The trees are more branch than leaves, and I made it half way through the teaching weeks before Christmas. It's also the half way check in for this session - that came around fast! This week, as well as reviewing our goals, let's talk about a relative newcomer on the stationary scene (at least to me) - washi tape. Until I looked into it, I assumed it was something that had been around for decades in Japan and in hobbies like scrapbooking, but it turns out it was only invented in 2006 (although washi paper has a much longer history). So, do you use it at all? Is it still a mystery to you, or is it one of those things that are irresistably collectable "little treats"?
I'd also like to pick up some chat from last week - in some weeks, months or academic years, TLQ might not be research - there might be so much else going on that that important but not urgent things might be looking after yourself, supporting a graduate student or colleague in their work, or getting a report or teaching session prepared before it becomes screamingly urgent. This is particularly true as our careers advance and, right now, given the stresses on all our universities from finances and the wider world. Using this group for company, for TLQs which aren't research, for habit building - all fine! When I ran an in person version of this group for a few years, one professor used to set the goal "write the word research on a piece of paper" as a goal for his really busy weeks - he said remembering he had a research life to get back to was still a useful goal. One week he turned up to the reporting in round up with an airline sick bag with "research" written on it in Sharpie... and told us he'd actually had a useful idea and noted it down on a more traditional surface.
I'm glad you all enjoyed Shoutypants and the laserpointer - I'll try and get some success shots for later weeks. And I'm sure hw will deign to be a mascot.
 |
| Can you see how sad his life is and how badly he needs trests? |
SESSION GOALS:
Daisy
Turn two half-done papers into submitted papers
Figure out exercise routine
Try new teaching things with favourite courses
Shepherd four research students through their work
Figure out exercise routine
Try new teaching things with favourite courses
Shepherd four research students through their work
Dame Eleanor Hull
- keep up with morning exercise
- finish chapter for volume of collected essays
- write abstracts for three conferences next year (shoot me now)
- process student work in timely manner
- find readers for essays, do other editorial work
- deliver various not-museum-studies workshops (about half a dozen planned at present)
- try to do a couple of things on my Life Stuff list
- finish chapter for volume of collected essays
- write abstracts for three conferences next year (shoot me now)
- process student work in timely manner
- find readers for essays, do other editorial work
- deliver various not-museum-studies workshops (about half a dozen planned at present)
- try to do a couple of things on my Life Stuff list
heu mihi
1. Finish proofs and index for forthcoming book (has to get done, but I'm putting it here anyway)
2. Rough plan for Companion essay; research for essay; get ready-ish to draft in January
3. Teach my tiny class as well as I can (it's a required course for our major, but for weird demographic reasons I only have 3 students!)
4. Keep the administrative balls in the air; work on improving departmental climate/cultures
5. Get plenty of exercise, plenty of rest, and plenty of time for quiet contemplation
6. Think ahead to a creative project for the future
7. Finish my current Italian novel
JaneB
SELF-CARE: I struggle with this, so putting in some process goals -
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days a week (this can be stretching or more active exercising, but it needs to be intentional and additional to just "doing life"),
b) doing some kind of making (art or craft) a couple of times a week,
c) doing something gently social (playing D&D online counts, or a multi-text exchange with a non-work friend - living alone makes hermitting easy when life gets stressful and work uses up most/all/more than all of my interaction-tokens for the day) a couple times a week
d) keep up reading for pleasure - I seem to have my mojo back, and its definitely a Good Thing
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
Another thing which tends to go astray in busy/stressful times. And this is my heavy semester of teaching (plus the new stuff).
a) keep doing the weekly list of chores - aiming for 75% done every week to be realistic.
b) sort out new shelving in my living space - and maybe a sofa
c) clothes storage solutions (currently all my actually-in-the-rotation clothes are either in the laundry basket, on the airer, or piled on a chair or in the clean undies basket. This is not ideal).
