Hello from blizzard-infested storm-land where not much is moving outside except for the gale-force winds!
Our cabin construction crew has let me know that due to blizzard conditions, supply chain issues, care-related issues, and a few paranormal issues (standard manifestations and poltergeists, nothing serious) they cannot do any actual construction this week. So while we wait for our construction materials to arrive, why not think about the purpose of your cabin? What is it for? Is it a vacation spot? An escape hatch? A working office used regularly? Or your permanent home? Will you have guests for short or long periods, or only for meals and parties? Or are you not telling anyone about it so you can truly go off-grid?
In real life, what is your go-to coping strategy for dealing with unexpected delays? How do you maintain momentum? How do you deal with delays differently when it is other people cause a delay, or if it is external circumstances, or if it is you?
Have a wonderful week everyone!
Last week's goals:
Daisy
Get surgery and recover
Ongoing student feedback as needed
Paper edits when I feel better
Urgent conference things only
Dame Eleanor Hull
Plan schedule.
Health: cardio daily, stretch x6, test corn, track bedtime.
Research: 30 min on book x5, dead languages x3 each, edit & submit book
review.
Teaching: write more assignments, keep building VILE sites, plan class
activities.
Life stuff: tidy 2 shelves in my study, alter skirt waistband.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell (carried over)
Plan for one hour x 5.
Write for one hour x 5.
Read for one hour x 5.
Life stuff: dog license, call about verification of COVID passport, call
retirement folks at work.
heu mihi
1) Prep first 2 weeks of grad sem so that I don't freak out
when we get to Derrida in week 3 (why, why am I doing this to myself?).
2) Read 2 articles for Augustine vignette.
3) Service stuff: materials for mid-tenure review, finish mid-tenure letter,
clear out two other reviews, 1 very late faculty report, review Gen Ed course
4) Find a way to exercise that doesn't hurt my foot.
Humming42
1 submit current book review
2 work on abstracts due next week
3 spend five hours on DQ
JaneB
1) grade final year stuff
2) call GP about anxiety etc.
3) do teaching prep for when we start back
4) make time to read or do D&D prep 4 days
5) block out Why
6) work on the monthly list
7) block out Because (Because It Will Be Fun, or at least has those
characteristics which in normal times I usually consider to be academic fun)
Karen
1. Start work on 2021 trip photobook
2. Make field trip list
3. Spend time with family, be in the moment
4. Keep up with preserving
Susan
1. Work on Famous Author 4 days
2. Move forward on colleague collection
3. Read one more journal
4. Get ahead on LMS.
5. Send emails/call people re church stuff
6. FInish UK taxes
7. Eat well, exercise, go to bed early
8. Do something fun maybe?
Hello! I would rather relish a storm - we are due one, but one of those unnerving warmish high winds with no rain type of storms which I'm sure we didn't used to have several times each winter. So lots of potential disruption but also no pretty snow or reasons to hunker down!
ReplyDelete1) grade final year stuff plugging away at this. I have 9 to go so should be done by Tuesday, marks are due Friday so that gives me time to get them moderated & entered I hope
2) call GP about anxiety etc. no. because too overwhelmed plus system now is leave message, get called back in working hours within 2-3 days depending on triage, cannot specify when will call, if do not answer will be removed from list for call, which is not very compatible with Having A Job. Even if the problem is Having The Job...
3) do teaching prep for when we start back I'm prepped until Thursday next week. SO tight, SO stressed, SO behind already...
4) make time to read or do D&D prep 4 days not really - I don't count three pages read on the loo as reading time in this sense, and today's D&D was really low prep because of all the dallying last time - and fun, the fairly dumb but well meaning fighter decided to give the gnome children coffee, and was attacked by the halfling who feels responsible for the gnomes, ended up carrying her out of the cave then shouting "my halfling is dying, get help!" and throwing her at a horde of ghouls, and in general there was much silliness
5) block out Why nope. Because proofs came through for Ferret and I did that instead! I did see a Call For Papers which would suit Why very well though so that might be an incentive.
