It's easy to feel that we are failing or less-than because SO MANY THINGS (see recent posts by Notorious Ph.D. and WhatNow?). Of course, as they and their commenters say, we know how to counter that monkey mind: "just" do one thing at a time, focus on what's going right, and so on. Easier said than done! (Another thing we all know.) So, this week, let's celebrate our own achievements, individually and collectively.
TLQ has existed for four years (come September), thanks to Jane B and Humming42, who kicked off the first session. In that time, a lot of people have given and received support in their efforts to focus on what's really important. IIRC, Good Enough Woman finished her Ph.D., Susan finished a book, Earnest English (I think---or EAM?) gave us the mantra "Move like water," many people have earned promotions or got new positions or just managed to stay sane during institutional "reform."
What have you achieved since you started TLQing? What have you achieved in the last couple of months? This might be tangible (ex. I listed my house for sale) or intangible (GEW created memories with her family).
There will be prizes and party favors; fireworks for those who like them; fountains of champagne and chocolate; and for those who prefer quieter celebrations, well-deserved cups of tea silently delivered, purring kitties, and discreet nods of acknowledgement.
Past participants who aren't signed up for this session are welcome to drop in to note achievements and help celebrate.
We are TLQ and we are awesome!
Bardiac:
1. Finalize some plans. Since this involves my Mom, it will take time (because she's communicating with five other people...)
2. Finish weeding. I need two hours before it gets hot. Hopefully tomorrow.
3. Exercise.
4. Pack.
5. Write enough that I feel like I've made progress.
6. (added by editor:) HAVE A FANTASTIC TRIP!!
Dame Eleanor Hull
Regular cardio and yoga; sleep when sleepy; buy new curtains for bedroom.
Finish revisions.
Some fall teaching prep.
Prep for and engage in final (?) consultation on translation project.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
1) Go to medical appointment.
2) If surgery is not imminent, get the pool pass and use it.
3) If surgery is imminent, move Morgan Library research visit to September or October.
4) Proofread the edition for 3 hours every day.
5) Edit the textual notes for 2 hours every day.
Good Enough Woman
1) Review the readers' reports more carefully. Take some planning/strategy notes for revision. Spend 2-3 hours on this. No more, not much less.
2) Read for pleasure. Sit by the river.
3) Get some exercise. Eat some healthy things.
4) Enjoy my last week of the family togetherness.
5) Maybe 500 words of fiction?
heu mihi
1. Finish grad student’s work; read another grad student’s work; check in on X’s exams.
2. Sit x 6
3. Finish reading book
4. Work on Wonder at least 30 minutes/day
5. File receipts for conference
6. Return to regular exercise
Humming42
1 Post book review
2 Write 1000 words for Tiny Project
3 Read old chapter for Tiny Project
4 Write to one person for Tiny Project
5 Reorganize summer goals
JaneB
1) self-care: focusing this week on drinking enough water, on taking time to eat the food I choose, on moving a little extra each day (at least back stretches), "sitting".
2) arranging times to visit parents and sister despite hot weather with no end in site :-( GRRRR
3) going through all my notes from meetings two weeks ago and taking small actions, planning/recording large ones, related to my various papers and grant applications in progress.
4) spending an hour or two on one of the papers
Oceangirl 101
1. Write 5,000 words of Ch 6
2. Finish text edits and writing for collaborative article and send to co-authors
3. Order books for fall courses
4. Work out 2x (weights), walk 2x, stretch 5x
5. Look for decorator for home office
6. Finish application to do Master Naturalist course
Plant Girl
1. Finalize all 3 syllabi for the fall.
2. Continue work on chapter.
3. Exercise regularly again / eat at home more.
4. Balance freelance work with academic work.
5. Try to enjoy summer and do something summer-y.
Susan
1. Get through revisions of Violence
2. Get all secondary readings for syllabus set; meet with TAs.
3. Deal with the rest of the desk, put it on craigslist etc.
4. Walk or exercise x 5
5. Actually do some thing recreational . . .
Waffles
1. Circle back with VA suicide team
2. Figure out what to do for asthma analyses
3. Write up review
4. Intro for YRBS paper
WhatNow?
