Hello all, week 2 here. I hope everyone is
settling in or getting well prepared for the semester ahead. Like the other
introverts, I’m appreciating the slower pace of the weekend to regroup for the
week ahead. There are some interesting things to look forward to, and I am
conscientious about avoiding shiny new object syndrome. How was your week? Last
week’s goals below.
Dame Eleanor Hull
*complete prep for first week of teaching;
*daily exercise and stretching, adequate sleep;
*regular research, in whatever form (reading,
note-taking, writing, planning) seems possible on a given day.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
Move half an hour x 6.
Read first set of articles for class.
Find old dissertation file.
Pull/shred thirty files.
humming42
1 Complete and submit one book review
2 Complete article review
3 Submit one of two creative writing projects
JaneB
1) clean the kitchen, catch up on laundry, make
another appointment with the decluttering lady
2) every day in my office, make some progress
with tidying
3) work on the followup to ProblemChild grant
proposal in writing group
4) leave the office by 6 at the latest
regardless of when I get there, do 45s all day when I'm there (set an alarm for
45 minutes. When it goes off, reset it, then do one of: run an errand/go to the
bathroom, walk around my floor (the corridor is a single loop), do half a set
of stretches, spend five minutes standing and actively moving
stuff/decluttering, or put on some music and dance to one song. Go to bed
before midnight. Do one small non-work thing every evening (can be fun or
necessary)
5) go into town on Friday or Sunday (free
parking) & do at least one of: get a fancy frozen drink, spend an hour in a
cafe thinking about NaNo and starting notes, browsing the stationary shop and
using the voucher.
oceangirl101
1) syllabi and readings up to BB
2) write on primary chiefly centers for Ch 6
each day if possible
3) work with postdoc, new grad student to push
lab research forward
4) get MRI and take meds during it so do not
get panic attack like last failed attempt
5) email press editor about deadline extension
for book (already got one from series editor but need to notify the main
editor)
Topic: Once I got past the culture shock of 22,000 more people on campus than there were last week, I started to enjoy the increased pace of things. Yes, parking is a massive pain, and being asked constantly where is such-and-such building is difficult for this introvert; however, I do enjoy the eagerness of the first weeks.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
Move half an hour x 6. Yes
Read first set of articles for class. No
Find old dissertation file.Yes, but…
Pull/shred thirty files. No
Analysis: On the reading, I can’t get the syllabus for class until I register; I can’t register until I am formally accepted, and my recommendation letters have not yet been received. I don’t fault my referees, who are all facing the first weeks of classes, so I have asked to be permitted to attend the classes so I don’t get too far behind.
I found the old dissertation file--on a 3.5 in floppy. Hmmmm. I will troll through my paper files to see if at least I still have my formal proposal in paper.
I am still being assigned roughly two weeks of work for a week’s time. I now point out what I can reasonably get done in a week’s time, but cannot get out of the three to five hours of meetings my boss schedules every day, often the evening before. I have not heard anything from the dean about moving me, and I struggle to stay patient.
On the “I have-to-work-on-this” side, I am feeling as though I may have stretched myself too far with the new PhD program, as I have four hours credit in real-life classes to attend. It doesn’t help that they are during my “work day,” so that I may have to fight for the right to attend. There are clear professional development provisions in place, so it shouldn’t be a fight, but I have found that doesn’t always follow.
Next week’s goals:
Enjoy the Labor Day holiday.
Move half an hour x 6.
Find any old dissertation files in paper.
Pull/shred ten files.
Declutter the home study one hour x 3.
To all my US colleagues, enjoy the holiday. To everyone, have a good week. Find ways to destress, and float like mist.
These following paragraphs are for humming, about my dissertation topics. Please skip if you’re not interested. I abandoned my old dissertation topic a long time ago--as you can see from the fact that it is on a floppy disk. I did my master’s thesis on precious stone symbolism in a few medieval texts (hence the lapidary in my gmail account name). I studied one of the romans antiques for the thesis, and decided to work on the Roman de Troie for my dissertation. It is a massive work, and my advisor was right to have me give it up. I just wish he had told me sooner.
My current dissertation involves early English translations of Christine de Pizan’s works. It should translate well to rare books, as I am looking at manuscript and early printed versions. Despite starting and stopping several times in the past several years, I am still very interested in it. The biggest obstacle I found was catching up with the literature review, since interest in Christine has skyrocketed in the last decade.