6) work on the monthly list is adding to a list working on it? If so... sigh...
7) block out Because (Because It Will Be Fun, or at least has those characteristics which in normal times I usually consider to be academic fun) yes, and it's gone off to co-authors, who all responded within 5 days with some really useful suggestions which are making it Better. It actually IS academic fun, for now. Starting things is always more fun than finishing them...
GOALS FOR NEXT WEEK
1) finish and submit all grades (final year stuff, all the last minute submissions, moderating other peoples grades)
2) call GP about anxiety etc.
3) do teaching prep for week 2
4) make time to read or do D&D prep 4 days
5) block out Why in the Write-In I'm leading for final year project students this week (multi-tasking!)
6) transfer and triage monthly list (as its a new month)
7) start planning May Training Course (because we have to plan and advertise etc.)
What is my cabin for? Well, this is all "what we want", right? So it's for living in. Living in, writing in, BEING in. Because somehow in the world where this cabin is being made this is economically possible (maybe I retired early? Or wrote some books which sell enough to pay for the basics? Because there need to be basics... I creak, looking after the extra physical chores of things without at least some power and water/waste services does not sound fun)
DeleteI would like a sticker that says "give the gnome children coffee." I think I could make this into a significant slogan in my life.
DeleteAll gnome children should get coffee!!!
DeleteGlad Ferret has come back home in the proof stage! So much of academia is delayed gratification we often forget to celebrate those steps that happen after the big submission stage. Best part is that after proofs they go away for good! Enjoy that!
Good luck with the teaching prep and finishing up all the grading stuff!
My cabin is for...work, but work that I enjoy (because I do find that I'm *liking* research and writing lately, which is lovely); sitting and quiet contemplation; knitting by the fire...and there's a nice little yoga-sized area, too, where I can leave my mat out and thus lower the bar to actually doing some stretches and things. In short, it's the place where my Ideal Self can magically appear and do all of the things that Ideal Self would Ideally do all the time.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that anyone else knows where it is.
Last week:
1) Prep first 2 weeks of grad sem so that I don't freak out when we get to Derrida in week 3 (why, why am I doing this to myself?).
-Prepped first (which takes place tonight) and read for second. Haven't prepped second, but that's fine. Diligently avoided thinking about Derrida.
2) Read 2 articles for Augustine vignette.
-Four, I think? I did very well!
3) Service stuff: materials for mid-tenure review, finish mid-tenure letter, clear out two other reviews, 1 very late faculty report, review Gen Ed course
-Mid-tenure yes; letter yes; other reviews ?? (I can't remember what this refers to, but I think that I did it); late report no; Gen Ed course yes
4) Find a way to exercise that doesn't hurt my foot.
-SORT OF--I didn't do a whole lot of exercise, but I took some walks and I used my two new free-weights (8 pounds, my friends!!).
This week:
1) Read Derrida.
2) Stay on top of personnel stuff: send out mid-tenure letter, review first lecturer promotion, take care of late faculty report.
3) Work on Augustine vignette (finish current section and start another one).
4) Sabbatical work: Contact possible apartments and figure out--definitively--what I need for visas.
5) Edit journal article.
Derridian binaries keep coming up in my morning pages. I'm not sure why, but I hope Derrida is being kind to you.
DeleteAnd yes, a yoga spot is a perfect thing to incorporate into the Ideal Self Space. I miss yoga.
Rereading that, I should clarify: I'm not sure why Derrida comes up for me. I have no uncertainty in my hope Derrida is kind to you!
DeleteYay for lots of things done! And for exercise! Walks and weights totally count. I've been finding free weights unexpectedly satisfying since I started playing with the fancy app exercise people. That quite surprising because I had never deliberately lifted a weight in my life before (the I lift rocks for work, not weights for fun approach...)!