1. First week of summer school -- Get it done with minimal effort.
2. Exercise three times -- a good test run for exercising during the school year.
3. Do at least 2.5 hours of revising the draft, implementing colleague's feedback, etc.
4. Finish reading two more books -- see above re. closing tabs
5. Stay caught up in online course (two more weeks)
6. Celebrate my birthday!
I'm talking to myself, of course. Even with the things I have obviously achieved, I'm yes-butting all over the place: house listed, BUT why did it take us two years to manage to do that? Translation finished and off to the editors, BUT another team member has been doing all the final organization and formatting so really it's not my achievement. Etc. So I really need to make myself stop that. Those are big things, long-term goals, they ran alongside a lot of other work and Life Stuff (like finishing and finding a home for the Octopus Essay; running out to the west coast three times in two months, last winter, to visit my ailing father; teaching in the UK last summer; applying for promotion this spring), and so I should get to own those achievements.
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
DeleteRegular cardio and yoga; sleep when sleepy; buy new curtains for bedroom. YES; YES (am back to a fairly normal schedule); YES (but reverted to old ones, as the new ones were worse; also found some darker ones in the linen closet, which combined with the old curtains produce a dimmer light that is better for me but not so dark that Sir John can't find the bed).
Finish revisions. NO
Some fall teaching prep. NO
Prep for and engage in final (?) consultation on translation project. YES!! DONE!!!
New goals:
Delete1. Self/health: yoga for neck 5-7 days; same for cardio; see doc if sore foot doesn't improve.
2. Research: keep office hours 9-12 four days; 6 hours on revisions; 2 hours on language; update promotion application.
3. Teaching: 2 hours planning or reading for fall classes.
4. Life Stuff: do 3-5 things.
Lots of yesses before the buts though! Congrats on the improved sleeping, that must be quite a relief. And the translation project is a huge achievement - just because you achieve things WITH other people doesn't make them any less
DeleteGetting a house ready to list and a massive translation project are huge things--and I've done translations, so I can say with certainty that the formatting and organization are not the meat of it!
DeleteAnd yes, also all that Jane says.
Yay for translation completion! And for sleep.
DeleteI actually made a list recently of what I have accomplished over the last couple of months - so not since I joined TLQ. Part of why I did this is that I am in charge of the annual postdoc survey, and we ask questions about productivity (like # of pubs, presentations, etc.) Not only have I gotten more than double the number of pubs in the past year than any other postdoc, I am the least satisfied with my productivity and only one of two to say that self-efficacy/belief in self are issues. So, this list was intended to help me focus on what I am achieving. Of note I am an NIH funded postdoc at an ivy league - I say both of those as well because I never would have believed I could have achieved those, much less what is in the list below.
ReplyDelete* Early career research award from my professional organization
* Research award from another org and the NIH
* Invited to present my research at the NIH
* I was invited to join the editorial board of a journal
* I was invited to serve as a reviewer for a Lancet journal - which according to wikipedia is the oldest, best known, and most prestigious medical journal in the world.
* I was invited to speak at a bonafide national conference (as in, I didn't submit an abstract - they emailed me to invite me out of the blue! And it wasn't one of those spam emails I get every day - it was legit!).
* I presented at an international conference for the first time.
* A journal editor at that conference told me they wanted to publish the article from my talk.
* I hit 20 publications.
* Got a nice sized grant from my institution to do some piloting of a study
*Invited to serve as guest editor for a special issue of a journal
Part of why I made the list too is that another postdoc in another unit apparently got a faculty job offer from their unit. I shouldn’t compare myself to them, but because our dean is changing, my ability to secure an offer where I am is up in the air, which is filling me with anxiety. Because this other postdoc has less than half of my publication record, no presentations this past year, no independent funding, etc., I’m a little bitter. I need to just keep focused on myself and keep moving forward.