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
Basic goal is to deliver every class as timetabled and grading on time - this is my heavy trimester, and I'm still having various burn-out-related health issues, so I don't feel like this is entirely a guarantee. Also dealing with some ISSUES with teaching team colleagues - the changes left us with several not-exactly-competent colleagues and the smaller staff numbers push me into interacting with them more often ::grumble:: But I'ma set some goals anyway. I only have familiar admin roles so nothing new there, and whilst there's a lot of reacting to smaller changes from the Centre, I don't have any big projects in mind. So only two goals for this session:
a) end each work week (Thursday) with everything set up ready to go for the following week and, if possible, have a solid start on the week after that.
b) limit working on teaching and admin issues over the weekend (let's say no more than 5 hours) and if possible ZERO
RESEARCH
I have a lot of balls in the air at the moment. I'm not sure how I feel about most of them.
a) submit multi-author paper (due 15 October) & hopefully get through to acceptance this session.
b) be on top of contributions to large project where I have a small part
c) make measurable progress with at least three other writing/data processing projects (I'll make a list now of what I'm working on)
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days a week (this can be stretching or more active exercising, but it needs to be intentional and additional to just "doing life"),
b) doing some kind of making (art or craft) a couple of times a week,
c) doing something gently social (playing D&D online counts, or a multi-text exchange with a non-work friend - living alone makes hermitting easy when life gets stressful and work uses up most/all/more than all of my interaction-tokens for the day) a couple times a week
d) keep up reading for pleasure - I seem to have my mojo back, and its definitely a Good Thing
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
Another thing which tends to go astray in busy/stressful times. And this is my heavy semester of teaching (plus the new stuff).
a) keep doing the weekly list of chores - aiming for 75% done every week to be realistic.
b) sort out new shelving in my living space - and maybe a sofa
c) clothes storage solutions (currently all my actually-in-the-rotation clothes are either in the laundry basket, on the airer, or piled on a chair or in the clean undies basket. This is not ideal).
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
Basic goal is to deliver every class as timetabled and grading on time - this is my heavy trimester, and I'm still having various burn-out-related health issues, so I don't feel like this is entirely a guarantee. Also dealing with some ISSUES with teaching team colleagues - the changes left us with several not-exactly-competent colleagues and the smaller staff numbers push me into interacting with them more often ::grumble:: But I'ma set some goals anyway. I only have familiar admin roles so nothing new there, and whilst there's a lot of reacting to smaller changes from the Centre, I don't have any big projects in mind. So only two goals for this session:
a) end each work week (Thursday) with everything set up ready to go for the following week and, if possible, have a solid start on the week after that.
b) limit working on teaching and admin issues over the weekend (let's say no more than 5 hours) and if possible ZERO
RESEARCH
I have a lot of balls in the air at the moment. I'm not sure how I feel about most of them.
a) submit multi-author paper (due 15 October) & hopefully get through to acceptance this session.
b) be on top of contributions to large project where I have a small part
c) make measurable progress with at least three other writing/data processing projects (I'll make a list now of what I'm working on)
Julie
1. Research
I am on research leave this academic year, so this should allow TLQ stuff to take priority more.
(a) Write chapters for two different edited volumes (one I have a rough draft of, the other is in the outline stage, both need reading I can't easily do here).
(b) Research trip for two weeks: use archive and library time well.
(c) Revisions to journal article when these come back in (should be this session).
(d) Work on article for Big Journal
(e) Book review (due 30th October)
(f) Follow-up conversations from workshop last June.
Teaching/Admin
1. See PhD student through viva and hopefully minor corrections.
2. Two PhD vivas (one internal, one external).
3. Keep up with mentees.
4. Plan for conference next year (last year on the committee, but it's a big centenary conference, so probably more work than usual).
Kids:
1. Steer daughter through university application process.
2. Help son with school work (this is going to be a lot of Latin)
3. Be general taxi driver, sports cheerleader, handy target for emotional teen outbursts, breathing ATM.
House/life admin:
1. Big project: clear piano and old cupboards from dining area, get new bookcase.
2. Medium project: get garden shed built.
3. Small projects: aim for one a fortnight.
4. Travel plans for next year (two significant birthdays to celebrate)
Self-care/fun stuff:
1. Reading for pleasure
2. Keep up with journaling.
3. Exercise: running, pilates, walks, maybe start some weights.
4. Buy a standing desk (for back problems).
5. Do more creative stuff.
6. See friends as much as possible.
Susan
Research:
1. Any follow up on Famous Author, or Big Collaboration
2. Get microfilms on Interlibrary Loan and scan them so I can read them on my computer; start reading them
3. Write 2 papers that I have accepted for conferences this fall
Administrivia:
1. Keep up with whatever needs to be done for the graduate program
2. The Systemwide committee I chair is at the sharp end of a major proposal from our regents that is NOT GOOD, so between now and November 10 I will be running a workgroup to have the faculty response to the whackadoodle proposal. It will be insane.
