the grid

the grid

Sunday 17 October 2021

A little light conversation

 After all these delicious repasts, I think it might be time to move to the drawing room for a little might conversation (otherwise, I'll need to break character and find a hammock for a nap). Do tell me the latest news. What have you borrowed from the circulating library? Who hasn't been invited to the ball? Did you hear about the scene at Lady B-----'s concert?

In a more modern context, I will take any book recommendations for the summer. I've just picked up Charlotte Wood's The Luminous Solution, but more books are always good. And in terms of conversation, how might we keep self-talk light, and gentle? Australian musician Clare Bowditch talks about naming that nagging voice of her inner critic 'Frank" and talking back to it as a way to bolster her mental health.

Daisy

1) Start every day with research task first, no service before that is done!

2) More original text for new local paper

3) More modelling work for new local paper

4) Paper revisions for Baby Albatross because

5) Meeting follow-up with many people

6) Run a few times in nice Fall sunshine


Dame Eleanor Hull

Health: get ready for bed at 10, yoga x6, weights x3, stay off twisted ankle.

Research: finish notes on very significant article, read one book, keep up with dead-language group.

Teaching: grade grad papers, respond to 2 grad students' submissions.

Admin: do one of the two online trainings.

Life Stuff: consult with Himself about house stuff; find new doctor.


Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Medical appointments: go to two; make appointments for three more.

10 entries a day on the French drama guide.

Finish the class handout; print out the handout.

1 square foot of desk clearing x three.

Read one article to get back into a long-neglected project.


heu midi

1) Submit grant application!!!!

2) Reread contingently accepted article; locate books that I need to read for revisions

3) Process at least 1 WH essay

4) Catch up on the journal

5) Brew beer

6) Self-care and all that


humming32

1 work daily on upcoming conference presentation

2 make progress on grading (would like to get caught up but it’s unlikely)

3 submit most recent last book review

4 do daily creative writing prompts, every day

5 as DEH reminds me, complete overdue training


JaneB

1) self-care: do 3 songs worth of exercise each day, do some meal prep on my work from home day(s), clean out the flipping "basket swap", clear off the reading chair in my work area, do something on new D&D project

2) teaching: get week 3 materials prepared and week 4 mostly prepared, fix the second half of the "list items" for my VLE sites (6 sites)

3) admin: get caught up on last stupid CPD thing, organise autumn meeting for local chatty group

4) research: read over what we said we'd do for the grant that got funded, and make some initial notes. see if we can get Small But Necessary application done (might be too late...), do edits on PaperThatHasGoneOnForever, SoIForgotItsAcronym now reviewers comments are back after nearly TWO YEARS.


Karen (held over)

Teaching - remain positive, even if with gritted teeth.

Research - fulfill supervisory duties

self & Home - op shop drop, home office 2 x pomodoros, if weather permits plant out summer vege, 3 x yoga, enjoy school holidays


Susan

1. Two sessions on famous author. Might finish this chapter!!!

2. Get draft of program review FINISHED. It will have highlighted sections that say "GET DATA" or "IS THIS TRUE" but it will be done. (And I think this is pretty much possible).

3. Try to read some of ms for blurbing

4. Grade, and catch up with class modules which I'm behind on

5. Do something fun

6. Call painter now that floor is done

7. Keep up with exercise, good sleep, etc.

8. Be kind to myself somehow


And for reflection, at this midway point, session goals are:


Daisy


Session:

Research: I have five papers that need to be finished. That’s it, that’s all… Two are brand new, and two are close to done and have been through some review already, one is new and written and needs to be reviewed by co-authors and I need to be the organizer and compiler of everything. So I really need to focus and find a way to move them all forward and not let the harder ones languish forever…

Students: I want to get new grad student started off well, get current grad students through the rigours of writing a thesis.