Last week’s goals:
1. Circle back with VA suicide team - DONE. I also connected with someone who did a similar study and invited her to be a part of the team, and it turns out she was planning a similar idea and we decided to join forces. We have a conference call next week and I am really excited.
2. Figure out what to do for asthma analyses - DONE.
3. Write up review - DONE x2. I have two more reviews left on my plate.
4. Intro for YRBS paper - STARTED. I started it then got distracted by a different paper. I really need to just focus on one this week and get that one done.
This week:
1. Get either the PTSD or YRBS paper done. I am skyping with my postdoc mentor tonight (they are on the opposite side of the world right now), and am hoping I can get her to help me be accountable on this front.
2. Get my revisions to discussion section done.
3. Get review done that is due this week.
I’ll leave it at that to help keep me focused.
Waffles
Wow! You are awesome. Do you think a sense of insecurity keeps you productive? Or, if you felt happier, would you be just as productive because your work is intrinsically satisfying?
DeleteI’m impressed. And as someone who has done my share of comparing, try not to. It doesn’t help you that his dean valued so little, and your dean apparently doesn’t treat post-docs the same way. It’s not about you or him, really. (Take this as a Do as I say not as I do, but it’s a habit I’m trying to cure myself of because I get so mad at the sexism.)
DeleteWhat Susan says is excellent advice. I'm not very good at doing it either, but it doesn't help to let it grind you down that others get things which you are more deserving to receive. Marcus Aurelius that being better than those who injure you is the best revenge. You know you are awesome, so hang onto that.
DeleteYou have done a spectacular amount of work. Good for you for listing it out like this--own it!
DeleteTopic: Thank you, Dame Eleanor, for having us list our accomplishments. TLQ is awesome, and we are awesome -- although my inner critic winces at saying I am awesome. What have I accomplished since September 2014?
ReplyDelete1) I published four articles
2) was awarded tenure
3) brought my department’s workflows and procedures out of 1995 into 2014 and beyond
4) co-chaired a national committee for two years
5) have been a contributing member on 5 national committees for multi-year stretches
6) was invited to give a webinar for the national library association
7) received and completed two grants
8) co-chaired a state-wide committee for the past two years
9) chaired a university committee
10) bought a house and moved
11) had one surgery
12) apparently broke my fibula without realizing it
13) was awarded a sabbatical and a research grant
14) am reworking a presentation from Kalamazoo into an article
15) am finishing my dissertation
16) expanded on Earnest English’s “move like water,” by adding “float like mist.” Good Enough Woman added “be the stone.”
I guess I have done a fair amount since then, although my inner critic kept whispering in my ear. For example, I discount the article coming out of the Kalamazoo presentation because I presented very badly--it was less than two weeks after my mother died, so it’s no wonder that I mucked it up, but my inner critic loves to remind me that I did so. And the grants are so paltry compared to the physics and engineering and health grants upon which I sit in judgment in my university committee. I could go on ad nauseam, but I won’t indulge my imposter syndrome.
Last week’s goals:
1) Go to medical appointment. Done
2) If surgery is not imminent, get the pool pass and use it. No
3) If surgery is imminent, move Morgan Library research visit to September or October. Unknown, so not changed.
4) Proofread the edition for 3 hours every day. Done
5) Edit the textual notes for 2 hours every day. Done
Analysis: The medical appointment took a large chunk out of my week, as I left the house at 6:30am, and got back at 7pm. It was worth it to have the doctor take the time to talk me through the various paths forward. She is not a happy cutter, thank goodness, reassuring me that there were many tests and steps before kidney removal was even a possibility. I need to call her this week to find out when the next test will be. The down side of the exam was that I hurt like the devil for several days, and felt no interest in getting to the pool. It is going to rain all week, but maybe it is a good time to get the pass, to be ready for the good days.
I haven’t changed the timing of the week at the Morgan, since it seems we can sneak that into the kidney situation. The beauty of proofreading is that I could do it even while in pain, and the fact that I couldn’t sleep found me madly typing in the garret, fortified with Tylenol.