DeleteThe "Ideal Self" cabin is a great way to put it! So much of what we try to do here is to remove or at least identify the things that keep us from doing what we really need/want to do in our work and more generally...
It takes the mother of a 9 y.o. to note that no one knows where the cabin is!
DeleteWhat is my cabin for? I think it is a retreat space, for concentrated work but also for breaks. I would like to have a spot for one or two guests or family members to sleep over, but not so much space that it is a regular hangout. I definitely want the deck for outdoor meals with invited guests, and would be ok with some good friends using the cabin when I’m not there, a few who could really use a retreat spot!
ReplyDeleteLast week’s goals
Get surgery and recover DONE! YAY!!!
Ongoing student feedback as needed DONE
Paper edits when I feel better DID SOME
Urgent conference things only LOTS DONE
Interesting week for sure! The biggest thing was the dental surgery, which was a 3 day adventure to a bigger town about 4 hours away where they could fit me in earlier than originally planned. I did have the option of waiting for a local spot but that seemed counterproductive and I’m very happy to have had the earlier appointment. Doc and nurses were wonderful, everything went extremely well, and within a day I was feeling like a whole new human! Whole new level of respect for modern dentistry which I was already a fan of!
I got a lot of conference stuff done – on a big one and a little one that accidentally landed on my plate a couple of weeks ago. It is my favourite local one and they needed help with stuff that is easy for me. Students got what they needed, and I managed to open the paper for edits and do a little bit of work. I really want that done in the next couple of days, it is so close! Amazing how much one can do when not in pain… I’m so grateful that “not in pain” is my default state – I do not ever take that for granted… And I’m very grateful to everyone I work with who gave me lots of extra grace and time and encouragement to recover first without worrying about keeping up!
This week’s goals
Finish paper edits and get back to co-authors
Help students with posters
Organize and troubleshoot online poster session
Finish organizing/emailing/reading for two awards committees
Get booster shot, yay!
Delays bother me a lot less than they used to. I think it is part career stage (I’m comfortably mid-career so not hustling like a maniac all the time), and part being busy enough that every delayed project or activity can instantly be replaced with something else. I do feel terrible when I cause the delays and try very hard to let people know immediately when something is going off the rails. The delays caused by other people who are too important and special to do what they said they would are eternally frustrating. The ones caused by other people from being overwhelmed and struggling just make me want to send them chocolate! Those always give a good opportunity to pay back the grace and flexibility extended to me so that is always a good time to be flexible and supportive.
Did someone say chocolate?
DeleteI'm sure you deserve some, too!
Condo Cabin is definitely a secret retreat, mostly for writing, both creative and academic. heu mihi inspired me to add a bit of space for yoga too. It is my dearest wish to have not just a room of my own but one that no one can find.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t thought much about delays since for years I have been the person who is late with things. I have significant shame about it. In one of my last grad classes, my mentor said her best advice for publishing is to submit your work on time, and that is my goal for this year. Many other things with regard to not taking on too many projects, showing up, and getting work done all fit in under that one goal.
Last week:
1 submit current book review: yes
2 work on abstracts due next week: one submitted, progress continues on others
3 spend five hours on DQ: no again
This week
1 submit two conference abstracts (grateful for online international conferences with no registration fees!)
2 write content for symposium submission site
3 start outlining March conference presentation (I have three open tabs and realize I’m spending a lot of time thinking and reading but haven’t really taken stock of it)
4 spend five hours on DQ, since the acquisitions editor is waiting on the proposal!
Sending peace and focus your way for the week ahead.
Yoga space definitely adds to the peaceful ambience... A room of one's own does not do much good if the door can constantly be knocked on, or extra work can be slid under it, or if everyday gremlins bypass the screens and make themselves at home!
DeleteGood luck getting DQ off to the editor, that will be a nice win to celebrate when it is done!
