2025 Session 3 - week 3, pens

 

Greetings from a very windy UK, where the first Atlantic storm of the season is letting the trees get all dramatic and cast their leaves around, and annoying Mr Shoutypants because his windowledges are cold on windy days.  It's still relatively early in Autumn and mild, but it is REALLY DEFINITELY Autumn now.  My favourite season!  Despite the students... and the colleagues... and the new software...

Last week we talked about which writing tools we used when - this week lets focus in specifically on pens.  I have very strong feelings about pens, and I know many of my academic colleagues do, and I keep a pen-pot of university issued cheap biros on the student facing side of my desk in hopes of stopping them accidentally walking off with either the slightly better, mosre costly uni issued gel pens or even worse one of MY pens.  As a mark of the financial situation of most UK regional (and this year also Brand Name) universities, the stationary cupboard is no longer stocked, but I have a box in my office which contains leftovers from past activities and years, so should be able to stock the student facing pen-pot for at least this year - and if at least half of them continue taking notes on their phones instead of paper (postit notes are left next to the pen-pot) perhaps two or even three years!  So which pens do YOU guard jealously?  Do you have an old favourite, a new discovery to share, or complete bafflement as to why people care?

He knows he shouldn't be there but he can't see me so I don't know, right?

LAST WEEK'S GOALS

DAISY

Complete draft of upcoming talk for co-authors to look at
Paper outline and section points to go with talk
External committee work and travel
Write web posts on plane or something
Do at least one fun thing while away for trip

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions
- grade undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write and grade grad quiz
- read another essay submission
- read files for committee work

HEU MIHI

1. Write LOR for third student
2. Revise index
3. Read 35 pages of Italian novel; maybe attend Italian discussion group
4. Complete periodic review of Gen Ed course (been on my docket for months now)
5. Start reading dissertation
6. Read prospectus

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week,
b) print off Inktober prompts and start doing them

c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure

IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) get week 3 materials finished off for the first year module (the coming week is week 2)
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) make contact with all my tutees/supervisees - again
d) get week 4 materials sorted for the honours class (they need releasing Tuesday of week 3 so if they are done by the end of this week that will help me relax over the weekend)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) a couple of hours of work, schedule meeting
b) read and comment on chapter for meeting, add to methods text
c) test the computer stuff we set up last week
e) edit/precis box text using comments.

JULIE

1. Get reading for two different chapters done and fill in as many gaps as possible.

2. Start looking at primary sources (two different archives in different places, so need to work how to juggle)

3. Co-habit peacefully with my dad.

4. See family.

5. Ignore all but urgent and essential emails.

SUSAN

1. Find chair for session

2. Organize talks

3. Write report on sabbatical (due Wednesday)

4. Write two letters of reference

5. Start thinking about the paper I am giving at the end of October.

6. Buy plane tickets for conference in mid-November

7. Do something about ILL stuff

8. Keep up with exercise

9. Do something fun

10. Sleep