Next week’s goals:
1) Pick up interlibrary loan books.
2) Take notes on three of the above-mentioned books, at least 2 hours a day.
3) Pick up pool pass.
4) Stay hydrated.
5) Proofread for 3 hours every day.
Enjoy your accomplishments, everyone. Have a great week!
Elizabeth! You did all those work-things WHILE dealing with health problems, grief, and moving. You did a fantastic job of floating like mist so that you could keep building both your library career and your medievalist career.
DeleteThis is just amazing.
DeleteThank you both, Dame Eleanor and Susan. It helps, and is much appreciated.
DeleteWow, great job. I'm so impressed with how much you've done in the lat four years! And I hope that the medical stuff keeps from getting too serious. (Awkwardly phrased, but I'm writing this while talking to my six-year-old.)
DeleteThanks, heu mihi. It really is worth the time to list things out, especially as encouragement whem mired in the Slough of Despond.
DeleteDoing anything while talking to a six-year-old is a balancing act!
Since I'm a brand new member of TLQ, I only have my accomplishments for this summer, but I'm proud of them. I have:
ReplyDelete* written, polished, and submitted a book proposal
* prepared in great detail three brand new classes
* gotten an entire first draft of my last book chapter from scratch, including visiting three different archives all over IL
* Made time for running and exercise to be part of my life again after a long time off due to injury
* Generally become more self aware of unnecessary pressures I've been putting on myself.
Those seems like some great results to me!
Goals from last week:
1. Finalize all 3 syllabi for the fall. Did this! Woohoo!
2. Continue work on chapter. Have a full first draft minus some tiny sections.
3. Exercise regularly again / eat at home more. Because of some chronic health issues flaring up, I managed to do this basically not at all. I ran once and cooked at home like twice.
4. Balance freelance work with academic work. I'm getting better at this, but it helps that my freelance work is in a bit of a lull right now.
5. Try to enjoy summer and do something summer-y. This, sadly, did not happen.
Goals for this week
1. I WAS going to NJ to visit family, but after driving partway to MDW this morning only to find out that my flight was cancelled inexplicably and that there were no more flights I could take today or the rest of the week, it looks like I'm not seeing family again until the holidays.
2. So, since this was supposed to be a week off from work, I will try to relax and balance little bits of work that I feel motivated to do with lots of reading for fun, which is something I've really gotten away from this summer.
3. Try to run and eat healthy again now that I'm feeling better physically.
Those ARE great results! Congratulations on a productive summer! Sorry to hear about the flare-up of health issues. Several of us here deal with such things regularly, so we sympathize. I hope the relaxing week ahead helps you to improve your health. Bummer about the flight cancellation, but it sounds like you're making the best of the situation.
DeleteThose are indeed great results!
DeletePlant Girl, you did a lot, and you are right to be proud of your accomplishments! I hope your health issues calm down soon.
DeleteGreat productivity! And I hope you enjoy some great pleasure reading this week.
DeleteI am new too, so I will list my TLQ accomplishments as of the end of June.
ReplyDelete- I have written 41 pages of Ch 6 of my book. I also gave half of Ch 6 a detailed copy edit and started copy edits on the other 4 completed chapters
- Started writing text/comments on a collaborative paper
- Successfully completed some hard family business while keeping more balanced that usual
- Worked out c. 3 x or more per week
I think what I most enjoy about the group is the support in trying to get things done while also maintaining some semblance of balance.
Goals from last week
1. Write 5,000 words of Ch 6- DONE!
2. Finish text edits and writing for collaborative article and send to co-author- Started
3. Order books for fall courses- DONE
4. Work out 2x (weights), walk 2x, stretch 5x- DONE
5. Look for decorator for home office- No
6. Finish application to do Master Naturalist course- DONE
Goals for this week
1. Write 5,000 words for Ch 6. If this means I get to the end of the chapter, then edit as much as I can
2. Continue text/comments for co-authored paper (waiting on email from collaborators)
3. Weights 2x, Pilates 1x, walk or something else 2x
4. Do something fun x2
5. Think about getting a decorator for my upstairs office
6. Edit copy of will/health care directive for 1 hr.
41 pages!!! WOOOOOT! Go you! And look at all those DONE tasks from last week!