I’m happy to share anything else you’d like to know.
Good luck finding the paper dissertation files! At least the disk wasn't a 5.25"! It's still possible to find some computers that can handle a 3.5. I remember transferring many files from 3.5 to USB drive, a good while back.
DeleteThe Roman de Troie needs more attention, but life is short; do what moves you.
Thanks so much for the follow up on topics. It's so good that Christine's work continues to interest you since we all have the "days of hate" for topics that we live with so intimately when working with them.
DeleteFor me, I wrote my dissertation about a particular place and now have the opportunity to do some new research comparing that place to similar places. I've always maintained an interest but haven't kept up with the literature, so I'm kind of ambivalent about what to do next.
Also, you have a LOT on your plate! I cannot imagine working with someone who insists on long, daily meetings. Sending waves of peace and contentment your way.
DeleteThank you both for the suggestions and good wishes. Dame Eleanor, I agree, unless the Roman can fit into a small article in some way, it will have to wait. Humming, I'd see how dense the literature you'd have to machete through might be--if it's not too bad, returning to the topic might have a nice sense of homecoming.
DeleteWell that was a week; it started really hot, but then the weather cooled down, and people are starting to come back from summer. Parts of it were fine, parts were stressful, and a limited amount of work was done. Feeling quite grotty today (Sunday) but that's probably explainable mostly by allergies and bad (though enjoyable in the instant) choices yesterday - I went to bed late, noodled on my phone and the internet too much, ate too much and some not-smart things (although very tasty!) and slept badly, probably as a result. And I'm working hard on being calm which is going OK but I'm not feeling very positive about anything at the moment (see blog for some of the things going on at work - and some minor health things are getting to me at the moment) so I didn't have much success at talking myself into getting up and doing housework stuff as I originally planned. Oh well!
ReplyDeletelast week's goals:
1) clean the kitchen, catch up on laundry, make another appointment with the decluttering lady ish but I hope that will be done by bedtime, yes (clothes), yes (just now)
2) every day in my office, make some progress with tidying two out of three. Visible, although small, progress made
3) work on the followup to ProblemChild grant proposal in writing group yes, and it felt like some things fell into place
4) leave the office by 6 at the latest regardless of when I get there, do 45s all day when I'm there. Go to bed before midnight. Do one small non-work thing every evening (can be fun or necessary) two out of three, mostly, every day except Sat, yes
5) go into town on Friday or Sunday (free parking) & do at least one of: get a fancy frozen drink, spend an hour in a cafe thinking about NaNo and starting notes, browsing the stationary shop and using the voucher. no. Didn't feel I deserved it today and preferred to slug in bed - but I did watch Black Panther last night so that WAS a treat-like thing
The coming week is busier - timetable gets released (to us AND students), most housing leases start for returning students (so third year project students start needing attention), Head of Department and Teaching Tsar are both back from their holidays so we have meetings, there are some training sessions, and in general we might be able to start in on teaching prep and that. And no bank holiday Monday :-(
next week's goals:
1) pick up and hoover and dust downstairs, keep kitchen clean and on top of clothes laundry, do one batch of towels-type laundry
2) every day in my office, make some progress with tidying and with organising (e.g. set up one VLE page, block out one module, set up folders on the PC). Finish set up of my new teaching bullet journal system as far as I can.
3) make figures for ProblemChild followup grant proposal. Use writing group time to get PCfu ready to send to collaborators for comments.
4) leave the office by 6 at the latest regardless of when I get there, do 45s all day when I'm there and on non-office days whenever I am sitting at my computer or over my phone (set an alarm for 45 minutes. When it goes off, reset it, then do one of: run an errand/go to the bathroom, walk around my floor (the corridor is a single loop), do half a set of stretches, spend five minutes standing and actively moving stuff/decluttering, or put on some music and dance to one song). Go to bed before midnight. Do one small non-work thing every evening (can be fun or necessary).
5) go into town on Friday or Sunday (free parking) & do at least one of: get a fancy frozen drink, spend an hour in a cafe thinking about NaNo and starting notes, browsing the stationary shop and using the voucher (I have to have a blood test at the Drs on Friday, so...).
6) collect data on what I eat and when and how some symptoms react (I have a new notebook to do that in at least).
You did pretty well on last week's goals; I hope things go at least as well this week, and that you get to do the fun shopping/cafe thing.
DeleteAre 45s working well for you? I really like that you've taken something that is so revered and adapted it to better suit your working style.