Life: In the Fall gardening category I want to remember to plant bulbs (I never do), and move hostas to make new flower beds. In other life things I want to continue my excellent exercise regimen from last session and give time and attention to something creative for my sabbatical




Dame Eleanor Hull


Research: draft and/or expand two book chapters. [Same for the fictional version of Dame Eleanor.]

Teaching: deliver effective courses, grade promptly, do a little prep of spring courses. [Prepare for tutoring sessions, seek out new students for when this lot go up to university.]

House/Life: unpack at least half the boxes in the garage. Put the garden to bed. Do at least ten things on my list of Stuff That Will Stay Done. [Go through at least half of the trunks in the attic, put the garden to bed, do at least ten things . . . ]

Time Management: take Sundays and at least half of Saturdays off from work, and work more efficiently on weekdays to make this possible. [Observe the Sabbath, and take Saturday to prepare to do so.] This will depend on

Health: manage food and exercise so as to sleep adequately on a regular basis. [A lady does not speak of such pedestrian needs, which we all share, though dear Lady Fortescue insists that this attitude enables considerable suffering, especially among the genteel poor; NB, reflect further upon this point, as Lady F v. insightful.]



Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Mantra: Breathe

Organization:

Bring order to the work office by slashing and burning (only figuratively) the mass of paper inhabiting the space

Go through bookshelf: scan important articles, return any books read/discarded as not useful

File what is left

Planning:

Reverse outline partially written articles

Plan next steps on each, or, alternatively, abandon

Health:

Continue to make doctors’ appointments, scans, and other fun things

Writing:

Write when it is fun or rewarding; read when writing is drudgery (within reason)


heu mihi


Session goals:

1. Take time to stop doing things.

This means: sit, go into the forest, do yoga, rest, knit, enjoy my family.

2. Write steadily and calmly.

This means: Finish WH and SUBMIT IT, work up a rough draft of paper due in February (which will also inform chapter 1 of big new project), submit grant proposal and sabbatical application, submit Kzoo abstract on time.

3. Take an Italian class!

4. Do good things for others

This means: Write letters/postcards for political activism group, eat more vegan meals (twice a week?), respond reasonably promptly to emails, stay on top of big committee



humming42

Teaching

Do the usual

Draft proposal for new program


Research

Draft DQ book proposal

Write quality presentations for three online conferences

Submit to favorite spring conference


Creative

Organize existing drafts of poems and flash nonfiction

Create a submission plan

Commit to and enjoy online classes


Domestic

Finish cleaning office

Build and fill bookcases

Clear all recycling from house and garage



JaneB 


Goals for the session:

Sad but realistic goal for the session: SURVIVAL (i.e. all my classes were covered to a minimum level, I am alive without long covid, my grad students haven't sacked me, and I have not told the university to stuff its job where the sun don't shine. Also I didn't actually make the state of the house WORSE and the cat is thriving as far as an anxious, dumb, cautious cat who apparently was put on this earth to shed fluff can thrive). Setting goals is depressing because they keep being wrecked by circumstances...


Goals for the coming week:

1) self-care: do 3 songs worth of exercise each day, bring the downstairs basket up and the upstairs basket down and PUT AWAY the items in each (hereafter "basket swap"), improve one small area of the house somehow.

2) make a list of the essential VLE work I need to do before students return, and a schedule for doing it over the next 2-3 weeks

3) get caught up on stupid CPD videos and things

4) read over what we said we'd do for the grant that got funded, and make some initial notes.



Karen

Teaching: finish up this semester without getting behind, set up external connections and partnerships for sem 1 2022 unit.

Research: pilot SOTL project and present paper on it, see three PhD/Masters students to submission.

Self and Home: maintain planting schedule, get out (in some way shape or form) each week, get home office fully functional given there's at least one more year of hotdesk hell to come.