DeleteWow -- impressive!!
DeleteThat's quite a list of accomplishments in one summer. Chapter 6 was the one bedeviling you, wasn't it? Kudos on that work, especially.
DeleteUgh, I have little idea what I did in research terms - Neevr Enough, basically, and I struggle to know when things were actually done (messy publishing processes in part of my field - e.g. one paper was "online first" in December 2013 but its journal details in a reference list say 2016 and we only got the paper copy mid 2017 - and collaboration issues and just general doing many things). I have however coped with three major structural reorganisations at work and am facing a fourth this summer. I'm not exactly handling it with GRACE, but I continue to go to work and do my job and support my students and colleagues, and two separate people in more senior roles in the uni have told me recently that they trust my experience and judgement in academic matters, which I need to remember whenever Incoming gets up to his gaslighting games. I remain very overweight - but I actually weigh a little less than when I started this group, after years and years of gaining, and the group gets some of the credit for that. I should probably take a look at my c.v. and yearly appraisal docs and make an actual list of what I have done! I'm tired and overheated right now...
ReplyDeletelast week's goals:
1) self-care: focusing this week on drinking enough water, on taking time to eat the food I choose, on moving a little extra each day (at least back stretches), "sitting". partly - water nearly every day, food most days, moving more only twice (but it is HOT and I hate hot, and have been having stomach issues related to overheat/humidity), and sitting three days.
2) arranging times to visit parents and sister despite hot weather with no end in sight ...part of what meant the self-care got slightly short shrift is that I visited the parents this weekend just gone - according to the long range forecast, this weekend was a brief "cooler" interval and the next few weeks will be hotter again, so it seemed like a good time to visit. I was able to help out with a few things, and they took advantage of my internet-enabled phone to order a few things using the parent internet method (ask a daughter), and it was good to see them (and to get to eat vegetables straight out of the garden! carrots a couple of hours out of the earth are a completely different creature than shop carrots, even the expensive local ones with tops on...). Plus, tick! one more summer thing done. Mind you, the drive back took nearly twice as long as normal what with holiday traffic and large agricultural machinery slowly on the move (the former is annoying, the latter just slows things down, and given the weather harvest is coming in early and all at once so naturally they are busy and moving)
3) going through all my notes from meetings two weeks ago and taking small actions, planning/recording large ones, related to my various papers and grant applications in progress. went through about ten pages of notes and translated them into lists...
4) spending an hour or two on one of the papers yes, on A paper, not one on the list though. SIGH!
This week ended up AGAIN being overtaken by meetings and reacting to stuff, rather than actually doing things in advance. Summer should have space for thoughtful things, but this year the weather is doing double-summer and the work-climes are distinctly non-summery, which is frustrating. Not mention the horribleness that is UK politics (my parents do not trust the French of the Germans and still believe that our own government are democratic and respect the rule of law whilst the EU is out to cheat Britain, and that there is a real, workable Brexit plan. I'm increasingly terrified we'll all be crashing over a cliff next March due to the infighting of a handful of self-important posh boys in the Tory party, and trying not to think about it too much...). I did get a few hours of good crafting time in whilst visiting the parents!
This coming week: I've got a car service booked, an all day Research Evaluation Framework training session (grrr :-(), and meetings. Again! So again, nothing too ambitious on the goals:
DeleteJaneB
1) self-care: focusing this week on drinking enough water, on taking time to eat the food I choose, on moving a little extra each day (at least back stretches), "sitting".
2) arranging a time to visit my sister despite hot weather
3) going through the rest of my notes from meetings two weeks ago and taking small actions, planning/recording large ones, related to my various papers and grant applications in progress.
