We're looking at week 16. Next weekend we'll have a post in which to report on our session goals, but this is our last week to post goals. Below, you'll find last week's goals, as usual, and then either updated session goals from midterm, or your original goals if you didn't get around to an update: this is so you can make a last-minute attempt to accomplish something on the list, if you're getting close. Again, we will have a post next week when you can come and tell us how you've done both this week and for the full session.
What are you looking forward to, when you make it through this week? How would you like to celebrate your successes?
Last posted goals:
Daisy
1) Continue with revisions for paper, just finish it!!
2) Association meetings and individual councilor catch-up meetings
3) Go through Albatross paper material and send things to coauthor for help
4) Try some gentle exercise that does not hurt broken bits
5) Catch up with new project coworkers
6) Do something fun with friends
Dame Eleanor Hull
Health: yoga x6, weights x3, medium walks, bed by 10:30 at least 5x.
Research: continue plugging quotes/citations into outline; Greek and T reading at least 3x each.
Teaching: Grade All The Things.
Life Stuff: renew car registration, finish pockets and replace buttons on a cardigan, order Xmas presents.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
Get better food in the house.
Write better transitions in AYU 1 hour times 4.
Figure out what tasks to do on the Christmas visit to afford me the opportunity to “touch research every day.”
Wrap presents.
Take puppy to vet.
heu mihi
1) Touch research daily
2) Finish grading this paper to clear the decks for a VERY RAPID grading of the final paper (due Friday)
3)
Survive a prospectus defense, a dissertation defense, a promotion
review, and a mini-tenure. Prepare for next week's prospectus defense
4) Exercise at least three times
5) Finish Christmas shopping
Humming42
1 submit two article reviews
2 set a schedule for grading to wind down rather than race to the finish
3 clear a shelf for new books as part of office cleaning
4 do four things on the 22 before 22 list
5 schedule research priorities and create deadlines for winter break projects
JaneB
Once my grading arrives, do a little grading every day.
Be KIND - to
students, to myself.
Drink more water, move some more, take time to
breath.
Try to work out what is going on with the grant we actually got,
but can't start due to paperwork issues.
Karen
Research: have some writing (let's say an introduction) prepared to
share with writing group; have all postgrads up to date on meetings and
feedback
Teaching: revised rubrics and up to week 8 on content for next sem online
Self
and home: make Christmas shopping list and get started on it, sort out
garden/pet sitter, yoga x3, beat last week's weekly steps average.
Susan
1. Start work on next chapter - outline it, order ILL books
2. Do promotion review
3. Grade stragglers work
4. Work on Christmas service for church
5. Do fun stuff at the weekend
6. Get tree
7. Keep getting good sleep.
Revised session goals:
Daisy
Finish 5 research papers.
Get new grad student started off well, get current grad students through the rigours of writing a thesis.
Plant bulbs, move hostas, continue exercise program, something creative for sabbatical.
Dame Eleanor Hull
Complete and polish book chapter.
Deliver effective courses, grade promptly, do a little prep of spring courses.
Put the garden to bed. Do at least ten things on my list of Stuff That Will Stay Done.
Take Sundays and at least half of Saturdays off from work, and work more efficiently on weekdays to make this possible.
Manage food and exercise so as to sleep adequately on a regular basis.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
Organization: Bring order to the work office by slashing and burning (only figuratively) the mass of paper inhabiting the space. Go through bookshelf: scan important articles, return any books read/discarded as not useful. File what is left.
Planning: Reverse outline partially written articles. Plan next steps on each, or abandon.
Health: Continue to make doctors’ appointments, scans, and other fun things.
Writing: Write when it is fun or rewarding; read when writing is drudgery.
heu mihi
Take time to stop doing things.
Write steadily and calmly.
Take an Italian class!
Do good things for others.
Humming42
Teaching: Do the usual. Draft proposal for new program.
Research: Draft DQ book proposal. Write quality presentations for three online conferences. Submit to favorite spring conference.
Creative: Organize existing drafts of poems and flash nonfiction. Create a submission plan. Commit to and enjoy online classes.
Domestic: Finish cleaning office. Build and fill bookcases. Clear all recycling from house and garage
JaneB
Sad but realistic goal for the session: SURVIVAL (self, students, cat)
Karen
Teaching: finish up this semester without getting behind, set up external connections and partnerships for sem 1 2022 unit.