Susan 

Goals:

1. Research: get rough drafts of last two chapters of Famous Author, a short book I'm writing about someone you have heard of. Usually do at least two writing sessions a week


2. Teaching: keep up with classes, don't get overwhelmed


3. Admin: I'm drafting the self-study for the graduate program review. It's due at the end of September but mid-October is probably reasonable


4. Other service: I'm finishing (this week) work on both a book prize & article prize; I've got a tenure review; a jacket blurb; and a ms to read for a colleague. I'm also president of a scholarly organization, so stuff will come up about it.


5. House: 3 house tasks (clean ducts, refinish floor in guest room & paint guest room)


6. Keep up with exercise, multiple kinds. (biking, strength, maybe more yoga)


7. See friends, see my mother


8. Read for fun



18 comments:

  1. Hello all. Not sure light conversation is in my repetoire other than "I'm so tired" and "sorry you're so tired" and "aargh!"

    I'm wobbling. A colleague has Covid (& was planning to come in when it was "just" his kid that was positive, but then he got sick himself so had to test, has it, and is now too sick to teach), I've been dealing with supporting a few students with mental health crises, the new colleague replacing my co-teacher arrived in the second week of teaching and still needs to ask everything and be told specifically what to do session by session, which is both perfectly reasonable for him and completely stressful for me, the Teaching Tsar who I now work very closely with (because between us we have 5 of the 6 teaching related roles right now, we are SO short of staff with any experience or security of tenure) is getting fed up with my anxiety and lack of willingness to meet on campus, all my habits are wobbling and I'm doing Random Crying again (where I don't even notice I am crying until my vision blurs or tears drip on something, which is a definite marker of depression sneaking up). But, you know. I'll either cope or I won't...

    LAST WEEK'S GOAL:

    1) self-care: do 3 songs worth of exercise each day, do some meal prep on my work from home day(s), clean out the flipping "basket swap", clear off the reading chair in my work area, do something on new D&D project one day I think, NO, NO, NO, NO
    2) teaching: get week 3 materials prepared and week 4 mostly prepared, fix the second half of the "list items" for my VLE sites (6 sites) yes, no
    3) admin: get caught up on last stupid CPD thing, organise autumn meeting for local chatty group no, yes
    4) research: read over what we said we'd do for the grant that got funded, and make some initial notes. see if we can get Small But Necessary application done (might be too late...), do edits on PaperThatHasGoneOnForever, SoIForgotItsAcronym now reviewers comments are back after nearly TWO YEARS. ish, because I had to do a seminar about it, yes (submitted 6 minutes before closing...), yes

    So there were some yeses.

    Also in Thursday's teaching ONE student wore a mask when I specifically asked. We're not allowed to do more than ask. And multiple colleagues are still taking their masks off to talk...


    NEXT WEEK'S GOALS
    1) self-care: do 3 songs worth of exercise each day, check in again on fruit and veg and protein, clean out the flipping "basket swap", clear off the reading chair in my work area, do something on Halloween D&D
    2) teaching: get week 5 materials prepared and start on week 6, fix the second half of the "list items" for my VLE sites (6 sites)
    3) admin: get caught up on last stupid CPD thing
    4) research: read over what we said we'd do for the grant that got funded, and finish the notes. schedule meetings for grads.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are hitting "yes" on the most important/urgent things, and on one day you did the exercising, which is infinitely more than no days! So yay! I take it that meeting via Zoom (or whatever) feels better than going in to campus, so, if it helps, you have my permission to Grey Rock the Teaching Tsar ("Zoom works for me, thanks, not coming in, how about that schedule?", repeat as necessary, ignore any whining). Easier said than done, no doubt. I'm sorry to hear about your sick colleague and hope he recovers fully and quickly. I also hope you get some D&D in this week. Bon courage!

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    2. Agree with DEH: Hooray for the research yesses! I will join you in being appalled, however, at your colleagues' and students' masking practices. I don't know why anyone would object to a Zoom meeting right now. We're teaching in person but pretty much everything else is on Zoom; not only is it safer, but it's easier to fit in with everyone's schedules. I do look forward to the occasional in-person meeting eventually, but.... Anyway, I like DEH's Grey Rock suggestion--great term for it, too!