4) spending an hour or two on one of the papers
5) spend an hour on teaching prep things, just getting things in order
Besides surviving all the ghastly dysfunctional re-orgs, you've taught a whackload of students at various levels, started getting help with clutter (very hard to deal with on one's own, past a certain point), published at least Repeater, Crunchier's Cousin, and a couple of DrVisit papers, got better at saying no (am thinking particularly of the trip you did not take to Exotic Research Country), done NaNoWriMo at least twice, inspired many of your readers to beg you to pen an academic fantasy novel, nurtured relationships to family members, and generally lived what sounds like a well-rounded life, with craft-y "escapes" from work nonsense. Give yourself credit for all of this, not to mention for starting TLQ!
DeleteWha5 Dame Eleanor said.
DeleteAnd you've kept balance and humor through it all--not an easy task.
DeleteSeconded? Thirded? Fourthed?
Delete1. Handled the first week of summer school, including getting up early every morning, with reasonably good grace
ReplyDelete2. However, did not exercise at all during the week. Why can't I ever figure out how to do this?
3. Did not even look at the essay draft -- boo!
4. Got a bunch of reading done; closing the multiple open tabs in my brain is beginning to work.
5. Stayed caught up on the online course.
6. Celebrated my birthday!
For this coming week:
1. Again with the summer school. Teaching 4.5 hours each day is just exhausting; there's no way around that.
2. Try to exercise at least ONE time during the week! (See how I'm lowering my expectations? Just suck less!)
3. Pull out the essay draft and actually look at it. But I don't have to do this until Saturday; I think it's not reasonable to expect myself to do intellectual work after a day so full of teaching.
4. Finish the online course, wrap it up, and dive into the other online course that I've completely neglected.
I think the phrase and philosophy "suck less" has to be one of your lifetime achievements! When you say "during the week," does this mean that you exercise on weekends, just not while you're teaching? If so, what helps you do it then? I think it's fine to schedule the essay draft for Saturday. 4.5 hours of teaching per day is legitimately exhausting.
DeleteI surely prefer “suck less” to the “good enough” phrase I sometimes use to allow myself to be less perfectionist!
DeleteI am going to change my mantra about perfection--"the perfect is the enemy of the good"--to "suck less." Thank you for the efficiency and verve of the latter.
DeletePerhaps I should change my pseudonym to "Suck Less Woman"?
DeleteGEW: Since WhatNow's use of the phrase originally applied to dealing with February, and you're in a place that doesn't have the same sort of February, I'd say no, stay "Good Enough"! The more positive formulation suits you. :-)
DeleteFor anyone who wants to enjoy the original:
http://whatnow.typepad.com/whatnow/2009/01/setting-the-bar-low-suck-less.html
Since TLQ started, I presented five conference papers and published five articles, as well as, finally, the book formerly known as Revised Book Project. I also started a gig as an unpaid book reviewer, which I absolutely love. It’s a timely glance backward, since I’ll soon be putting together my portfolio for promotion and feel confident that my scholarship exceeds minimum requirements.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1 Post book review: no
2 Write 1000 words for Tiny Project: no
3 Read old chapter for Tiny Project: yes
4 Write to one person for Tiny Project: yes
5 Reorganize summer goals: yes
I may find my rhythm with Tiny Project over the next several weeks, and I’m ok if I don’t. There’s an event happening in December that will bring attention to the topic of Tiny Project, so I am hopeful to have a manuscript and proposal completed by the end of the year. It’s odd for me to write them simultaneously.
This week:
1 Post book review
2 Write 1000 words for Tiny Project
3 Write one or both of upcoming abstracts
4 Consider freelance gig
5 Get caught up on grading
This week’s topic also gives me occasion to say that my gratitude to you all is enormous. The accountability and kindness of this group have been keys to my success and my sanity.
That's excellent, steady progress! So great that you are getting things done and feeling good about it.
DeleteI agree totally about TLQ--it is rare to find both accountability and kindness.
DeleteHow wonderful it is that you are okay with your progress on Tiny. Some projects need to cure, or age; sometimes the well needs to fill again, and fretting does no good at all.
