This week, we set goals for the last time! Next week we'll check in and party, but take a break from goals over the holidays (so think about when you want to start up again, and who would like to host). Get ready to finish off what we started back in September! (And anybody who's out there following along, please join us in the new year!)
SO this week we can make plans for our end-of-session party. The castle (the nice one) had an unexpected cancellation and offered us another weekend there, so that's the venue sorted. I think we should have the library fitted out as the Introverts' Room, with widely spaced big cushy chairs, low lights (except for reading lights near the chairs), and no talking, while we'll have food and drink in the Great Hall, with a string quartet in the musician's gallery, and a roaring fire in the huge fireplace. You're welcome to bring out your previous Castle Costumes; we'll get Wardrobe to freshen them up if they need it, and do talk to them if you want some blingy jewelry for the party.
We should have a whip-round for a special gift for our Production Assistant. I was told she was rather ditzy, but she's been absolutely brilliant at coping with castle owners, Padraig, raccoons, dogs, storms, me, and all the other million and one things that spring up when you're herding cats, um, filming academics on a remote island. She deserves a big round of applause and something special (NO, not a baby raccoon! I think she was looking at the beach glass jewelry and fluffy wool throws made by local artisans, if you want hints) from all of us, though of course the studio will also be giving her a bonus (you know, that's what the money's for).
What's your favorite sort of party? When you check in, tell us your stories about the best party you've attended---or the worst!
Goals from last week:
Contingent Cassandra
--Keep grading all
the things
--Keep moving
--At least make
progress on clearing off the top of the dining table and the windowsill (and
related moving-things-around tasks)
Daisy
One more big
concert
End of term
marking, set exams, do review sheets
Trip preparation
One more day of
lab work
Something fun with
friends
Dame Eleanor Hull
- swim twice,
weights twice, cardio thrice, yoga 5-6 times
- grade everything
turned in
- research 1 hour
x 5: some translation, write an abstract, return to A&F chapter
- look at some MS
images (being consultant to another scholar)
- write two
new-course proposals
- sew a different
thing
- go to post
office
- Life Stuff: pay
bills, e-mail nephew, make appt for eye exam
heu mihi
2) Keep plugging
away at ch. 6
3) Get in a few
runs, go to yoga class
Julie
1. More marking.
2. Review a set of
postdoc applications
3. Meetings
4. Resubmit
article now journal has finally replied
5. Do at least
half a day on grant application (elf still on strike)
6. Start reading
the other PhD I am examining before Christmas
7. End of term
admin
8. House jobs
9. Christmas stuff
10. Daughter's
passport.
Susan
1. 3 essays from
big collaboration
2. All the
meetings
3. Be kind to
myself
One of my favorite parties was a New Year's Day marathon of the LOTR movies, beginning around 11 a.m. Sir John and I were there for most of it, as were a few other die-hards, but people drifted in and out all day and well into the evening. There were meals, and nibbles, and a walk, and lots of interesting chat with a variety of people, mostly scientists and academics, or the spouses and children thereof. The house was large enough that one could go off and quietly look through books (or music, or travel souvenirs) for a break from the gathering, and there were cats. It was just a very warm, pleasant gathering that I remember fondly, though I couldn't tell you about any particular conversational subject.
ReplyDeleteHow I did (practically nothing, you'd think I'd been partying all week):
- swim twice, weights twice, cardio thrice, yoga 5-6 times: swam 3x, yes, yes, no only 2-3 times.
- grade everything turned in: graded one thing.
- research 1 hour x 5: some translation, write an abstract, return to A&F chapter: hahaha nooooo
- look at some MS images (being consultant to another scholar): YES. Finally.
- write two new-course proposals. NO.
- sew a different thing: NO.
- go to post office: YES.
- Life Stuff: pay bills, e-mail nephew, make appt for eye exam: MOSTLY (still have to write some checks), NO, NO.
Also: raked up some leaves to put on the compost heap; made a cat toy; went to a housewarming party that required a lot of driving; did some Xmas shopping; had lunch with a friend; took my car in for service; had a really wonderful final grad class.
New goals:
- grade ALL THE THINGS and post final grades
- renew library books (TRQ!)