Life:
1. Keep up with exercise, 5-6 days a week (bike, yoga, weights). I've started working with a trainer on weights every few weeks, and that keeps me going. But it's a good way to deal with stress, of which there is a bit.
2. Do something fun with people every week. Like JaneB, I can become something of a hermit, especially until it cools down here and I want to spend time outside.
3. I am planning to move when I retire, so I am starting now on the de-cluttering process. By the end of this session, I want to have got rid of the teaching books I will not need, and reduced my book collection by about a third to a half. I also want to have dealt with the boxes of stuff in my extra room. And cleared the garage a bit.
LAST WEEK'S GOALS:
Daisy
People-managing issues
Student posters and presentations
Paper review
Work on co-authored paper
Dame Eleanor Hull
- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- annual online trainings (TRQ at this point)
- at least 3 writing sessions
- revise undergrad syllabus to cut or cram in reading, work out days for final "experience" work, grade grad quiz
- more work on sample syllabus for a proposed course
- clear my own Chair of Doom (I did laundry; why won't the clothes put themselves away?
- acquire some sort of Halloween decorations: at least a pumpkin or two
heu mihi
1. Write rec for friend on the market, trying to flee her terrible state
2. Get through the rest of the week, which is now almost over
3. Begin (re?)reading something towards the essay that's due in July and that I'd like to get a little start on in January
Jane B
SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days
b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
e) eye clinic appointment, book GP appointment for medication review.
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) prepare for week 7 meetings
b) week 8 materials prepare other half and start week 9 if possible (because week 7 and 8 have little time for preparation)
c) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
d) wrap up graduate student applications postponed due to group paper
RESEARCH
a) find time to work on budget planning following a meeting two weeks ago. Grrr!
b) confirm mock viva for Junior PhD student
Julie
1. Meeting for final review conference programme.
2. Finish reading book, write and submit review.
3. At least one day research/writing.
4. Self-care: exercise, keep up with better sleep patterns, read.
5. House/life admin: renew son's passport, thank you present for guitar teacher, start planning trip away in February.
Susan
1. Finish paper/ set up slides
2. Schedule talks for spring
3. Get grad student TA assignments sorted out
4. Send out revised draft of report that we shouldn't have had to write
5. Have fun at conference
I looooove washi tape. I have two (fairly small) drawers full of it in my craft supplies system and it's really hard not to buy a LOT more. I do actually use it, both in my work notebook and my personal notebook/bullet journal/commonplace book - I love being able to mark the edge of a page to denote a new section or add a tab to a page for easy finding which can then be removed later - for example, I have a page in my work notebook where I write down each grading task - module, when it's handed in and when marks are due back, which marking system, how many pieces of work there are, any extensions, who's going to moderate the marking (all our marking has to be spot-checked by a colleague before it is shared with students) - and tick stuff off as I do it. Each piece takes a quarter to a third of a page. I make a tab for that double spread with "marking washi" (a colour or pattern I've designated for the task) for as long as I am using it, so it's easy to go back to. But when that page is full and I need a new spread, I can remove or trim off the tab, start a new page at the next blank spread, and tab it again. The original bullet journal method just used page numbers, but that's always felt too fiddly to me!
ReplyDeletePlus of course there is considerable potential to make things pretty or personalised, and I find it super useful for putting temporary labels on metal or plastic or glass objects - it sticks pretty well as long as it stays dry, and comes off easily. All my electronic cords have little flags of washi tape.