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    3. Joining the cheer squad to also say yay for the yeses, and to acknowledge that this situation really sucks. Breaking yourself won't save an institution that is choosing not to care or support its staff properly - take what you need to be able to sustain yourself.

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  2. I have been reading humorous romances by Trisha Ashley, which are lighthearted and literate, and have given me ideas about how I might write a romance of my own, set in my home town. NaNoWriMo is coming up, and I should probably focus that energy on my scholarly book, but I am sorely tempted to start writing at least some scenes and sketches for a romance novel.

    How I did, last week:
    Health: get ready for bed at 10, yoga x6, weights x3, stay off twisted ankle. Well . . . I mostly stayed off the ankle. Even when I got ready for bed early, I often couldn't sleep till extremely late. Very little yoga. Must Try Harder.

    Research: finish notes on very significant article, read one book, keep up with dead-language group. YES, YES, and YES.

    Teaching: grade grad papers, respond to 2 grad students' submissions. NO, and YES.

    Admin: do one of the two online trainings. NO.

    Life Stuff: consult with Himself about house stuff; find new doctor. NO, NO. However, in the OTHER category I did well in Life Stuff: found, signed, dropped off tax form; made and went to appointments for car service and eye exam; and picked new frames for new reading glasses. So I'm definitely picking up some dropped balls here, and hope that this is a good sign for the future. (Or maybe I'll just think now I've done these things I can go back to hiding in work, but at least car, taxes, and eyes are dealt with!) I also set up our stereo and have enjoyed listening to music.

    How I'm doing, session (am afraid to look!):
    Research: draft and/or expand two book chapters. ONE is well underway; the likelihood is that it will be complete and fairly polished by the time we wrap the session, so I guess that's my revised goal.

    Teaching: deliver effective courses, grade promptly, do a little prep of spring courses. I'm doing well here, though I haven't done any advance prep yet. But I'll keep this goal.

    House/Life: unpack at least half the boxes in the garage. Put the garden to bed. Do at least ten things on my list of Stuff That Will Stay Done. Yipes! I haven't done any unpacking in weeks. Scratch the unpacking. I can probably keep the garden and the Ten Things, since I did a handful of such things in the past week.

    Time Management: take Sundays and at least half of Saturdays off from work, and work more efficiently on weekdays to make this possible. MOSTLY I'm doing this, though it does depend on what unusual events get scheduled for weekdays. Keep this goal.

    Health: manage food and exercise so as to sleep adequately on a regular basis. KEEP.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Goals for this week:
      Health: yoga x6, weights x3, very short walks, keep trying w/r/t sleep.
      Research: topic sentence outline of chapter to writing group; dead language study; read a book; scan some essays.
      Teaching: grade submissions from both classes.
      Admin: prep for meeting next Monday; take one online training.
      Life Stuff: call the bank, write to my dad, take Glendower to the vet again.

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    2. Do it! Write the NaNo romance novel!!!!!

      It sounds like you're on track with most of the important things, and your revised goals make good sense.

      Delete
    3. Another vote for do it on the NaNo romance - we all need more pleasurable narratives in the worls.

      The revised session goals sound sensible and measured and achievable.

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  3. Oh my, I have SO much gossip. So many kerfuffles and to-dos in which I have become peripherally involved--luckily not *centrally* involved, but enough to know all the ins and outs and who's mad at whom (although not always *why*).

    Translation to real life: Husband's work craziness is slightly less crazy but not resolved; that kerfuffle is decidedly NOT fun. The others are all related to my job and my role is essentially that of the smoother-out, which I don't mind. None of them will reach crisis proportions.

