One of the more visible ways I've been welcoming the light in through the shift to spring and outside has been the final tackling of the decade-deferred front garden, which has just turned into a wild ramble of the darwinian survivors from occasional attempts at planting. Enlisting a chainsaw, a large box to deliver uprooted plants to a friend, many wheelbarrow-loads for the compost, and reclaimed railways sleepers in search of a new home, I now have a space that will get some light and is ready for new plantings to take shape. This bed is going to be a native garden, creating habitat for birds and insects and hopefully geckos finging safe spots to bask in the sun.
Change in light is change in mood is change in space. This week, I'm inviting you to reflect on how the changes many of your reflected on might be aided by a change in space (real or metaphorical). Is it time to nest in, to clear out, to set a place at the table for the ones we want to welcome in?
Daisy
1) Finish with revisions for paper related to poster
2) Get analytical time booked and organized, for me and for grad students
3) Finish last left-over bit of grad student feedback
4) Attend enough of conference to feel useful, do required talking at fancy events (remotely!)
5) Do modelling work for new paper
6) Get sleeping back on proper schedule!
Dame Eleanor Hull
Health: yoga x6, weights x3, very short walks, bed by 10:30 at least 5x.
Research: keep working on chapter organization; study both dead languages; read a book; scan some essays.
Teaching: grade undergrad papers.
Admin: whatever comes up.
Life Stuff: write to my dad, renew car registration, joint account admin.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
More medical appointments--one this week, and pneumonia and flu vaccines.
Work on NaNo project at least every other day.
Read up on the Belgian collector for the other collection--possible article?
heu mihi
1) Rough in article revisions
2) Read two essays
3) Read & comment on grad student's prospectus
4) Exercise more than last week
5) Grade most of the latest batch of essays
humming42
1 submit three book reviews
2 submit article review
3 work on mentoring program application
4 catch up on grading, since there are assignments due this week
5 as noted, draft some lines every day
JaneB
Goal this week - do my job well enough, and rest in between
karen (carried over)
Teaching - finish off current unit by releasing feedback and submitting results; finish scaffolding map and start revisions to unit outline
Research - set up writing group (outcome from a lovely cross-discipline event hosted by nearby-department), 1 pomodoro on documentation
Self and home - yoga x 3, go bushwalking this weekend.
Susan
1. Actually finish the grading!
2. Get draft of fellowship proposal done, sent to letter writers
3. Revisions of self-study as I get comments from others (Probably Friday, maybe Thursday)
4. Try to keep some mild exercise up while recovering
5. Visit Mom, try to help her get better
6. Sleep
7. Do fun something
I like thinking about the connections between light, mood, and space. Space is an important concept to me (all these houses!). With the waning of the light and warmth, I had to prioritize taking care of outdoor space last week: I finished painting the deck, and plugged some mouse holes, in place (space word!) of other Life Stuff goals.
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
Health: yoga x6, weights x3, very short walks, bed by 10:30 at least 5x. x7 (first time in weeks I've managed that), x2, YES, NO (2x, thanks mainly to time change; but mostly by 11).
Research: keep working on chapter organization; study both dead languages; read a book; scan some essays. YES for small value of "keep working"; YES (x3, x2); NO; YES.
Teaching: grade undergrad papers. YES as of this morning.
Admin: whatever comes up. NOTHING DID!
Life Stuff: write to my dad, renew car registration, joint account admin. NO to all, but see above in re: deck. I also started work on inserting pockets into a jumper (pinafore dress).
NEW GOALS:
Health: yoga x6, weights x3, very short walks, bed by 10:30 at least 5x.
Research: keep working on chapter organization; study both dead languages; read a book; scan some essays.
Teaching: grade grad papers.
Admin: find a piece of paper I need to claim some $. Meeting prep.
Life Stuff: write to my dad, renew car registration, joint account admin, Scotchguard suede boots, finish pockets.
You are doing really well on the healthy habits! I'm impressed with all the yoga, great to make space for that especially when everything is busy! Good that outdoor stuff gets done before it gets too cold...
DeleteVery apt prompt! I was getting to the part of the term where clutter accumulates and the stacks get unstable! On Friday I organized and tidied up my at-home work space, and organized a lot of important but scattered pieces of paper and books and notes. That was helpful, this week I feel a lot more focussed. I also repotted my indoor plants, let go of some I did not enjoy and replaced them with herbs and violets. In the garden I planted some bulbs (aka did my bit for the annual distribution of squirrel food) in the hopes that some survive, and divided and moved hostas so maybe there will be plants in summer!