Research: pilot SOTL project and present paper on it, see three PhD/Masters students to submission.
Self
and Home: maintain planting schedule, get out (in some way shape or
form) each week, get home office fully functional given there's at least
one more year of hotdesk hell to come.
Susan
Research: get rough drafts of last two chapters of Famous Author; 2 sessions/week.
Teaching: keep up with classes, don't get overwhelmed.
Finish self-study for the graduate program review.
Finish work for book prize, article prize, tenure review, promotion review, jacket blurb, read 2 MSS, stuff related to being president of scholarly organization.
Clean ducts, refinish floor in guest room & paint guest room, landscaping.
Keep up with exercise.
See friends, see my mother, read for fun.
Hello! Well, we're crawling, but we're still moving towards the end of the teaching period, and that counts as a win this term.
ReplyDeletePAST GOALS
Once my grading arrives, do a little grading every day. YES! This is the first time in years I really did do a few a day every day, and it has helped. IF nothing goes too wrong tomorrow, I'll have ticked off all the pieces that need to be returned by the Friday of this week (when teaching ends), so will have a little capacity to mop up for other people (which I'm feeling like I might need to...))
Be KIND - to students, to myself that one... well, I've done some shouting and stressing, and the kind of "self-kindness" that involves short term things like chocolate and cinnamon buns which are not so good for me, but... I start over every morning
Drink more water, move some more, take time to breath. mostly, sometimes, er... maybe?
Try to work out what is going on with the grant we actually got, but can't start due to paperwork issues.we've moved on to another problem, so... progress?
THIS WEEK
1) finish the marking
2) redo some figures for Ferret, a paper which has been in the works for a very very long time, and we now finally have revisions, and had to get an extension because formerPDF is moving house this month AND finishing up a crazy academic semester, and...
3) write and mail Christmas cards
4) kindness to myself, my colleagues, my students.
5) start making lists about what I want to do in my time off
I have a dental appointment on Friday, extra scary as last time I went out in the car (to teach, on a day of terrible weather - only 3 students showed up the annoying creatures) I hit a bollard in the university carpark and the car has a big dent, so I'm stressing about driving AND going to the dentist during the rising limb of Omicron - this dental appointment is already over a month delayed because the dentist got Covid! So kindness to ME would be good... (I also dropped a pan on my foot and have bruising and scabbing on several toes BEFORE the car thing, and then the "internet of things" thing where the thermostat talks to the boiler stopped working, and it took about 8 attempts at the complete restart-the-tech cycle to get it back, and the buttons/switches are in incredibly awkward places, so then I had a bad back for a few days as my whole lower back went into spasm. Hoping those were three things and there isn't something else to come...
Survival just has to count as a win this year. And it IS a win.
Absolutely winning for surviving, and doing so with kindness and the perseverance to start agin each day. I'm glad to hear that pacing yourself through marking worked well.
DeleteI hate the internet of things. So many things would be better off as simple mechanical things, not wanna-be-AI things. Sorry, I do a lot of ranting that starts to sound Old Fartish even to me. I hope the boiler and thermostat continue to get on, that your back relaxes and toes heal, and that the marking goes quickly and easily so you have the time and energy to deal with Ferret.
DeleteFinal push through for me on the last working work of the year, which I am so very ready to be over. I've planned to take a longer break than usual over the summer, extending well past Christmas/New Year, which in the past I haven't done but feel now is the time. So it feels like a good moment to think about how to wrap up the work year.
ReplyDeleteThis week:
Research: have some writing (let's say an introduction) prepared to share with writing group - yes, a rough draft abstract, which if going to benefit immensely from the suggestions of the group.
have all postgrads up to date on meetings and feedback - yes, those who aren't cancelling or avoiding meetings, plus talking one postgrad out from close-to-the-end-overwhelm
Teaching: revised rubrics and up to week 8 on content for next sem online - rubrics done, some content roughed in for all weeks but needs to be finished this week
Self and home: make Christmas shopping list and get started on it - yes, with glorious embracing of delegation
sort out garden/pet sitter - partner found garden sitter, still need to find a pet sitter
yoga x3, beat last week's weekly steps average - yes, yes
I love the idea of a long break with summer relaxation after Christmas and New Year! In a perfect world, I'd go somewhere warm for a week or two in January, but I don't think it'll happen this year.
DeleteHow even to approach this week?
