finish one article, preferably Illuminated, although Flowers is a close second.
Finish the annotated bibliography on critical editions and digital humanities.

Life:
Achieve 10,000 steps a day.
Achieve 60% better meals.
Improve positivity about life.


heu mihi:

1. Research: draft an article by summer 2021; prepare a grant proposal by mid-summer 2021
1a. (Re)read NunG books 3-5
1b. Research relevant theology on death in the 13th c.
1c. Situate readings of nuns within theological context
2. Draft my part of intro to collection
3. Language: Make some progress. Aim for 3x week, any length of time.
4. Life: Exercise, yoga twice a week (any length of time), sit some amount every week
5. Watch Pride and Prejudice by myself in the newly fixed-up basement.
6. Try to do at least one of each week's Big Tasks on Monday or Tuesday, to keep them all from piling up on the weekend.
7. Relax into what happens. Change or abandon goals as needed.


humming42:

1 write a tiny project piece every week
2 spend time with a creative piece every week
3 write weekly blog posts
4 finish writing that online class
5 keep up with teaching things

 

oceangirl101:

1. Complete book and submit to press!!!! This will entail final writing/ edits on Ch 8, a bit of data crunching for Ch 7, a final read througth and polish of the entire thing, plus copy edits and figures and the bib. I think its doable.
2. Maintain a realistic notion of what is doable this semester in terms of teaching. Be gentle with myself.
3. Exercise 5x a week
4. Eat healthy
5. Advise several students on new projects, get bits and pieces of data/writing needed to collaborators for CNH paper, Canoe paper, and Adze paper
6. Paperwork for aunt to go into state system (I am her POA)
7. Buy porch furniture to make outdoor space comfy
8. Do smell retraining therapy each day in the hopes of getting smell and taste back

 
Susan:

1. Survive the teaching, and maybe figure out how to own it? I'm beginning to figure out how to manage class, and am grateful to the students who will turn on cameras so I get some feedback! Last week I figured out how to pre-assign students to breakout rooms and I wanted to break out the champagne. I have tried to make the assignments for students what they can manage, and to be flexible. It's just hard.
2. Finish chapter 2 of Famous Author, by working at least 15 minutes every week day.
3. Keep making progress on getting rid of stuff/ fixing house.
4. Keep walking or getting exercise. I have just ordered a Very Expensive piece of gym equipment, but everyone I know who has it raves. I hope it gets me through the winter when "It's dark when I wake up and want to go out so I don't go walk". We'll see.
5. Read for pleasure -- a litte?
6. Do something enjoyable weekly with friends. (mostly not face to face...)

Last week’s goals—I haven’t done hold-overs, thinking they might just make people feel bad about not checking in; but by all means, come back and tell us how things are now, if you have the bandwidth to do so:

Daisy

1) Grade/nag for assignments to get submitted/grade/nag/grade/nag rinse/repeat ad nauseum…
2) Set exam for big class
3) Help extremely marginal grad student with defense talk and corrections
4) Make a list of teaching successes vs. failures while it is still fresh to use when doing next term’s planning
5) My intentional thing for the week: local shopping for fun food things or pretty gift ideas

Dame Eleanor Hull

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade All The Things.
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; take notes on the big ILL book.
*Service: set up drafts for some recommendation letters.
*House/life: hang pictures, get hardware for cabinet, that Thing.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Translation study articles 1x6.
Write 300 words x 7.
Deal with all the paperwork--travel, research, grant, etc.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; something positive 1x7.

heu mihi: 

1. Sit x3
2. Reinstate exercise plan, plus some extra walking, since last week was so inert.
3. Catch up on journal stuff!
4. Write 3 hours
5. Grade all the things

(Humming?)

(JaneB?)

(Oceangirl101?)

Susan

1. 2 hours on famous author
2. Catch up on rest of grading
3. Write 2 references for grad school
4. Write memo protesting pay cuts
5. Have a serious email purge
6. Get and trim tree: I need something to cheer me up!
7. Drinks parties
8. Plan some baking (trying to figure this out, but thinking of baking and bringing cookies or other goodies to people.)
9. Start on Xmas Card

Last Quarter, week 13: What you don't want to miss

I don't actually remember how long this session is going to go, and it's late for a prompt-post, so I'm not going to go back and check. But I think it's safe to say that we're nearing the end of our session/museum tour.

