Northern Autumn/Southern Spring 2019 week 5

We've been talking about distractions for the last couple of weeks; right now, TRQ is one of the biggest distractions in my life, as we've reached that middle slog of the semester when the end is a long way off but the novelty and energy of the fresh start has worn off, the first years are settling in enough to notice that they are tired and homesick, and the days are getting short enough that I'm getting up in the dark and driving to work facing into the sunrise and getting half-blinded at points when the sun is actually out.  Which is pretty, but feels Too Darn Early!  So this week let's talk about renewal - where do you turn for quick shots of energy and enthusiasm and kindness when you've reached the heavy point of the semester and you need to work on TRQ to have a chance of staying afloat in all the little crannies of time you optimistically intend for TLQ (that one is probably just me...)?  When you struggle to keep all your self-care habits, do you prioritise sleep, or dive into fiction, or bake an enormous batch of goodies?  What's the current One Thing that can help get you through a tough week with a good attitude?  or have you suggestions of things to try?

For example - I've recently been unreasonably cheered by finding an orange-spice version of vegan/refined-sugar-free/fairtraded chocolate goop that makes bearable hot chocolate out of sensible, healthy oat milk, and indulged myself by spending this afternoon lying on the bed with a pile of All The Pillows and a cat on my legs, re-reading a Very Frivolous Book, which has given me the will to push through all the hard bits of next week's teaching prep.

Last week's goals

Dame Eleanor Hull

*daily reading/writing (x5), OR a weekly total of 50 pages read, 1250 words written;
*grade 1 set of student papers, put up a batch of new assignments, prep for film-teaching;
*daily exercise and stretching (x6);
*keep up with dead languages;
*make at least one more medical appointment.

Elizabeth Ann Mitchell - carried over

Write and send call for special issue.
Walk at least 2.5 miles x 5.
Take homemade lunch x 5.
Edit one page of Illuminated x 5.
Finish outlining the lit review of Aurelius.
Pull/shred fifteen files.
Destress, breathe, meditate x 7

Heu Mihi

1. Finish proofs and index
2. Sit x 5
3. Email piano teachers; respond to people who wrote back
4. Read journal submissions
5. Look at what I’m supposed to do for the collection proposal

Humming42/Linda

1 Finish and submit next book review
2 Submit conference paper reviews
3 Work on summer funding proposal
4 Write every day

JaneB

1) maintain habits (bed before midnight, 45s to get small regular movement in at work, keeping a food/mood diary, not eating refined sugar, leaving work before 6, doing something non-work every workday evening) and add a little more exercise once this week. Also scoop the kitty tray more regularly!
2) research things this week: finish the FlatProject final step of analysis ready to start writing. Referee an article (ugh). If possible, also drawing up a figure for the grant idea called PCfu (ProblemChild follow up) and send the draft to FormerPDF. Sort out FavouriteIslands samples.
3) prepare all teaching materials for following week. grade one thesis and 63 short essays (sigh).
4) finish reading through last year's NaNoWriMo effort, read selected bits of previous years, and build up my Preptober list..

Oceangirl101/Jenny

1. work on usewebs papers
2. exercise- walk daily
3. finalize figures for chapter for ed vol #1

Susan

1. Letter of reference (due Thursday, so TRQ, but it's a significant letter so will take time)
2. Write up Trial assignment, get all related references
3. Draft comment for conference (which is next week, so...)
4. All the administrative stuff
5. Walk regularly
6. Get sleep schedule back, go to bed early and get enough sleep.