    Books: I've been reading the most absurdly cozy of cozies, the "Chatty Corgi" series. Not at all something that I would have picked out for myself, but they're just very cute and quite a nice break from all the rest of the world. (Basic plot: Emma moves to Cornwall to open a tea shop; finds herself playing detective for a series of local murders. And she can talk to her corgi, Oliver, who becomes involved in her sleuthing. Only Oliver, though--no other dogs.) There are two out so far, with a third coming out next year, I think.

    ALSO, and in far more substantial literature: *HOW* did I, as a medievalist, never hear of Natalie Griffiths' _Hild_? It's amazing. I'm about 1/3 into it and I loooove it.

    On to the Great To-Do's:

    Last week (it's funny; I would swear that all of these things happened two weeks ago):
    1) Submit grant application!!!! - Yes
    2) Reread contingently accepted article; locate books that I need to read for revisions - Yes
    3) Process at least 1 WH essay - Yes
    4) Catch up on the journal - Sort of
    5) Brew beer - Yes
    6) Self-care and all that - Some, not as much as I should, but that's what stress does, ironically.

    This week is That Week in October, when I have four lengthy meetings, two talks, and meetings of both independent studies. Oh, and my kid has two half-days. So this list might be unrealistic.

    1) Process last two WH essays
    2) Proofs of one essay for next issue
    3) Article work: Write up notes/draft paragraph on book read last week; start reading another book/read another article for revisions.
    4) Run at least 3 times; yoga at least once. (That's about where I've been lately.) Sit, knit, read, muddle through somehow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh and I forgot about session goals. (I wrote "session gaols," at first. Tempted to keep that.)

      1. Take time to stop doing things.
      This means: sit, go into the forest, do yoga, rest, knit, enjoy my family.
      --Sitting, yes. Going into the forest, not as much as I should. Yoga, once a week, which isn't great (especially given what I pay for my studio membership). Knit, yes. Enjoy family, mostly. :)

      2. Write steadily and calmly.
      This means: Finish WH and SUBMIT IT, work up a rough draft of paper due in February (which will also inform chapter 1 of big new project), submit grant proposal and sabbatical application, submit Kzoo abstract on time.
      --Kzoo abstract, grant proposal, and sabbatical application are in. Deadlines are wonderful, aren't they? Working on WH. Still. Forever. Very little progress on paper due in February. Must add revising the contingently accepted article to this list, too.

      3. Take an Italian class!
      --In progress!

      4. Do good things for others
      This means: Write letters/postcards for political activism group, eat more vegan meals (twice a week?), respond reasonably promptly to emails, stay on top of big committee
      --Actually doing pretty well on all of these.

      Delete
    2. Session gaols--LOL.

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    3. Can we adopt 'session gaols' as a group term in future? Good progress on them, nonetheless, and I'm impressed with brewing beer!

      Nicola Griffiths is a fabulous writer, and even if her previous books are in a very different style to Hild (science fiction and mystery rather than historical) I have really enjoyed them. I've just finished up a read of a new cosy crime book, and re-read of a previous cozy crime series by Livia Day, which I think is a bit of an experiement in how to go as far away as possible from a procedural when writing murder mysteries and just rely on the power of the small town gossip network to hand over clues without intent on the protagonist's part...

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  4. Conversation after the delicious desserts and cheeses sounds lovely! I may sneak a port or a wee scotch out of the liquor cabinet in the study to accompany us! I will have to think about books, there’s not been a lot of brain left for reading non-fluffy things for fun…

    Last week had a lot of hand-holding and diplomacy… A lot of work either way… I’ve been trying to put into practice Karen’s suggestion from a few weeks ago – align expectations with what I would ask of someone else, and with that trying to keep internal commentary to the type that I would give to someone else. It is pretty effective! Thanks! The unintended side-effect has been that I’m really noticing the things I’m very good at, I’m much more patient with everyone else than with myself! A large part of me wishes some other people were better at their jobs but that is not a productive or kind line of thought so I’m squashing that one every time it rears its mean little head…

    Last week’s goals:
    1) Start every day with research task first, no service before that is done! DID BETTER
    2) More original text for new local paper NOPE
    3) More modelling work for new local paper NOPE
    4) Paper revisions for Baby Albatross because YES!!!
    5) Meeting follow-up with many people SOOOOO MANY PEOPLE…SOOOO MUCH DIPLOMACY AND HAND-HOLDING!
    6) Run a few times in nice Fall sunshine YES!