So: What don't you want to miss? What room do you want to make sure you go (back) to before your time here runs out? Apply metaphorically to your life and/or work to the extent that you want.

Last week's goals:

Daisy:

1) Set 30 take-home exams, each student gets a personalized one (and regret making this an option)…
2) Make plan for next paper
3) Overdue reviews
4) Overdue Society things, three little ones, one big one
5) Lots of admin things, take a day and do them all
6) Grad seminar marking and feedback
7) My intentional thing for the week: buy a few pretty local-made gift things

Dame Eleanor Hull:

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade stray stuff.
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: set up drafts for some recommendation letters; admissions; prep for Friday meeting.
*House/life: pay bills, order Xmas presents.
*Track time.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell:

Translation study articles 1x4.
Write 300 words x 4.
Walk 2x4; meditate 1x4; something positive 1x4.

heu mihi:

1. 3 hours of writing/research
2. Catch up on journal stuff (again, forever)
3. Read and take notes on ch. 2 and 3
4. Catch up on all the "urgent" emails

Humming42 (held over):

1 edit a creative piece to prepare for submission
2 write weekly blog post
3 grade every day
4 write and submit current book review
5 finish reading next review book

oceangirl101 (held over):

1. Copy edits Ch 3-8
2. Review article, book series, and PhD
3. Walk/exercise x 4
4. Healthy meals
5. Vet for cat, set up Dr appts for me

Susan:

Teaching:
Grade the next part of the final projects
Touch base with the absent students
Get book orders in when I know which class I'm teaching
Admin:
One more memo to draft
Clear out emails
Be ready for whatever comes up
Research:
6 hours (3 x 2 hours) on Famous Author
Life:
Keep up with exercise
Get adequate sleep
Keep reading
Do things with friends, locally or distant
Help my mother with stuff

Last quarter 2020, week 12: attrition

I think a batch of people didn't come back after the tea break, or maybe they're still behind the scenes or in the gift shop. It's the nature of a museum tour, I guess. Nonetheless, let's work with this idea: what can you let go of, or leave behind, that would help you focus on the truly important things, this week? Alternatively, what loss are you mourning or still searching for, that's sapping your energy?

As always, answer one or both prompts if you feel inclined, or ignore them both and just check in. People who've been gone for awhile are welcome to pop in and say hello, even if you don't have it in you to reflect on goals. Our good wishes and supportive energy flow your way, whether you're actively participating or just reading along! 

Move like water, float like mist, stay chill as ice when facing difficult situations!

Daisy

1) Paper off to journal
2) Set 30 take-home exams, each student gets a personalized one…
3) Grad seminar content and reading list for coming weeks
4) My intentional thing for the week: walking coffee with 2 colleagues

Dame Eleanor Hull

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade 1 set discussion board posts; comment on drafts from both classes.
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: set up drafts for some recommendation letters; admissions; another small thing.
*House/life: do some responsible-adult things.
*Track time, at least roughly.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell (held over)

One article and annotations 1x5.
Paperwork for planning next semester.
Pick up new glasses and contacts.
Write 300 words on Illustrated 1x4.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; something positive 1x7.

heu mihi

1. Read and take notes on ch. 1 and ch. 2 of review book
2. Grade everything that I have in order to clear the way for future grading
3. 3 hours of writing
4. Journal proofs, to the extent possible (waiting on a couple of authors)
5. Two yoga classes (plus all the running)

Humming42

1 edit a creative piece to prepare for submission
2 write weekly blog post
3 grade every day
4 write and submit current book review
5 finish reading next review book

oceangirl101 (held over):

1. Copy edits Ch 3-8
2. Review article, book series, and PhD
3. Walk/exercise x 4
4. Healthy meals
5. Vet for cat, set up Dr appts for me

Susan (held over):

Teaching:
1. Get last week module up
2. Grade next batch of projects and create groups
3. Get book orders in
Service:
1. Get in touch with the press re. journal
2. Deal with any other stuff that comes up re Big Proposal that is terrible
3. Deal with Church stuff
Research:
Four hours on famous author
Fun:
Keep reading new book
Keep working out
At least one fun zoom
           

Last Quarter 2020, week 11: Breathing Room

What does it say about my life that I initially titled this post, "Last Quarter, week 20"?

Not that I feel like I've spent too much time in your company. More like this is an unending semester....