- swim 3x, weights 3x, cardio 3x, yoga 5-6x
- research 2 hr x 5
- write 2 course proposals
- sew the thing, e-mail nephew, write checks & mail them, make appt for eye exam
Yes, I'm raising the bar on research, when I've not been doing so well on putting in the hours recently. But my grading load is light, I don't have to go to campus this week, and maybe a bigger commitment (rather than just thinking I can fit a bit in whenever) will be more motivating. I really should put the conference travel back on the list, but honestly, I don't think I'm in the mood to tackle that this week, so the heck with it.
Have a good week, everyone!
Not a LOTR fan, but that sounds like a good kind of party. Good luck with the research!
DeleteAnd how can I have forgotten this goal: write two letters of recommendation! One student, one colleague, deadlines very soon.
DeleteThat sounds like such a fun party idea! Very laid-back, but with built-in entertainment.
DeleteI went to a party last night, actually--my first in quite a while. It was okay. I didn't know a lot of people, or at least there weren't many people I knew well, and it was all a bit awkward. (I went solo because it was sort of work-ish.) I do like a good party, though! But having the right people there is pretty crucial.
ReplyDeleteClasses ended on Friday, which was a good thing, but now I have 8000 meetings and one-on-ones with students (in lieu of a final paper), so the week is looking a little hectic even as I don't have any class prep.
Last week:
1) Get ch. 2 ready for printing and hard-copy revision (even if I can't track down the Latin for that one book...).
- YES, printed it
2) Keep plugging away at ch. 6
- NO, not really, or at least not much thought went into this one
3) Get in a few runs, go to yoga class
- ONE RUN (there were complications), yes to a yoga class.
This week:
1) 8000 meetings and one-on-ones with students; finish grading for all but independent study and possible incompletes
2) Italian final! --Which is itself a one-on-one conversation! I do need to study a bit to make sure that I'm up on all my verb tenses and vocabulary sets....
3) Start hard-copy read-through of ch. 2
4) Work on conceptual framing for ch. 6, which I think I'm starting to get a handle on. Finish reading a relevant book.
5) Miscellaneous website updates ahead of Friday website meeting
6) Work with colleague to finalize departmental equity review
7) Christmas shopping, haircut
8) Seriously, get back into the running regimen
I've booked a massage for next Monday; I can't wait....
Ohh, a massage! Very jealous.
DeleteI'm not sure that I've ever been to a work or work-ish party that I enjoyed, at least not post-grad school.
DeleteI'm not really a party person, unless there are a lot of people I know. Small talk isn't my thing. My PhD supervisor used to throw good parties, though perhaps that was the grad student thing of free food, free drink and being one of the 'grown-ups', finally. I think the parties I've enjoyed have either included good music and people dancing but in a relaxed, doesn't matter if you're just shuffling on the spot kind of way, or parties where you could talk to people with interesting conversation. And good food.
ReplyDeleteLast week
Term is finally over, but there is still a lot to do, so not quite the usual relief/winding down.
1. More marking. - YES (but still so much to do)
2. Review a set of postdoc applications - YES
3. Meetings - YES, predictably awful. Gaslighting from senior management about how workload is our fault for being inefficient and no, there isn't any money, so don't ask for anything.
4. Resubmit article now journal has finally replied - YES AND IT CAME BACK AGAIN!!!!
5. Do at least half a day on grant application (elf still on strike) - YES (blocked out time for an online writing retreat).
6. Start reading the other PhD I am examining before Christmas - YES (about halfway through)
7. End of term admin - NO
8. House jobs - A couple
9. Christmas stuff - SOME
10. Daughter's passport. - Started (took photos)
This week:
1. Finish marking
2. Finish reading thesis and write report (viva next Monday)
3. Another morning on grant application
4. Resubmit article again
5. End of term admin
6. Claim expenses
7. Daughter's passport
8. House stuff
9. Christmas stuff.
10. Try for something fun (lunch in cafe, some time reading).
Goodness, what is up with your article and that journal? I hope next time is the charm!
DeleteYou have a busy list ahead! I hope that most of these items are brief and/or fun!