And it's small, easy to pack or store, lightweight, useful, and feels VERY much like a rewarding treat! I think maybe I feel about it the way some people seem to feel about a nail polish or a lipstick or a fancy bar of soap?
SESSION GOALS
DeleteSELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days a week this is a realistic goal, most weeks I exceed it but that is encouraging so keeping this as it is
b) doing some kind of making (art or craft) a couple of times a week worth keeping, and doable
c) doing something gently social a couple times a week Good For Me
d) keep up reading for pleasure going very well, so worth keeping
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) keep doing the weekly list of chores - aiming for 75% done every week to be realistic. yes, realistic most weeks, keep
b) sort out new shelving in my living space - and maybe a sofa I still want to do that, but it's looking unlikely
c) clothes storage solutions achievable, so keep
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
Basic goal is to deliver every class as timetabled and grading on time - this is my heavy trimester, and I'm still having various burn-out-related health issues, so I don't feel like this is entirely a guarantee. Also dealing with some ISSUES with teaching team colleagues - the changes left us with several not-exactly-competent colleagues and the smaller staff numbers push me into interacting with them more often ::grumble:: all of this was sadly accurate - it's been doable but barely and the colleague stuff is making me realise that I do still have a lot of limitations and need to be careful with myself. BORING
a) end each work week (Thursday) with everything set up ready to go for the following week and, if possible, have a solid start on the week after that.yes, in terms of teaching prep
b) limit working on teaching and admin issues over the weekend (let's say no more than 5 hours) and if possible ZERO I like the idea... keep
RESEARCH
I have a lot of balls in the air at the moment. I'm not sure how I feel about most of them. still true!
a) submit multi-author paper (due 15 October) & hopefully get through to acceptance this session. submitted
b) be on top of contributions to large project where I have a small part kind of - largely because other people aren't ready to work on my part, which will become a problem sometime the middle of next year, but for now it's their issue not mine.
c) make measurable progress with at least three other writing/data processing projects I made a list of live projects (too many... but it's the nature of collaborative subjects and of STEM, one is always applying for the next funding, writing up the last things (which can linger for years after the project officially ends), and doing current work), and I think I am are on course to do this (involves other people, so not entirely in my control)
LAST WEEK:
DeleteSELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days two
b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober one, and I did all of Inktober in doodles at least
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully) three
d) keep up reading for pleasure yes
e) eye clinic appointment, book GP appointment for medication review.yes completed, and no because my GP is on holiday & they only book a couple of weeks ahead but they're going to call me back when he has appointments again
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores nearly
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room no
c) don't make clothes worse yes, it's slightly more orderly (the pile fell over and I actually refolded things rather than just heaping)
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) prepare for week 7 meetings one thing left to do (which only arrived last week)
b) week 8 materials prepare other half and start week 9 if possible (because week 7 and 8 have little time for preparation) week 8 done, but that was hard. starting to feel behind!
c) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend did nothing at the weekend - did longer days in the week, then between the eye clinic and getting my flu jab (and my birthday) I didn't have the capacity to do workstuff
d) wrap up graduate student applications postponed due to group paper one wrapped up, one close to it
RESEARCH
a) find time to work on budget planning following a meeting two weeks ago. Grrr! sent an email...
b) confirm mock viva for Junior PhD student yes
NEXT WEEK:
In theory this is a light week (reading week for most teaching) but in practice that gap is being used to schedule more meetings (sigh). And I'm feeling run down and have a sore throat - hoping it's just seasonal allergies as the week after next is my worst teaching week (I have one 9 hour day, which is hard on the voice!). And I am scheduled to have the decluttering person visit, but we've had to reschedule once so I'll see what happens. So I want to be kind to myself but also be really well set up for the following couple of weeks when I have a lot of teaching.
SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days
b) making a couple of times a week
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
e) call dentist - think I'm due my annual check up and they haven't contacted me, so I need to check in.
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) week 9 materials prepare and start week 10 if possible b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) wrap up last graduate student application
d) comment on and return at least one piece of graduate student writing (both MSc by thesis students submitted drafts of stuff last week)
RESEARCH
a) read reply to budget email, take appropriate actions. prepare for next meeting about this project
b) prepare for large project meeting (comment on document)
c) organise and run mock viva for Junior PhD student, debrief
d) work on very long lasting multi-author paper resubmission (which was going nicely until the most annoying author - who led the original project but didn't work on this part - started in on the "have to make it more exciting for REF" line which is going to be a pain).