ReplyDeleteToday I'm doing a last-minute office hour for students who have missed multiple lectures to make up for their absences (the lectures were recorded in the classroom; I made it very clear all semester that they could be made up by watching them and then meeting with me, but lo and behold, nearly half of the 70-student class failed to avail themselves of this generous opportunity, so here we are, as I attempt to keep them all from failing in droves). Then I have a union meeting to listen in on during lunch, then a grad student prospectus defense. It's hard for me to see past today.
Planning to submit grades tomorrow-ish, after meeting with my TA. Then I have a personnel committee meeting on Wednesday, and THEN I head off--solo--for a two-night visit with my mom.
So maybe I don't really want to set any goals this week? It would be nice to work on my paper. It would be nice to exercise.
Goals:
1. Submit grades and wrap up this semester.
2. Work on my paper.
3. Exercise.
There!
Last week:
1) Touch research daily--No, but I did some work; I just don't remember what, or when. I'm sort of migrating off my day planner now that teaching is done.
2) Finish grading this paper to clear the decks for a VERY RAPID grading of the final paper (due Friday)--Yes
3) Survive a prospectus defense, a dissertation defense, a promotion review, and a mini-tenure. Prepare for next week's prospectus defense--YES
4) Exercise at least three times - Mmm...twice? I can't remember.
5) Finish Christmas shopping - I think so; might grab a thematically-related book to accompany husband's gift, and maybe something else for Mom?
You've done a lot of grading and teaching-related stuff, so congratulations on getting all that finished! I hope you have a good visit with your mom.
DeleteAs soon as I filed my grades on Saturday afternoon, I went to the local library and checked out a stack of fun reading, including the latest 3 Ruth Galloway mysteries. I might have read #11, but wasn't sure, and I know 12 and 13 were new to me. I still have Phryne Fisher 21 ahead of me, plus another fluffy book, but I'm tempted to go back and read through Ruth G from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI too am not sure how this week will go. We may be looking at the end game for Glendower. In week 12, one of my Other events was vet visits, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma; we've been trying chemo, but are not sure it's working. He had a treatment today, and we are trying to get an appointment for an ultrasound that could show what's going on with his insides. We're also having the ducts cleaned this week. So, though I'd like to set up a schedule for working in the mornings, there's going to be a certain amount of early-morning upheaval and running around, not to mention the stress of worrying over Glendower and what we can do for him.
How I did:
Health: yoga x6, weights x3, medium walks, bed by 10:30 at least 5x. x4, x2, yes, x4.
Research: continue plugging quotes/citations into outline; Greek and T reading at least 3x each. Yes, no, no.
Teaching: Grade All The Things. YES.
Life Stuff: renew car registration, finish pockets and replace buttons on a cardigan, order Xmas presents. YES, no, no.
This week:
Plug away at the chapter, see how far I can get with it.
Campus run to pick up ILL books, meet with dissertators.
Yoga daily, weights x3, medium walks 4-5 times, bed as early as I can manage.
Order Christmas presents, do some baking, finish the sewing projects.
So glad to hear other people also reread series books when new ones come out! I love doing that!
DeleteSorry to hear about Glendower. Sending good thoughts for test results!
Thank you. Unfortunately, the ultrasound showed that despite five weeks of chemo, the tumor doubled in size. We had him euthanized at home this afternoon. He'd pretty much stopped eating on his own and was trying to hide a lot of the time, and we didn't want him to suffer further. We had hoped he was reacting to the chemo---I mean, that he wasn't feeling good because of it, but that it was being effective---in which case, it would have been worth battling on, but that just wasn't the case.
DeleteI'm so sorry... He was a lovely character we all got to know through years of cat stories. I'm glad he could be at home with you for the end.
DeleteVirtual hugs!
I'm so sorry about Glendower. That's so hard, even when you know it's right.
DeleteThank you. It was the right thing and it was awful and I miss him so much. He was only ten, and apart from the chewing when he was young, he was a really wonderful cat: friendly, outgoing, cooperative, excellent at finding places to hide, and I swear he had a sense of humor, besides being beautiful.
DeleteI'm so sorry. It is awful even though it is the last loving thing we can do for our fur companions. he really did sounds like a wonderful cat, and ten is young these days. Empathy in your loss, and may you find comfort in the memories.