...And yet! It is ending, for me, at least. Sort of. Slowly. Classes ended Friday. Final papers are due December 4. I have grading to do, and I'll have more, and there will be meetings ad infinitum, but at least we're moving into the winding-down period, if in a much-more-protracted-than-usual sort of way.

If you're in the US, then you have some days off this week whether or not your semester is ending--whether or not you're teaching at all. Of course, semester's end can bring all kinds of stress, too--stress under which our members outside of the States are also likely slogging along.

So, this week, consider how and whether you can create for yourself some kind of breathing room. If you're really into the architectural motif, you can imagine a real room for breathing! I'd be interested to hear what that looks like. Or you can just reflect on ways to open up a little space for peace and quiet in your week. Or you can ignore the prompt altogether and tell us what's going on. Judging from the few comments on last week's post, quite a few of us are suffering from the Overwhelm.

Last week's goals:

Daisy:

1) Paper off to co-authors
2) Giant pile of grading, now three times as high as when it started
3) Record ALL remaining lectures
4) My intentional thing for the week: sushi takeout with child and walking coffee with 2 colleagues

Dame Eleanor Hull:

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade discussion board posts (2 sets? 3? I've lost track), 1 set of papers, set up modules for next two weeks.
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: set up drafts for some recommendation letters.
*House/life: do some responsible-adult things.
*Track time, at least roughly.

heu mihi:

1) Order, fetch, and organize gigantic batch of letters etc. related to a Get Out the Vote effort in Georgia. (I volunteered to organize this for anyone in my activist circle who was interested, and have been rather overwhelmed by the response.... It looks like I'll be organizing something like 1400 letters, for 27 people. So this will actually take up a good bit of time. I even had to attend a webinar last night.)
2) Try something to promote better sleep--such as evening journaling or meditation.
3) Draft journal CFP and read journal submissin.
4) Complete email catch-up. (I got through a lot last week, but there's more. Always more.)
5) Request blurbs for program website from majors.
6) Enjoy my husband's birthday on Thursday.
7) Read intro and chapter 1 of review book; type up notes.

humming42:

1 work on creative piece: this is the last week of the online class I’m taking. The assignment is to revise a previously submitted piece, so I’m ruminating.
2 grade every day: the heat is on.
3 write and submit current book review: ok, it’s a tiny bit TLQ but my editor is very forgiving
4 write and submit abstract for conference workshop: one of those opportunities from pandemic to virtually attend a conference that I normally don’t even consider because it’s adjacent to my discipline and there’s only so much money for travel in a given year
5 finish review of journal essay submission: that one just fell off my map.

oceangirl101:

1. Copy edits Ch 3-8
2. Review article, book series, and PhD
3. Walk/exercise x 4
4. Healthy meals
5. Vet for cat, set up Dr appts for me

Susan:

Teaching:
1. Get last week module up
2. Grade next batch of projects and create groups
3. Get book orders in
Service:
1. Get in touch with the press re. journal
2. Deal with any other stuff that comes up re Big Proposal that is terrible
3. Deal with Church stuff
Research:
Four hours on famous author
Fun:
Keep reading new book
Keep working out
At least one fun zoom

Last quarter 2020, week 10: Behind the Scenes

You're sitting over a refill of your drink, feeling that you might be ready to get going again, and considering what you'd like to see next, when a member of the museum staff approaches you. At one point you wrote something that they've found very insightful and useful (what was it?), and they saw your name pop up on the morning's museum admissions, so they came . . . not only to say thank you, which is already a big boost, but, as a more tangible token of appreciation, to take you back into the Staff Only rooms and show you something!

What will that thing be, for you? A new acquisition? The restoration section, where you might help with some fiddly bit of care-taking on a very old and delicate item? A store-room where they're unpacking crates from a long-forgotten legacy? Writing the signage for a new exhibition, or creating a realistic setting for a historical room, or working on a scale model?

If the prompt speaks to you, answer any of the questions you like; if not, let it go and just check in with your report and new goals. I know we're a small group this time, but this does seem like a short list---my apologies if I left you out, and please come and check in if you feel moved!

Daisy
1) Paper again…
2) Giant pile of grading, now twice as high as last week
3) My intentional thing for the week: Have walking coffee with at least two colleagues

Dame Eleanor Hull
*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade 3 sets of discussion board posts, 2 sets of papers, one other set of things, set up modules for next week, write two assignments.
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: no service goals this week [blows raspberry].
*Admin: order books for spring.
*Fun stuff: read, bake something, finish 2nd ear-warming headband.
*House/life: pull credit report.
*Track time, at least roughly.       