    This week’s goals:
    1) Start every day with a research task first, no service before that is done!
    2) Finish conference poster – urgent because I forgot about it…
    3) Paper revisions for paper related to poster, an excellent excuse to get this prioritized!
    4) More modelling work for new local paper, write it down!
    5) Don’t schedule any meetings this week!
    6) Run some more in nice Fall sunshine and do at least one fun friend thing

    Session Goals review:
    Research: I have five papers that need to be finished. That’s it, that’s all…
    NOT BAD, some progress made with 3 out of 5 so if I can keep at it there may be good news at the end. Of course I’ve worked more on the easy ones than the hard ones, but a paper is a paper so I will take it…

    Students: I want to get new grad student started off well, get current grad students through the rigours of writing a thesis.
    IN PROGRESS, and going ok I think. The grad class is fun to teach, and both students are making progress on their own work. Unfortunately the finish line is nowhere in sight so this is more an ongoing maintenance issue than a real goal…

    Life: In the Fall gardening category I want to remember to plant bulbs (I never do), and move hostas to make new flower beds. In other life things I want to continue my excellent exercise regimen from last session and give time and attention to something creative for my sabbatical.
    EXERCISE GREAT, no injuries and great consistency. Garden stuff still coming because we are having a beautiful warm Fall and everything is still growing well. Except my tomatoes, they expired in an early frost… Not much on the creative side… I have no brains left by the end of most days!

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    Replies
    1. Update for books:
      Becky Chambers: Wayfarers series (4 books), Monk and Robot series (2 books), lovely character-driven sci-fi, new to me, love them...
      Martha Wells: all the Murderbot books, thanks to JaneB for recommending these a while back! I love them!
      John Scalzi: Interdependency series (3 books), really fun in all sorts of ways, I started the series because someone sent me the dedication page from the 3rd which reads "To all the women who are done with other people's shit" so I figured I had to read all three... Just bought his Old man's war series as well, have not read, saving for rainy day!
      Louise Penny: anything!
      Elly Griffiths: Ruth Galloway series, love them and enjoy the academic setting because her department chair is 100% based on a real person I'm sure we all know from our own workplaces...
      Julia Quinn: all the Bridgerton romances, Regency with interesting women, ideal for happy reading on tired days when you want to know things work out in the end...

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    2. Thanks for the great list of suggestions - I'm thinking that Murderbot sounds rather ideal, but hadn't heard of Louise Penny or Elly Griffiths so will look into them further.

      Well done on the patience for yourself and for others, and for making so much progress on your goals. I find with creative things that I need to set up the creative activity when I do have the brainspace, but then let it have elements that I can follow through without brain being on. I'm currently chipping away on a knitting project that was more creative when selecting the pattern and yarn and figuring out the logic of the pattern, but now is just doing as told to finish the final sleeve.

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  5. Thanks all for the recommendations so far - in return I offer T. Kingfisher's Paladins Grace/Strength/Hope series, which is fantasy/romance with middle-aged protagonists who value a decent sleep, who carry their histories, and who attempt to care for people and the world around them with kindness and practicality.

    My week has been a little chaotic, with changing covid control settings, but still in that spring mode where no matter what there is always a little more light, a little more warmth, and that makes a huge difference.