DeleteI read through my session goals… And laughed long and loudly at the delusional person who wrote those down so many months ago! I do have one more week though, never underestimate what a week can do! For fun this week I went to the first live theater and concert events since this whole mess started and it was lovely. Also, it was just in time because on Monday we had a big spike in cases and restrictions are back.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very busy week, I did well on goals even though it felt like a big blur. I had some more follow-up check on the broken bits and it is fine, I just need to wait very patiently for the extremely messed up tendons to recover. So patience is required. I’m doing some rehab on my own, turns out that thanks to my past career as professional musician I know just about everything there is to know about rehabbing hand and wrist injuries. Who knew that would be the useful part?
Last week’s goals
1) Continue with revisions for paper, just finish it!! CONTINUED, NOT FINISHED but oh so close!!!
2) Association meetings and individual councilor catch-up meetings DONE, SO MANY MEETINGS
3) Go through Albatross paper material and send things to coauthor for help DONE
4) Try some gentle exercise that does not hurt broken bits DONE
5) Catch up with new project coworkers DONE
6) Do something fun with friends DONE
Since this week is well underway I will keep only a few goals…
This week’s goals
1) Continue with revisions for paper. If I finish I will get a huge Thai dinner for take-out and buy wine to go with it!
2) Do gift inventory and buy what is missing
3) Read and comment on thesis chapter
4) Finish reviews that are almost due
5) Do something fun with kid
Delusional, well, try ambitious! A person's reach must exceed the grasp, or what's a heaven for? You tried! I hope you get your Thai dinner and wine (maybe you should have them anyway, as consolation prize, if you don't finish?).
DeleteI submitted grades at noon today and was unable to figure out what to do with myself. I’ve done some online shopping, picked out a book to read and abandoned it, took a nap. Unpacked a box of books, picked out a few to give away, and remained astonished by how many books I refuse to part with. If that is the worst of my vices, I’m really ok with it.
ReplyDeleteI join Daisy in the disconnect from the Past Me who set such grand and ambitious session goals. Now I’m in the process of tweaking them to see what I can do in the next four weeks before Spring semester rises from the ashes.
Last week:
1 submit two article reviews: one done, one to go
2 set a schedule for grading to wind down rather than race to the finish: it was an ugly scramble
3 clear a shelf for new books as part of office cleaning: yes!
4 do four things on the 22 before 22 list: I think so
5 schedule research priorities and create deadlines for winter break projects: underway
This week:
1 submit remaining article review
2 submit very late book review
3 schedule research priorities and create deadlines for winter break projects
4 sweep up the remaining bits of teaching and advising detritus
5 choose a novel and stay in bed to read
Whatever sort of scramble it was, now you're done and have four weeks! I like your plan of reading in bed as a break activity.
DeleteWhat am I looking forward to? Nothing on my to do list. Not feeling behind all the time. Sitting and enjoying a fluff novel, or a fluff movie, or . . .
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it's Wednesday night, which is late for this, but how I did:
1. Start work on next chapter - outline it, order ILL books: NO to outline, yes to ILL
2. Do promotion review DONE
3. Grade stragglers work ALL BUT ONE
4. Work on Christmas service for church YES
5. Do fun stuff at the weekend YES - took it off
6. Get tree YES
7. Keep getting good sleep. YES
So pretty good. I got my ILL orders in (after first ILL'ing one book I had, and recalling another that I have out so there's that!) and hoping that another group of books comes in tomorrow so I can pick them up before break. I opened the PDF I was sent for the promotion review, and it was 1800 pages: that included both the first book and the second, all the articles, and all teaching evaluations. So I finally got it done tonight. I also had to go back in emails, and in the course of about 45 minutes cleared out close to 300 emails. Of course many were the easy ones - subscription updates that I hadn't erased when they came. But I also found a bunch of real requests that came when I was sick and I felt terrible; but I've responded to some of them, at least. I feel as if stuff is under control. My mother has had minor issues, so there have been interruptions and minor household things but nothing catastrophic.
Goals for next week:
1. See if I can figure out a rough outline for next chapter
2. Get final grades submitted. (By Saturday)
3. Clear out another 100 emails.
3. Contact yard/garden guy
4. Start reading friend's ms.
5. Relax and chill (Friday is a day off with a trip to winery town)
6. Get tree trimmed, play carols, enjoy
Session goals: I put contacting the garden person on the list above so that my house goals at least will be met! Otherwise, it's a charming bit of optimism, and it left out getting COVID from the list, so...
That is a monstrous PDF! And look at all that "yes" for the week---well done!
Delete