DeleteI like the idea of 45s as well. 20s are too short for me, especially since I get interrupted at least once or twice an hour. Perhaps because of my interruptions, I tend to hunker in place for far too long if not interrupted, so the alarm would break my ADD hyperfocus. I will have to try that this next week.
DeleteAlso, kudos on getting some decluttering done. Visible progress is so lovely! And how lovely that you watched Black Panther. I loved that movie!
I tried my best to ease into the first week without too much anxiety. Truth be told its nice to run into colleagues and to have a reason to get out of the house some days per week. But I am not feeling energized about teaching. I am going to try to keep my prep to a minimum, but I am teaching a course that requires lots and lots of lab setup. Luckily the students in that course seem enthused.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1) syllabi and readings up to BB Yes
2) write on primary chiefly centers for Ch 6 each day if possible 3 out of 5 so ok
3) work with postdoc, new grad student to push lab research forward Yes
4) get MRI and take meds during it so do not get panic attack like last failed attempt Yes but it was still hard
5) email press editor about deadline extension for book (already got one from series editor but need to notify the main editor)No
This week:
1) write on Ch 6 secondary centers, try to finish
2) work with postdoc and grad student to get lab research pushed forward
3) make list of book writing left to do with calendar deadlines
4) meet with house decorator
5) exercise x 3, fun x 3
6) email to book editor
If the students stay enthusiastic, they may energize you as the semester wears on, although the endless setting up of labs does sound wearing. Like JaneB, you did pretty well with last week's goals, so I hope this week goes at least as well.
DeleteBrava on getting through the MRI! I like the way your goals are focused on incremental progress. I always have to ask myself whether I'm really setting goals that are realistic for the time available in life.
DeleteI echo Humming on incremental goals--I have trouble creating ones that are a stretch, but not the whole thing. Also kudos on getting through the MRI. I vehemently dislike them, and I am not claustrophobic.
DeleteIt was a pretty good week w/r/t classes, meetings, social stuff. I realized that since we moved to this house, I've regularly been on campus 3 days a week. That's why the commute is so hard on me now, and why I wasn't thinking about it before. I used to do a 3-day semester about once in two-three years; but I picked up the dead-language reading groups around the time we moved, and though I love them, I'm realizing that I need to take a break. It helps to know that I was computing commute time in terms of a two-day week. I think I may plan a couple of "sick days" this fall.
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
*complete prep for first week of teaching: YES.
*daily exercise and stretching, adequate sleep: NO. (Not so bad on exercise, skimpy on stretching, awful sleep non-schedule. I get over-stimulated by PEOPLE on campus days and stay up much too late, despite my very early start on those days.)
*regular research, in whatever form (reading, note-taking, writing, planning) seems possible on a given day. SOME: very skimpy indeed, really, but I expect the sleep problems contributed here.
New goals:
*grade a short thing, make up two quizzes and grade them, other prep;
*daily exercise and stretching, adequate sleep;
*regular research, in whatever form (reading, note-taking, writing, planning) seems possible on a given day;
*make two appointments.
Adding another day on campus when you have a long commute makes a significant difference in the rhythm of your week. Are there ways that you can move some class days to online assignments to cover those mental health days when you need a break?
DeleteIt sounds like mental health sick days might be the way to go. Is there a way the dead languages groups could have virtual sessions as well?
DeleteUGH. I can't believe school has started. Technically it doesn't affect me much since I don't teach and am not taking any classes - but still! I'm fairly anxious about everything on my plate. I will be at a conference next week and am presenting three times (UGH). I leave for China at the end of October and that is causing a lot of stress in anticipation. I'm also applying for jobs, which is stressful, and waiting on my NIH grant resubmission review (the review meeting hasn't been scheduled yet and it is driving me crazy!)
ReplyDeleteThis week:
1. Apply for 3 more jobs
2. Work on job talk
3. Create workshop presentation
4. Organize for review project
5. Intro for IRIE paper
Personal
1. Catsitter
2. Visa for China
The beginning of the school year is like the change of seasons, or a new year, even if you're not in the classroom! Hope for a good job search and trip to China. I'm thinking about applying for a job in Australia and find it terrifying!
DeleteI also hope your job search goes well, and that you can minimize the stress it causes. I also hope that the presentations were more interesting exchanges than stressful events.
DeleteI am no good at waiting, so you have my sympathy!