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell (held over)
One article and annotations 1x5.
Paperwork for planning next semester.
Pick up new glasses and contacts.
Write 300 words on Illustrated 1x4.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; something positive 1x7.
       
heu mihi
1) Read something for research. Anything.
2) Grade a batch.
3) Review 2 tenure cases.
4) Preliminary revision of journal materials (letters, website).

Humming42
1 work on creative piece
2 write weekly blog post
3 grade every day
4 write and submit current book review
5 write and submit abstract for history piece
6 finish review of journal essay submission

oceangirl101
1. Bib searches/copy edits on Ch 1-4 of book
2. Work 4 hr on co-authored paper
3. Make Dr appts- knee, mammogram etc.
4. Exercise x 4
5. Bath/stretch x 2
6. Enjoy cooking some healthy meals

Susan
1. 1 More week on each class
2. Figure out submission problem for final projects
3. Send emails
4. Book orders
Service:
5. Pull together comments on big proposal for next Monday's meeting
6. Get people together for discussion of journal proposals
Research:
7: Three hours on Famous Author
Relaxation:
8. One fun zoom
9. Finish the book I'm reading
10. Keep on working out.

Last Quarter 2020, week 9: The Sculpture Garden

The photos above are from an orchard/sculpture garden that I visited a few weeks ago. It's about half an hour from home, and it was quite a bit more impressive than I had anticipated! I love a good sculpture garden. The integration of art with the landscape, the flashes of the unexpected--like those amazing driftwood elephants, planted in a New England field--is so gratifying and exciting.

So for this week, I ask: Is there a sculpture garden in your museum? What's your favorite piece? What would you like to find there? And for what in your real life (because I haven't figured this part out) is it a metaphor?

Of course, I feel that I would be remiss if I didn't mention the election. So...yay! Something not-terrible in a mess of a year. In true 2020 fashion, however, it had to drag out the torment for as long as possible. Whatever; I can forgive the year that bit of anxiety (and that one really terrible night and morning), now that it's over.

Last week's goals are below. I know that there are more people, whose goals I haven't carried over; I'm so behind on the comments etc. for this blog that I don't think I'm going to try to retrace them. Just chime in in the comments and know that I only haven't tracked them down because I'm overwhelmed with all the Everything! You are not forgotten.

Daisy:

1) Paper again… Of course…
2) Giant pile of grading, and set-up of new assessment aka future pile of grading…
3) My intentional thing for the week: Repeat research-themed Road Trip! Yay!

Dame Eleanor Hull:

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade 2 sets of discussion board posts, 1 set of papers, hold conferences with one class, set up modules for next week (will I ever get ahead on this?).
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: work on exam-related document for dept., prep for Monday meeting, grad admissions review.
*Admin: order books for spring.
*Fun stuff: read, bake something.
*House/life: pull credit report.
*Track time, at least roughly.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell:

One article and annotations 1x5.
Paperwork for planning next semester.
Pick up new glasses and contacts.
Write 300 words on Illustrated 1x4.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; something positive 1x7.

heu mihi:

1) Do all the necessary teaching things, including writing two LORs and processing payment for a guest speaker.
2) Catch up on journal-related work.
3) Take notes on NunG 4 (a nod towards research, which has been sadly neglected).
4) Run (x5), walk (x as much as I want), yoga (x2), meditate (x3).

humming42:

1 work on creative piece
2 write weekly blog post
3 grade every day
4 write and submit music review
5 do some serious reading for soon to be due book reviews

Susan:

1. Teaching: One more week ahead in each class
2. Teaching: Chart progress
3. Teaching: book orders for spring (make decisions)
4. Research: 3 hours on Famous Author
5. Admin: begin reviewing journal proposals
6. Admin: paperwork for opening church
7. Self-care: Exercise x 5
8. Self-care: read another book
9. Self-care: get adequate sleep.
10: Self-care: breathe for the next 24 hours

Last quarter 2020, week 8: the café and WCs

Susan's comment last week reminded me that there is more to a museum than the art. At some point, your feet hurt, you're hungry, you have other bodily needs to take care of, and even if you're communing with your favorite material ever (normally on the other side of the world or in storage, so you want to be with it all day), you just have to take a break.