Or gnome children on coffee slither in . . .
DeleteMy cabin is where I disappear to when I want to stop the world and get off. It might be located in alternate part of the multiverse.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of delays, I'm pretty unphased - in fact, I expect them. I think I'm good at extending compassion and understanding to other people when it happens, and getting better at planning in buffer for myself. What really annoys me is external demands to Do! This! Right! Now! and then seeing that supposedly urgent work sit around while other people don't do their work.
1. Start work on 2021 trip photobook - yes, had a fun play with an app and got the first three pages done. Making decisions about what to leave out is hard, though!
2. Make field trip list - Yes, and have felt very virtuous when able to pull it out as needed twice already this week.
3. Spend time with family, be in the moment - Yes, some lovely adventures with caves, walks and beaches
4. Keep up with preserving - yes, elderberry syrup made and new sources for offloading cucumber established. Daikon with chilli and garlic chives ferment also pronounced acceptable.
This week I am back at work, but still with in-house childcare which is honestly the most amazing luxury.
I'm trying to be measured and purposeful about getting back into things, and starting as I mean to go on with preparedness and organisation (lets see how long that lasts).
1. Return comments on postgrad thesis revision
2. Vanquish VILE with last bits of missing content
3. Revise KL abstract, notes on three articles
4. Read book on research journals
5. Sow the last repeat of root vege, chop and drop the fence bed
Hope the first week back is a smooth transition. Great that childcare is not adding to the stress of that.
DeleteI love the "vanquish VILE" phrase!
May we all vanquish something vile this week, in whatever format we can!
Hello on Wednesday! I think my cabin is a weekend get-away space, or for writing retreats, normally just for me, but I'd be happy to go there with a couple of close friends, as well, or let friends use it when I'm not there. I imagine a big open space with couches that can provide beds if necessary, and a couple of small bedrooms facing into the woods. If there's a delay with construction, I can still go out to the site and wander the deer's paths, and climb down to the strip of beach when the tide is out, and then go stay somewhere out on the main highway.
ReplyDeleteIRL . . . I expect I'm often the one causing the delays, TBH. So I try to roll with other people's.
How I did:
Plan schedule. YES . . . and promptly discovered lots of exceptions that mean I'm still tinkering with it. "Core hours" is a key notion, that can be extended on either side of the day, or with an evening session, whatever works.
Health: cardio daily, stretch x6, test corn, track bedtime. YES, YES, NO (started a round of drugs instead), YES.
Research: 30 min on book x5, dead languages x3 each, edit & submit book review. IN SPIRIT if not letter, x2, YES.
Teaching: write more assignments, keep building VILE sites, plan class activities. YES, YES, YES---but still not done.
Life stuff: tidy 2 shelves in my study, alter skirt waistband. NO, NO. But I made and sent a Groundhog Day card to my dad, as it's his favorite holiday, so that was a fun creative thing.
New goals:
Keep core work hours.
Health: cardio daily, stretch x6, track bedtime.
Research: 30 min on book x5, dead languages x3 each.
Teaching: write more assignments, keep building VILE sites, plan class activities, grade a whole bunch of stuff.
Life stuff: tidy 2 shelves in my study, alter skirt waistband, some bank stuff, something fun.
Those are lots and lots of things done! Great week for Yes!
DeleteRolling with delays is really the only way. Minimize stress/guilt/worry, and pick things back up when one can.
Good luck with all the class prep and grading!, hope they leave time for the other activities too.
We escaped the “bomb cyclone” with less than a foot of snow, but construction delays still occurred in the form of unplanned meetings and tasks. And we are supposed to get a lot of snow this weekend, to make up for our escape.
ReplyDeleteThe major use for my cabin is as a place I can escape the rest of the world, except maybe the puppy. While not a state secret, only a small group of friends and family will know of it. I imagine writing, enjoying the fireplace, and knitting warm things.