Thank you for introducing me to washi tape. I will now seek it out! But I want to say I think you've doing remarkably well given the institutional stresses within which you are working, both on session goals and weekly goals.
DeleteI had the same thought as Susan: you are doing a lot in difficult circumstances.
DeleteThirding! And the circumstances really are bad and it isn't just you. Jon Jarrett at TenthMedieval has taken a job in India because he's so desperate to leave the UK higher ed sector. And he's a medievalist at Leeds, which you'd think would be a plum spot, but it hasn't proved so.
DeleteAgree... environment makes such a difference to our abilities to do anything!
DeleteYou are doing a lot, and managing many competing priorities, hang in there!
It appears that Shoutypants knows he is in charge of the household. The royal cat pose is something else!
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of washi tape, so look forward to learning about it!
Session goals:
Research:
1. Any follow up on Famous Author, or Big Collaboration YES, ONGOING
2. Get microfilms on Interlibrary Loan and scan them so I can read them on my computer; start reading them STARTED
3. Write 2 papers that I have accepted for conferences this fall ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO
Administrivia:
1. Keep up with whatever needs to be done for the graduate program - Yes, pretty much
2. The Systemwide committee I chair is at the sharp end of a major proposal from our regents that is NOT GOOD, so between now and November 10 I will be running a workgroup to have the faculty response to the whackadoodle proposal. It will be insane. -- there is a complete draft. Responses by Thursday, formatting, etc still need to be done. But it's under control.
Life:
1. Keep up with exercise, 5-6 days a week (bike, yoga, weights). I've started working with a trainer on weights every few weeks, and that keeps me going. But it's a good way to deal with stress, of which there is a bit. YES, I've been pretty good on this
2. Do something fun with people every week. Like JaneB, I can become something of a hermit, especially until it cools down here and I want to spend time outside. YES
3. I am planning to move when I retire, so I am starting now on the de-cluttering process. By the end of this session, I want to have got rid of the teaching books I will not need, and reduced my book collection by about a third to a half. I also want to have dealt with the boxes of stuff in my extra room. And cleared the garage a bit. STARTED. SO MUCH TO DO!
I'm not going to add anything, because I have enough on my plate, but keeping up with all this will be helpful.
Last week:
1. Finish paper/ set up slides DONE / paper given
2. Schedule talks for spring NO
3. Get grad student TA assignments sorted out YES
4. Send out revised draft of report that we shouldn't have had to write YES
5. Have fun at conference YES
And also: spent a few hours with our cranky and uncooperative microfilm reader, so getting going on that work.
The week went well, and the paper was well-received, I had fun with friends at the conference, so . . . Meanwhile, I'm getting copyedits for Famous Author, so there's that.
Goals for this week:
1. Keep up with copyedits on Famous Author.
2. Do another session on microfilm, get stuff I might use for the next paper (just to add something new)
3. Deal with Unnecessary Report / formatting, any revisions, etc.
4. Set up spring talks
5. Get back to exercise (none really while traveling)
6. Get back to tapestry
7. Eat well/ sleep well
Glad the conference was fun. Sounds like session goals are going well.
DeleteIsn't cool to be able to refer to "my trainer," as if you were a movie star or something? I enjoy that! And it's great that you'll be done with that stupid committee and proposal in another week: the rest of November will be much better when that's off your plate. Hooray for fun conferences!
DeleteSession goals are all making progress, that is definitely a win! Glad conference was fun and paper was a success, one gets a great boost from something like that.
DeleteGood luck with ongoing copyediting! Are you on the love it or hate it side of the spectrum?
Those eyes! How could anyone resist that pleading look?
ReplyDeleteWashi tape is a mystery. I'm still not sure how it differs from sticky tabs. But maybe I should explore it.
Session goals:
1. Research
I am on research leave this academic year, so this should allow TLQ stuff to take priority more.