So let me show you to the museum's café/tea shop and restaurant, where you can choose a quick bite and a cuppa, or a full sit-down meal with table service. Champagne tea with a pyramid of tiny sandwiches and petit fours (such as I once had at the Met, sitting alone and savoring every mouthful) is an option, if you'd care to join me. What will you order to restore yourself?

Answer the prompt if it speaks to you; let it go if it doesn't. Tell us how you're doing, and what your new goals are. I hope you've had a good week, and that November will treat you kindly.

Daisy

1) Trying again: Work on local paper every day this week and actually make progress
2) Continue checking in on students
3) Prepare rest of grad class readings
4) My intentional thing for the week: celebratory evening with friends for cool life event

Dame Eleanor Hull

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade 2 sets of discussion board posts, 1 set of papers, a set of bibliography entries, another project.
*Research: work on revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: work on exam-related document for dept., prep for Monday meeting, grad admissions review.
*Admin: do one online training, now TRQ.
*Fun stuff: read, bake something.
*House/life: vote & take ballot to county board.
*Track time, at least roughly.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Practice presentation.
Tidy closet in preparation for the seasonal change of clothing.
Read another DH article.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; write 2 hours x 5; something positive 1x7.

heu mihi

(Taking the week to re-set vis-á-vis goals.)

Humming42

1 work on creative piece
2 write weekly blog post
3 grade every day
4 finish TRQ November conference paper

JaneB

(Busy and confused, but we miss you.)

oceangirl101

1. Get heaps of grading done
2. Book- edits or polishing 2 hrs
3. Co-authored paper, write 2 hrs
4. Exercise x 3
5. Stretch, bath, smell therapy 3x a week at minimum
6. Organize Virtual Open House for prospective students

ScottishThistle, who stands for everyone reading along but not participating this session

(Best wishes for support and achievement in your life, or at least survival and breathing!)

Susan

1. Teaching: get ahead another week in two classes/ I have only a few weeks left to structure, so I feel as if I'm on a glide path to the end of the semester.
2. Teaching: get book orders for spring in. I just agreed to teach an overload, so I get a course off next year. Maybe insane?
3. Admin: read book ms, start drafting promotion letter.
4. Admin: keep dealing with BS related to big proposal, but wait to read it till I've finished the promotion review.
5. Teaching: Chart student progress. Finally
6. Research: Two hours + 1 hour on Famous author
7. Exercise: 5 days at least, esp with new toy
8. Relax: do something nice, maybe start reading?

Last quarter 2020: Week 7: Midterm check-in

Because I doubled up on Week 1's, it's actually our 8th week, which I'm hoping makes sense for a midterm check-in week, because I remain utterly devoid of the elegant literary-artistic-architectural prompts to which DEH has accustomed you. I haven't even caught up on the comments from last week.

I'm afraid that I've also lost track of our guiding metaphor(s). 

But, since it seems to be a museum or something similar, how about this? You're in the middle of a very large museum--think the Louvre or the Met, someplace far too big to absorb in a single visit. You've wandered deep in, through the exhibits of Chinese ink drawings and porcelains. Now you find yourself in a sort of upper atrium, with paths opening in every direction: early American portraits, Dutch masters, Egyptian artifacts, whatever you want. Which way do you go, knowing that you're unlikely to find your way back to this juncture and get the chance to explore the galleries not taken? And how do you feel about committing to one pathway over the others? Will you try to wander back and keep your options open?

That seems like an apt-ish metaphor for the midterm check-in, doesn't it?

So: Report back on last week's goals, but also--if you want--let us know how your session goals are fitting you right now. Is there anything that strikes you as risible? Or even just uninteresting? Remember, there's no shame in abandoning items on the to-do list. Liberate yourself if you need to. Or, if there's something that you can't abandon, this is a chance to remember it and recommit.

And if you don't have session goals listed here, that's okay! Just tell us what's up and how you're doing.

Session goals (apologies if I'm missing anyone):

Daisy:

Session goals:

1) Finish and get rid of the Albatross Paper
2) Learn and do some computer-based analysis with fancy tool for new paper and local grant
3) Get DEI program approved and instituted in my professional society
4) Deliver excellent graduate course for new project students.

Priorities:
1) Health for household – mental and physical.
2) Two research projects: local grant and Albatross. The rest will putter along by themselves mostly so these are the ones that need the most focused attention.
3) Be excellent for my good people and help them as much as I can, be those child or co-authors or grad students or the good colleagues
4) Be good enough for/with everything and everyone else.