My best strategy for coping with delays depends on where I am with the project. If I’m waiting for a co-author, I will keep it on my peripheral radar. If I have burned out, I let it age for a bit. The problem with that method is that it sometimes slips away from me entirely.
Also, I haven’t been able to promulgate session goals yet. I did one of those memes where you pick the first four words you see on a word search. I can’t remember the fourth, but I do remember that it was almost synonymous with one of the first three, which were “connection, gratitude, and self-care.” It feels like a mantra, something to guide this session and its goals, so I’m letting it all percolate.
Last two (and a half) week’s goals.
Plan for 1 hour x 5. Probably about 6 hours for the entire time.
Write for one hour x 5. I actually did this one.
Read for one hour x 5. I meant scholarly reading, and failed miserably, by only getting a peer review done.
Life stuff: dog license, call about verification of COVID passport, call retirement folks at work. No, no, and no. Carried over yet again, except for the dog license, which has been delayed until the puppy gets used to this weird stuff called snow.
Next week’s goals:
Plan for one hour x 5.
Write for one hour x 5.
Read for one hour x 5.
Life stuff: verification of COVID passport, call retirement folks at work.
It’s been a crazy beginning to the semester. We had over 500 students who tested positive and were quarantined, but no plans to go virtual. I had a meeting with my Dean (virtual thankfully, but no advance notice of the subject, not thankfully), which always makes me paranoid and itchy. It didn’t help that she was “disinclined” for me to hire a graduate student to help with my workload. We have had a flurry of resignations resulting in everyone getting more work to make up the slack. Even though I have it better than many colleagues, I tend to come home and do next to nothing, reading light fiction and trying not to get too depressed.
Punxsutawney Phil is predicting six more weeks of winter, which doesn’t help. I hope everyone is hanging in there. Float like mist!
That sounds like a pretty scary start of term! I hope things stabilize at a manageable level with workloads and people.
DeleteConnection, gratitude and self-care make an excellent theme - may for this session you need less of the specific goals and more of a guiding principle... Your session goals, your rules!
Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to live in my cabin, so it will be located in a place where I can have access to libraries, as well as all needed services. Like JaneB, I'm not interested in homesteading. I will there be, like heu mihi, my ideal self, with far less stuff of all kinds, and space, and not being someone who creates endless piles.
As for construction delays, I'm mostly zen with them, unless there are external demands. When my contractor injured his thumb doing my bathroom renovation last spring, I was pretty calm about the delay except that I needed a semi-working bathroom (toilet & sink) when my brother & his kids came, and I needed it done before my sister arrived for 5 weeks.
I'm pretty much this way with work too: it gets done when it gets done. We're heading into year 3 of the pandemic, things are still not "normal", and everyone does their best. Now, if only I could get my senior administrators to think this way!
How I did last week:
1. Work on Famous Author 4 days 3 days
2. Move forward on colleague collection YES
3. Read one more journal NO
4. Get ahead on LMS. YES
5. Send emails/call people re church stuff YES
6. FInish UK taxes YES
7. Eat well, exercise, go to bed early YES
8. Do something fun maybe? YES
I mean, not a bad week. I ended up doing all sorts of *very* useful house stuff, as I needed to move my expensive bike, and wanted to move a bookcase, and went through piles and found lots of stuff to throw out and/or shred. It wasn't on the list, but I think of it as a win. Had a fun dinner with a friend, and otherwise just kept plodding along. I am so tired, I have no idea why.
Goals:
Four days famous author
Get in touch with one more person re church stuff
Finish colleague book ms #1, print out #2 to start reading
Read 2 journals
THrow out more stuff
Work in yard
Eat well, keep exercising
Do something fun
Yay for all the yesses on the list, and all the extra house stuff! Sometimes a little reorganization is just the refresh that one needs.
ReplyDeleteGlad you fit in something fun too, along with all the good health habits of exercise and rest and good food!