ReplyDeleteLast week’s goals
1) Finish with revisions for paper related to poster PROGRESS
2) Get analytical time booked and organized, for me and for grad students DONE
3) Finish last left-over bit of grad student feedback DONE
4) Attend enough of conference to feel useful, do required talking at fancy events (remotely!) DONE
5) Do modelling work for new paper SOME
6) Get sleeping back on proper schedule! DONE
The conference went as well as it could have, it sucked up lots of the week, and I am happy it is done. Probably not as happy as the organizers, but happy anyway! This week is a research reset week, I’m making excellent progress on revisions so I’m going to keep at it. I also want to do at least one day in my real office and get some samples organized and shipped so I need to keep one day meeting-free.
This week’s goals
1) Continue with revisions for paper related to poster
2) Send samples out, do office organizing session
3) Keep doing modelling work for new paper
4) Accounting for all Fall trips
5) Write several association documents and official letters
6) Something fun with friends!
I am very happy to be welcoming back a little morning light! I've been trying to get up before dawn these last few days; it's nice to greet the sun without having to rush around packing lunches &c. I do always love the Fall-Back day. I don't know what it is--we only gain an hour, but somehow I seem to get three times as much done as on any other day, and still find time to rest.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it helped that we're taking a little time off from church-going after the recent debacle.
Last week:
1) Rough in article revisions - YES; made good progress here, at last
2) Read two essays - YES
3) Read & comment on grad student's prospectus - YES--on two of them, in fact!
4) Exercise more than last week - YES, although it was a low bar to clear
5) Grade most of the latest batch of essays - YES; they have a partial rewrite option due later this week, though
This week:
1) Complete article revisions??
2) Do what I can with co-authored introduction (WH intro)
3) Read two articles
4) Review/revise/whatever upcoming conference paper, which I basically sort of already gave and simply do not care about anymore
5) Exercise
It's a light teaching week, thankfully, although the meetings are piling up. Looking forward to Thanksgiving and a few days off....
Busy week, great list of done things! I'm glad you are finding a bit of breathing space this week with extra morning light to start the days!
DeleteDame Eleanor’s connection of light, mood, and space resonates with me. I also agree with heu mihi in being a much happier person when I am getting up when it is light. can get up after sunup. I have always tried to have open, light spaces as well as cozy rooms where the light is more diffuse--sitting by the fireplace with only a reading lamp by me so that most of the room is dark and quiet.
ReplyDeleteLike Daisy, I have difficulty keeping my study light and calming, as digging for things I know I had “just the other day,” quickly diminishes the joy and interest in writing. It has gotten so bad, even after working on it three weeks ago, I take bags of paper to work where there are massive recycling bins. I have also begun to scan everything I can; our scanner at home is not high quality, but few things I need to digitize need professional level scanning, thankfully.
Last week’s goals:
More medical appointments--one this week, and pneumonia and flu vaccines. Yes, yes, and yes.
Work on NaNo project at least every other day. Yes.
Read up on the Belgian collector for the other collection--possible article? Some, not all. I got a recall notice on another book I was reading for another topic, and had to shift focus to that.
Analysis:
Other things also got done--the great summer to winter clothes migration, with the attendant cleaning, airing, and the like; and, the concomitant window air conditioner to heater migration. Several more medical appointments were scheduled, and two cars that had served us loyally for 19 and 14 years respectively were sold to car tinkerers. I am settling in more and more with the new diet, which (fingers crossed) doesn’t cause near as much gastric problems; also, I’ve lost 5 pounds in the last three weeks. I need to work on hydration, which I tend to forget about until I think I’m starving, and try water instead (who knew?!?)
Next week’s goals:
More vaccines, including COVID booster.
Work on NaNo project at least three times a week.
Write at least 250 words a day on the as-yet-unnamed article that I reverse outlined a few weeks back.
Finish reading about the 18th century Belgian collector.
I hope everyone is doing well during this last month before holiday break, Float like mist, everyone.
Lots of things from your list got done, along with lots of extra things! I always enjoy the first few days of the clean study area! Mine is still much better than it was now that I solved some underlying organizational issues. And the new plants are lovely!
Delete