Dame Eleanor Hull:

Look after my health first.
Do a decent job teaching, and be kind to students.
Revise essay; try to make progress on book, and do at least a bit of language work every week.
Get boxes out of storage unit.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell:

spend my research leave at a nearby archive to do a final check of my critical edition against the exemplars;
finish the article that grew from a presentation I gave;
pull together a good literature review of the flavor of digital humanities that interests me;
walk more, eat better, meditate when I wake up at 3am, and write every day;
be more positive about life.

Research:
Incorporate research from hoped-for archival trip into the critical edition.
Finish one article, preferably Illuminated, although Flowers is a close second.
Finish the annotated bibliography on critical editions and digital humanities.

Life:
Achieve 10,000 steps a day.
Achieve 60% better meals.
Improve positivity about life.

heu mihi:

1. Research: draft an article by summer 2021; prepare a grant proposal by mid-summer 2021
1a. (Re)read NunG books 3-5
1b. Research relevant theology on death in the 13th c.
1c. Situate readings of nuns within theological context
2. Draft my part of intro to collection
3. Language: Make some progress. Aim for 3x week, any length of time.
4. Life: Exercise, yoga twice a week (any length of time), sit some amount every week
5. Watch Pride and Prejudice by myself in the newly fixed-up basement.
6. Try to do at least one of each week's Big Tasks on Monday or Tuesday, to keep them all from piling up on the weekend.
7. Relax into what happens. Change or abandon goals as needed.

humming42:

1 write a tiny project piece every week
2 spend time with a creative piece every week
3 write weekly blog posts
4 finish writing that online class
5 keep up with teaching things

 

oceangirl101:

1. Complete book and submit to press!!!! This will entail final writing/ edits on Ch 8, a bit of data crunching for Ch 7, a final read througth and polish of the entire thing, plus copy edits and figures and the bib. I think its doable.
2. Maintain a realistic notion of what is doable this semester in terms of teaching. Be gentle with myself.
3. Exercise 5x a week
4. Eat healthy
5. Advise several students on new projects, get bits and pieces of data/writing needed to collaborators for CNH paper, Canoe paper, and Adze paper
6. Paperwork for aunt to go into state system (I am her POA)
7. Buy porch furniture to make outdoor space comfy
8. Do smell retraining therapy each day in the hopes of getting smell and taste back

 

Susan:

1. Survive the teaching, and maybe figure out how to own it? I'm beginning to figure out how to manage class, and am grateful to the students who will turn on cameras so I get some feedback! Last week I figured out how to pre-assign students to breakout rooms and I wanted to break out the champagne. I have tried to make the assignments for students what they can manage, and to be flexible. It's just hard.
2. Finish chapter 2 of Famous Author, by working at least 15 minutes every week day.
3. Keep making progress on getting rid of stuff/ fixing house.
4. Keep walking or getting exercise. I have just ordered a Very Expensive piece of gym equipment, but everyone I know who has it raves. I hope it gets me through the winter when "It's dark when I wake up and want to go out so I don't go walk". We'll see.
5. Read for pleasure -- a litte?
6. Do something enjoyable weekly with friends. (mostly not face to face...)

Last week's goals:

Daisy:

1) Work on local paper every day this week and actually make progress
2) Continue dealing with Society thing
3) Lecture recordings again (missed a few)
4) Prepare remaining assignments for all classes and post
5) My intentional thing for the week: coffee office hours with a few students who desperately need contact (these walking meetings, one person only, outside, in the wind, with parkas, so definitely safe!)

Dame Eleanor Hull:

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade 2 sets of discussion board posts, 2 sets of papers.
*Research: make plan for addressing revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: work on exam-related document for dept., prep for Monday meeting.
*Admin: do two online trainings and get them over with.
*Fun stuff: read, bake something, make Halloween cards for great-niblings, set up new Moleskine.
*House/life: sort and file papers.