Oh, my. Thank you TLQ. Since the group started, I have published a book and (I think) 5 or 6 articles. I’ve cared for my mother through a stroke (and moving her out of her house) as well as a serious illness where she nearly died. I’ve been crapped on by bad administrators, but picked myself up and kept going. I’ve become a bit better about self care. My original 2 cats, Sheba and Antoinette, both died suddenly, so I am now accompanied by Tiffany and Ginger.
ReplyDeleteIt has really helped to have this group make me set goals, and checking, and think consciously about my work. It had not been part of my practice, and it’s very helpful. It has also been important to be able to talk about the bad stuff - IIRC I kept posting while my mother was in the hospital, even though I wasn’t doing any work.
Goals last week:
1. Get through revisions of Violence - Did a first cut, needs polishing but I think the shape is right.
2. Get all secondary readings for syllabus set; meet with TAs. Secondary Readings almost all set, met informally with one TA
3. Deal with the rest of the desk, put it on craigslist etc. NO
4. Walk or exercise x 5. NO. It’s too darn hot. Even switching to Celsius didn’t help.
5. Actually do some thing recreational . . . Yes. No work on Saturday, 7nless you call the symphony board retreat work.
I feel pretty good about this. I ran out of steam on the desk and journals, but managed to do another drawer, and take a huge load of stuff to Goodwill. I told my mother I thought I was getting ready to move, whether literally or figuratively.
There were interruptions - my car battery died rather dramatically, so that knocked out an afternoon. I have a friend who is going through bad things and I’m vicariously worrying about her. Etc. but my real accomplishment this summer is not to feel panicked all the time. Doing my best to move like water...
Goals for this week are very modest, as I’m heading out of town, first for a meeting in cool city, and the for some time in hotter city, where I’ve got 2 days in the library, then over the weekend my SIL’s big (50) birthday party. I’ll be on duty as Auntie Susan when i get to hotter city....
Goals:
1. Do serious edit of Violence
2. Identify more of the primary sources for new class
3. Get exercise
4. Go to bed early enough to get good sleep.
5. Enjoy the most beautiful library setting ever (we call it paradise)
6. Enjoy the twins (now 4 1/2) and my family.
Like Elizabeth, you've been very productive while going through a lot of Life Stuff. I'm not sure the aging parents aren't worse than personal illness, although that probably depends on the parents and on one's relationship to them. W/r/t last week, you did fine! One of the great things about this group is seeing how small increments add up over time. I think that is another thing that is easier to see in other people's lives than in our own.
DeleteI like Dame Eleanor's point about the small increments. It is fruitful to look back and realize that progress is being made. I remember your posting when your mother was in the hospital. That's one of the special things about this group--you didn't need to have projects on which to report.
DeleteAnd I have to say that wonderful library settings are somehow magical. I find it easier to read and write and let everything else float away. Enjoy!
You do the Morgan, I think. For me, it's the Huntington...
DeleteI thought you meant the Huntington, Susan. I've never been there, but I have a former colleague who worked there. It does seem paradisical. I'd love to go there sometime.
DeleteThe Morgan is lovely, although the 41st Street NYPL is also one of those gorgeous Gilded Age buildings. I also trained at the Library of Congress, and the Jefferson building is quite lovely.
I've also never been to the Bibliotheque National, but the British Library is cool, with the rare stacks in a glass cube. Sorry, I'm a library nerd. ;)
MMmmm, Huntinton! LC and Folger! BL! The Bod, the CUL! I've never been to the Morgan or the NYPL but would love to spend time in them. I wish I were traveling this summer. Why can't research libraries have wormholes from one to another?
DeleteWormholes are a great idea, Dame Eleanor!
DeleteLet's see: I finished four articles and a book. Went up for and got tenure. Developed and now maintain a medium-rigorous exercise schedule. Am working on sitting almost daily. (It's not perfect, but I'm doing much better than before.) Wrote a NaNo.
ReplyDeleteThat all sounds pretty good. And I need it this week, because my mother and her friend were visiting Sun-Tues (today) and I've done nothing. Also Bonaventure is done with camps and wants attention at all times.