(a) Write chapters for two different edited volumes (one I have a rough draft of, the other is in the outline stage, both need reading I can't easily do here). - PROGRESS (one almost complete, one maybe 75% done)
(b) Research trip for two weeks: use archive and library time well. - YES
(c) Revisions to journal article when these come back in (should be this session). - TO DO (came in a couple of weeks ago)
(d) Work on article for Big Journal - NOT YET (but some of the stuff I found on research trip will go in)
(e) Book review (due 30th October) - LATE!
(f) Follow-up conversations from workshop last June. - ONGOING
Teaching/Admin
1. See PhD student through viva and hopefully minor corrections. VIVA DONE, WAITING ON REPORTS
2. Two PhD vivas (one internal, one external). - INTERNAL DONE
3. Keep up with mentees. - TWO OUT OF THREE
4. Plan for conference next year (last year on the committee, but it's a big centenary conference, so probably more work than usual). - BIGGEST TASKS DONE, MORE TO COME
Kids: - ALL ONGOING!
1. Steer daughter through university application process.
2. Help son with school work (this is going to be a lot of Latin)
3. Be general taxi driver, sports cheerleader, handy target for emotional teen outbursts, breathing ATM.
House/life admin:
1. Big project: clear piano and old cupboards from dining area, get new bookcase. - PROVING DIFFICULT
2. Medium project: get garden shed built. - THIS WEEK!
3. Small projects: aim for one a fortnight. - NOT REALLY
4. Travel plans for next year (two significant birthdays to celebrate) - STARTED
Self-care/fun stuff:
1. Reading for pleasure - YES
2. Keep up with journaling.- ISH
3. Exercise: running, pilates, walks, maybe start some weights. - YES (except weights)
4. Buy a standing desk (for back problems). - NOT YET
5. Do more creative stuff. - GLASS WORKSHOP, need to do more.
6. See friends as much as possible. - SOME
Not bad, but then without teaching, there's really no excuse! A lot is ongoing. I need to make sure I clear the smaller writing projects this session, so I can focus on the bigger stuff the rest of the year.
Washi tape comes in pretty patterns! And not only as strips of different width, but also as little rounds that make great tabs in calendars, as JaneB was describing. OMG they have CATS: https://www.jetpens.com/search?q=washi+tape&v=2 (OK, I am not actually a little girl who puts stickers on everything she owns, but I am totally into the idea of having cats to guide me to key pages in my calendar!)
DeleteCat guides cannot possible steer one in the wrong direction! They will make sure the page that has the shopping list for cat treats is visited regularly...
DeleteThey don't ship to the UK :-( which is good for my wallet!
DeleteLast week:
ReplyDelete1. Meeting for final review conference programme. - YES
2. Finish reading book, write and submit review. - NO
3. At least one day research/writing. - HALF A DAY (but productive, so taking it as a win)
4. Self-care: exercise, keep up with better sleep patterns, read. - YES, NO, YES
5. House/life admin: renew son's passport, thank you present for guitar teacher, start planning trip away in February. - NO, NO, YES
Last week was not very productive: sleep went out the window, there was a meeting about teaching changes next year which was depressing in many ways, and a charity I thought would finally take my husband's old piano decided when they arrived that it was too heavy (I had said clearly over the phone that it was an upright acoustic, so what were they expecting????), so that's a major project for downstairs stalled (plus this is quite an emotional object to be getting rid of). So quite a bit of catching up for this week.
This week:
1. Submit the book review!
2. Work on one of the chapters.
3. Email other authors in other edited volume to check for overlaps.
4. Start edits to article.
5. Prep for viva next week.
6. House/life admin: renew son's passport, thank you gift, sort out payment for shed, try to find option for piano, get repeat prescription.
7. Self-care: read, sleep, journal, exercise, watch new series about menopausal women who form a rock band (Riot Women on BBC if anyone is interested - only seen first episode, but a lot resonated!)
Good luck on the piano. Those emotional objects are *hard*. (and I still have some and when I think about getting rid of them I resist.)
DeleteBut it sounds like you're doing well on the session, and will be able to take on the big work starting in January.