    Last two weeks:
    Teaching - remain positive, even if with gritted teeth.
    Yes, and all over now bar finalising assessments and submitting results.
    Research - fulfill supervisory duties
    Yes, where students full fill theirs (still feeling rather shirty with a student who blew off a writing workshop for a non-essential activity with a highly imminent and non-negotiable deadline).

    self & Home - op shop drop, home office 2 x pomodoros, if weather permits plant out summer vege, 3 x yoga, enjoy school holidays
    yes, yes, yes, yes. Now waiting on another wicking bed to be assembled to plant out the last of the vege seedlings, though I may need to replace the cucumbers - didn]t seem to take to transplanting.

    Next week:
    Teaching - map out scaffolding in prior units for my sem 1 unit
    Research - update profile for uni website, return all student writing received by end of Thursday
    Self and home - 3 x yoga, clear one box in home office, write and finish garden maintenance list over the weekend.

    Session goals

    Teaching: finish up this semester without getting behind, set up external connections and partnerships for sem 1 2022 unit.
    On track, I think

    Research: pilot SOTL project and present paper on it, see three PhD/Masters students to submission.
    SOTL project has fallen behind, so let's dial that back to getting ethics application in, students are staggering onwards.

    Self and Home: maintain planting schedule, get out (in some way shape or form) each week, get home office fully functional given there's at least one more year of hotdesk hell to come.
    doing pretty well, I think. Yay to past self for reasonable goals.

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  6. OK, it's Thursday, and while I thought about TLQ on Tuesday, I didn't do it. I'd love to listen in to some gossip; I have lots of gossip, but it's also all connected to difficult stuff, so I'm not a good person to talk...

    How I did last week:
    1. Two sessions on famous author. Might finish this chapter!!! YES< and CHAPTER DONE (Well, a draft is done, but I wrote END)

    2. Get draft of program review FINISHED. It will have highlighted sections that say "GET DATA" or "IS THIS TRUE" but it will be done. (And I think this is pretty much possible). NO

    3. Try to read some of ms for blurbing NO

    4. Grade, and catch up with class modules which I'm behind on Modules up to date, read the drafts but not the final papers yet.

    5. Do something fun YES

    6. Call painter now that floor is done NO

    7. Keep up with exercise, good sleep, etc. YES

    8. Be kind to myself somehow

    I mean, I finished the chapter!!!! On everything else, I made progress, but there are days when I end up in 3 long phone conversations, and everyone wants something from me, and and and... I didn't start grading the final versions of the essays (I've done the drafts).

    On the other hand, I went with a friend to the local "big" city, and got a cute pair of boots, and some other clothes, so. . .

    Goals for this week (now that it's Thursday)
    1. Finish self-study DRAFT and send it out
    2. Grade student papers
    3. Draft proposal for sabbatical
    4. Make two calls about house stuff (painter and landscaper)
    5. Do something not work related
    6. Keep up with exercise, healthy eating, decent sleep

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    Replies
    1. Session goals: (gaols would be a good term!)
      1. Research: get rough drafts of last two chapters of Famous Author, a short book I'm writing about someone you have heard of. Usually do at least two writing sessions a week
      FINISHED ONE CHAPTER< PRETTY MUCH KEPT TO 2 sessions a week

      2. Teaching: keep up with classes, don't get overwhelmed YES, SO FAR SO GOOD

      3. Admin: I'm drafting the self-study for the graduate program review. It's due at the end of September but mid-October is probably reasonable I WILL FINISH IT THIS WEEKEND IF IT KILLS ME>

      4. Other service: I'm finishing (this week) work on both a book prize & article prize; I've got a tenure review; a jacket blurb; and a ms to read for a colleague. I'm also president of a scholarly organization, so stuff will come up about it.
      STILL WORKING ON BLURB< NOW 2 MS to read + a promotion review. I will have time when I'm done with the self study!

      5. House: 3 house tasks (clean ducts, refinish floor in guest room & paint guest room)
      YES, and STARTING #4, landscape

      6. Keep up with exercise, multiple kinds. (biking, strength, maybe more yoga)
      YES

      7. See friends, see my mother YES

      8. Read for fun NO

      I think I'm doing pretty well, just missing the reading for fun... hmmm.

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