Last week:
1. Finish grad student’s work; read another grad student’s work; check in on X’s exams. DONE, DONE, DONE
2. Sit x 6 - x4.
3. Finish reading book - DONE
4. Work on Wonder at least 30 minutes/day - DONE (M-F)
5. File receipts for conference - DONE
6. Return to regular exercise - GOOD ENOUGH (x4 instead of x5)
This week (or what's left of it):
1. Sit x 4
2. Exercise x 4
3. Work on Wonder for 2 hours total
4. Finish a book
5. Read 30 pages of Proust
(Re. # 5: I'm picking up an old project. If, at the time that I started it, I read one volume of Proust a year, I would have read the whole thing in French before my 45th birthday. I'm a year behind, but I can live with doing it before my 46th. Or 48th, if it comes to that).
You're allowed time to visit with visitors during the summer, and to hang with your kid! You have a lot of DONE for last week, which is great. In addition to the achievements you listed, you also applied for and got a new job, sold a house and bought another, so that's a lot of upheaval to negotiate while staying productive.
DeleteIt is hard to deal with a child wanting attention, when it feels like the summer is the only time to Do All The Things, but they remember the time you spend with them more than you would expect, and the closeness remains.
DeleteDEH, Thank you for prompting us to reflect on our accomplishments. Let's see . . .
ReplyDeleteFinished PhD in UK (while still working as a tenured faculty member in CA)
Taught a 4/4 schedule, all intense writing courses (not TLQ, but still)
Received "Academic Employee of the Year" award from my college
Delivered commencement speech at graduation
Presented 4 or 5 presentations at regional conferences
Pitched and developed a new science fiction course
Submitted two articles (one rejection; one R & R due next month)
Was awarded one semester of sabbatical*
Attended one NEH Summer Institute and one NEH workshop
Spent approximately 28 weeks (or more) on the road with my family
Helped my kids move from age 9 & 11 to 13 & 15
The thing I haven't done is take good care of myself physically. I've gained about 15 pounds during the past four years, I think, and I'm not tall. I just don't make the time to exercise, and I get lazy about food. Plus, I'm 49, so my metabolism is just slowing down.
Last week:
1) Review the readers' reports more carefully. Take some planning/strategy notes for revision. Spend 2-3 hours on this. No more, not much less. NOPE. I decided to just enjoy the rest of my trip.
2) Read for pleasure. Sit by the river. DONE
3) Get some exercise. Eat some healthy things.
4) Enjoy my last week of the family togetherness. DEFINITELY!
5) Maybe 500 words of fiction? NOPE
We arrived home from our trip on Tuesday evening, and since then, I've been focusing on unpacking plus home and garden stuff. I'm going to do a bit more of that and then dive into my article revision.
I know it's already Thursday, but I'm still going to include goals.
This week:
1) Make the back yard even more pretty.
2) Daily push-ups (10).
3) Walk the dog once.
4) Review the readers' reports more carefully. Take some planning/strategy notes for revision.
5) Keep my shit together and try not to cry when I drop my daughter off on Sunday for a week-long camp at UCSB.
*Sabbaticals are difficult to get at my college. Each year, they award only one year-long sabbatical or two semester-long sabbaticals for the entire faculty.
As with JaneB, I think the teaching should be counted as an achievement. It seems like a lot of academics think of teaching as "just doing my job," and it's true that it's easier to make time for teaching and grading because we're scheduled to be in class and all those people are waiting for feedback, whereas (usually) nobody's begging us to get our research done. Nonetheless, it IS part of our jobs and is worth doing well, and acknowledging the amount of it helps us see where the time goes and what we've achieved.
DeleteYour accomplishments suggest that your institution really values you, which is an excellent thing and a meta-achievement!
Being awarded a sabbatical is definitely a coup, GEW, and you are right to be proud of it. Finishing the dissertation with no one "begging" you to do it, as Dame Eleanor says, is another huge achievement.
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