Oh, I am sorry to hear about both the sleep and the piano--those would make for a hard week regardless of whatever else was going on. But you had a productive research day, you read, you exercised, and you started planning a trip! Yay!
DeleteThat sounds like a tough week - but productive writing time in the midst of all that is a definite win!
DeleteI’ve never used washi tape! But of course then I looked it up and I want some so I’m stopping at the craft store to get some later today…
ReplyDeleteThe week was rough, but had some fun stuff. The long drive in the rain and dark was worth it, even just to be reminded that yes sometimes I do science… The next long drive to student conference was better, I chose not to drive same day as hurricane remnants which meant super early morning, but was also worth it. This week I’m trying hard to keep the people stuff to a minimum and concentrating on doing something sciency. Got sample stuff scheduled for all day tomorrow, it might actually happen!
Session goals still seem reasonable. Maybe… Perhaps? Will go with optimism for this and see what November brings.
Session Goals
Turn two half-done papers into submitted papers KEEP, SOME PROGRESS
Figure out exercise routine KEEP??? LITERALLY NO PROGRESS…
Try new teaching things with favourite courses KEEP, GOING WELL
Shepherd four research students through their work KEEP, ONGOING
Last week’s goals
People-managing issues ONGOING AND AWFUL
Student posters and presentations DONE, GREAT
Paper review DONE
Work on co-authored paper MINOR CONTRIBUTION
This week’s goals
Minimize people-managing issues, or hide
Write something on a paper, any paper
Sample processing fun stuff
Plan out November activities and commitments
Work on co-authored paper
Urgent review as favour to someone I like and want to support
Do something fun
Put on a Shoutypants suit and look at the awful people imploringly . . .
DeleteWilling to try!! A sad, disappointed look and a plaintive mew might succeed where all the HR-approved discussions have failed... If nothing else I might get a treat out of it?
DeleteTreats are always good! I look forward to hearing how you got on with the washi tape!
DeleteLOVING the cat pictures... Just saying :)
ReplyDeleteI've never used washi tape, although it looks like fun! Does one simply use it for decoration? (I'm writing before I read the other comments because I want to make sure that I get in here early this week.)
ReplyDeleteAnd I appreciate the comments from last week, about different "seasons" of TLQ! I'm sticking with this group even if I feel about 90% TRQ right now....
Check in:
Session goals:
Session goals
1. Finish proofs and index for forthcoming book (has to get done, but I'm putting it here anyway) - YES
2. Rough plan for Companion essay; research for essay; get ready-ish to draft in January - JUST STARTED reading a couple of articles this past week
3. Teach my tiny class as well as I can (it's a required course for our major, but for weird demographic reasons I only have 3 students!) - IN PROGRESS
4. Keep the administrative balls in the air; work on improving departmental climate/cultures - IN PROGRESS; I’d forgotten that improving departmental climate was a goal! Now I’m wondering why? I mean, it definitely needs to happen, but I can’t recall what motivated that
5. Get plenty of exercise, plenty of rest, and plenty of time for quiet contemplation - YES, SOMEWHAT, NO
6. Think ahead to a creative project for the future - WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS
7. Finish my current Italian novel - DONE
So I think I’ll keep this goals, because maybe I can shift a little bit of my attention to #2 and #7?
Last week:
1. Write rec for friend on the market, trying to flee her terrible state - NO; pushed to this week (it’s due the 15th)
2. Get through the rest of the week, which is now almost over - YES, obviously
3. Begin (re?)reading something towards the essay that's due in July and that I'd like to get a little start on in January - YES—I read three new-to-me essays! Now I just need to take some notes.
This week:
1. Take notes on the three essays that I read; read and take notes on two more
2. Rec for friend
3. Admin: Select summer teachers, start sorting out grad students’ teaching preferences
4. Life things: Make two annoying calls
5. Exercise, sleep, try to find some repose—go for a walk or two
Hello! Here we are at the same time! Look, you're making time for TLQ like checking in on your imaginary friends!
DeleteNotes and reading new things are totally important bits of research! Yay for fitting that in, and keeping all the other things going at the same time.