*Track time, at least roughly.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell:

Enjoy the second half of the archive trip.
Transcribe notes from this half of the archive trip.
Get passport picture.
Read and annotate one article in the digital humanities bibliography.
Read fun book.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; write 2 hours x 5; something positive 1x7.

heu mihi:

1) Exercise regimen, language x3, sit x3
2) Teaching: Record 3 lectures, transcripts for 2 lectures (4 transcripts total), last 2 PowerPoints.
3) Research: Notes on Vol. 4 of NunG; read the article that's been open in my browser for 10 days
4) Service: Gen Ed review, catch up on editorial work

5) Look at outside source for teaching upcoming new book 

humming 42:

1 work on creative piece
2 write weekly blog post
3 grade every day
4 work on November conference paper
5 revise and resubmit book review

oceangirl101:

1. Work on book edits 2 hrs
2. Work on co-author paper edits 2 hrs
3. Prep for student defense
4. Exercise x 3
5. Vote
6. Stretch/meditate/bath x 2 to try to regulate sleep

Susan:

1. 2 hours on Famous Author
2. Admin: read big proposal
3. Admin: start reading ms. for promotion review
4. Teaching: chart student progress, contact stragglers
5. Add one week ahead in each class, define final infographic project
6. Financial record thing that will be a PITA
7. Keep walking: I feel better
8: Some reading
9. Get to bed early

Last quarter 2020, Week 6: Porcelain

The next room of the museum I'm guiding you through has porcelains. It's a room intended for teaching purposes, with pieces from different countries and periods, large and small, painted, glazed, abstract, representational, useful and purely decorative all combined. There's an 'activities corner' where visitors can make mosaics using shards of broken porcelain, and a lump of clay to squeeze and, maybe, make something, if you feel like it.

If any element of that room speaks to you, tell us what it is, along with your report on progress and list of goals for the coming week; if not, let it go, and just give us the report and list.

 Here's where we were last week:

Daisy

1) Work on local paper every day this week
2) Make reading list for graduate seminar
3) Record the next three weeks of lectures
4) My intentional thing for the week: flu shot… and ice cream!

Dame Eleanor Hull

*Health: daily cardio and stretching, weights x 3, try to eat carefully and sleep enough.
*Teaching: Grade 2 sets of discussion board posts, 3 sets of papers.
*Research: make plan for addressing revisions; some time on both dead and live languages; some other reading.
*Service: work on exam-related document for dept., prep for Monday meeting.
*Admin: do two online trainings and get them over with.
*Fun stuff: read, listen to last in concert series.
*House/life: deposit check, sort and file papers.
*Track time, at least roughly. 

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Finish transcribing notes from archive trip.
Compile visual aids for presentation.
Order unofficial transcripts.
Schedule flu and pneumonia vaccines.
Get passport picture.
Read and annotate three articles in the digital humanities bibliography.
Read fun book.
Walk 2x7; meditate 1x7; write 2 hours x 5; something positive 1x7.

heu mihi

1) Teaching: Record 2 lectures, edit 4 transcripts, prep next batch of PowerPoints, create and post all remaining paper prompts so that I can stop worrying about forgetting these.
2) Recommendation letter for current student (I have never in my life had to write so many LORs!!), submit letter for two recent grads
3) Research: Read 3 ch/day of NunG vol 4
4) Exercise regimen, language x3, sit x3
5) Do my best to check off all the service tasks, especially recording a cheery message about our major for the Majors Fair
6) Do something fun?

Humming42

1 work on creative piece
2 write weekly blog post
3 finish reading essays for award judging
4 submit conference proposal
5 grade every day
6 work on November conference paper
7 revise and resubmit book review

JaneB (held over)

1) set goals for TLQ
2) use BuJo
3) do some Preptober things
4) be kind. be kind. be kind. (but don't be a doormat).
5) organise supplies I have and try to make rational decision about what to buy.
6) referee an article
7) prepare as much of week 4 as possible
8) draft my text for grant application, comment on two manuscripts one very urgently, and other things I doubtless forgot.

oceangirl101

1. Work on own stuff 2hrs
2. Exercise 3x a week and try to go for short walks/breaks outside
3. Finalize movement into state system for aunt
4. DGS stuff- will be a big week for this and the question of grad admissions for next year
5. Read student diss to prepare for her defense (second student defending!!!)
6. Try to get eating and house (quite disorderly now) under some semblance of control

Susan

1. Famous author: 2 hours
2. MS review for journal
3. Start reading material for promotion review
4. One week ahead on each course
5. Do financial record thing
6. Fill out ballot (this is California. It's long.)
7. Walk x 3, yoga or other x 2
8. Get back into book I'm reading
9. Get to bed by 10