DeleteWhen all the admin in my life right now makes me want to run away I try to remind myself that cycles and seasons come and go, everything is important, but not everything can be important at the same time...
Washi tape is so fun. It's pretty, and you can peel it off to get it positioned just right. Besides using it in calendars, I use it to decorate the outsides of plain Moleskines (to make them more attractive so I'll want to pick them up and plan or check the list, and also so I can tell one notebook from another), and for making or adding to greeting cards. I've also used it to add texture to paper, to keep small things from sliding around (not literally this, but think adding an edge to a Monopoly space to keep your hotels in place).
ReplyDeleteSession goals, how I'm doing, what to keep:
- keep up with morning exercise: YES and KEEP
- finish chapter for volume of collected essays: NO, not yet, but KEEP b/c I really have to get this done.
- write abstracts for three conferences next year (shoot me now): ONE DOWN, two plus a festschrift to go, so KEEP
- process student work in timely manner: YES and KEEP
- find readers for essays, do other editorial work: NO, drop for this session, pick it up at the end of term
- deliver various not-museum-studies workshops (about half a dozen planned at present): YES, and I think all of these are now . . . oh, no, there's one left, so KEEP rather than crossing off. Rats!
- try to do a couple of things on my Life Stuff list
Oops, I didn't comment on the last item, and now I've lost the comment I was writing about weekly goals. Sigh. KEEP the last one. I've done a few small things, so there's progress there.
DeleteAnd now I have ordered a whole lot of washi tape including two different cats sets and some with books to give to librarian friends.
DeleteI think I had complimentary things to say about Shoutypants, but I lost them. Compliments to the adorable pathetic beast!
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5: YES! An excellent week for exercise.
- annual online trainings (TRQ at this point): YES! The first day of the last week to do them seems like a good compromise between balking and just getting on with it.
- at least 3 writing sessions: YES! Not huge progress, but any progress is better than none.
- revise undergrad syllabus to cut or cram in reading, work out days for final "experience" work, grade grad quiz: YES to all if you'll let me get away with doing the quizzes this morning (and how can grads in English do so poorly on an essay question??).
- more work on sample syllabus for a proposed course: SOME
- clear my own Chair of Doom (I did laundry; why won't the clothes put themselves away?): YEeess, well, there's still a shirt/sweater combo there but I'm going to wear that tomorrow and it's possible to get at the sewing bag, and the books are visible.
- acquire some sort of Halloween decorations: at least a pumpkin or two: YES, got two pumpkins, did not carve them; we had very few T&T-ers, so must try harder with the signalling next year.
ALSO: got massage, made brownies, read Hedesa (I was a bit disappointed, found it long and slow though okay for a comfort read), took my car in AGAIN (nail in tire diagnosed, removed, tire patched), submitted one conference abstract, planted two plants that have been sitting in pots for months while I dithered about where to put them (they now have a week to settle in before hard frost, sigh), moved two boxes of china/glassware from garage to basement and partially unpacked a third, got asked to contribute to a Companion.*
*I am flattered to be asked. I would like to do it. The kind of chapter the editors want is very much the kind of thing that I am good at and enjoy writing. OTOH the primary text is not something I mean to be working on (I have two main lines of research ATM), and I know Sir John would tell me to Just Say No and get my book finished. I have asked for a couple of weeks to think it over and consider my other commitments in the coming year.
New goals:
- swim x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5*
- at least 4 writing sessions
- grade undergrad papers; do some planning for both classes
- more work on sample syllabus for a proposed course
- planning to see if I can possibly take on another writing project next year
- pay bills
- final putting-to-bed of garden
*my trainer is out of town for a couple of weeks so I can rearrange my workout schedule to exactly the way I like it.
Hmmm new writing project that you would enjoy, and have a good home to go to... Magic 8-ball says I predict it will happen! All those are good reasons to say yes...
DeleteYou are doing very well on all the session goals, hats off!
That sounds like an excellent invitation to get to ponder!
DeleteHmmm new writing project that you would enjoy, and have a good home to go to... Magic 8-ball says I predict it will happen! All those are good reasons to say yes...
ReplyDeleteYou are doing very well on all the session goals, hats off!