DeleteParties: I like ones with good conversation and food, and oddly, I've been to some terrific dinner parties with people who know how to have conversations, which most academics don't. Last Friday, I held a party for my graduate program and it was lovely to see the students having such a good time -- lots of good energy in the room. I can't say about bad parties, but maybe the most memorable was a large event celebrating an eminent historian's 80th birthday in Oxford, where the man sitting opposite my husband and me literally fell asleep in the soup. He had clearly started drinking somewhat earlier!
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
1. 3 essays from big collaboration TWO (done today)
2. All the meetings YES. A Few more to go this week
3. Be kind to myself YES
It was a pretty good week, and I caught up with a lot of stuff. Some of it was getting ready for the big revision of curriculum and bylaws I've been working on: I think that will be fine, though one person has created drama. But I think it will be fine. My students' papers are not due until Friday, so the grading push will be Friday -Sunday (I hope).
Goals for the week:
1. 3 more essays for big collaboration
2. Be good in meeting tomorrow
3. Finish last bureaucratic tasks for the semester
4. Prepare for and enjoy my Christmas party on Thursday. Baking, food, friends. The Christmas list is on repeat on Spotify...
5. Reschedule massage and haircut that were postponed when I had COVID. (My hair desperately needs a cut!)
Goals for hte week:
A good dinner party is a glorious thing! I hope the meeting goes smoothly and that all your students turn their papers in on time.
DeleteOooooh party time! I feel like a started early by leaving town/country! I am massively jetlagged and completely exhausted but trip so far is good, went straight from the airport to the lab and have been doing stuff ever since. After I got over my “It is too much work and I don’t wanna go anywhere and do anything or deal with the chaos of travel and getting back to more chaos” pre-trip whine I felt better and then got really excited about it. Brilliant so far, city is lovely, easy to get around (oh my kingdom for a decent public transit system in my home country!!!), and the Christmas markets are amazing. Been existing on a delightfully alcoholic concoction called eierpunsch, uncertain what is in it, but it is lovely!
ReplyDeleteBest party ever? Not sure, I’m not a huge fan of traditional loud parties, so all my favourites have been fairly low-key. But the common ingredients: good friends with a high proportion of women, good wine, good food, and a fun location all help! My favourites recently have been “come as you are” pool gatherings (or the winter version with warm apple cider) in my previous town with a great group of rotating people. We did several years of “picnic Thanksgiving” potluck gatherings in a local park too (it is in October in Canada so only mildly cold), nobody had to host, the kids could all be outside and up trees, and people could come and go as nap-time or family duties dictated. Other good ones? Our regional tiny conference does an amazing kitchen party after the science is over, people bring instruments and sing and play. End of year parties at the conservatory I went to were amazing, old-fashioned ball type things with tails and fancy long dresses and a live band/orchestra, polite strings for first part, then big-band stuff for dancing (faculty, mostly from the super high-class orchestra down the road). Best one from distant past was a high school party held entirely under and in a very large tree, with bonfire and marshmallows, we slept in the tree… Now that I have my own high school kid I am a bit horrified that my mother let me go but I guess she knew we were all pretty sensible kids. Mind you, I am not sure she knew we were planning to actually sleep in the tree… I wonder?
For our castle party I want a really fancy velvet dress and cape which I would never get to wear elsewhere, happy to borrow from wardrobe 😊
Last week’s goals:
One more big concert FABULOUS
End of term marking, set exams, do review sheets DONE
Trip preparation DONE
One more day of lab work DONE
Something fun with friends I’m GOING TO COUNT THE CONCERT
This week’s goals:
Enjoy trip
Eat lots of good things on trip
Do lots and lots of work while on trip
Shop for kid and others while on trip
Fantastic goals for this trip. I am very jealous, imagining festive Christmas markets. I went to one in Luxembourg last year when we were visiting the in-laws: the food was amazing!
DeleteI cannot tell you how much I wish I had a sleeping-up-a-tree party in my past!
DeleteThe velvet dress and cape seem appropriate for the party. Now debating whether to wear my Christmas velvet dress at the party I'm throwing tomorrow.
DeleteHow did you sleep in a tree?? I'm fascinated!
DeleteMostly perched in forks between large branches, it was a wild fig so similar to banyan trees with lots of big branches... And very carefully... And probably intermittently! But who needs sleep when you are a teenager right?
DeleteI can also report that the market food is just as good as expected, I have eaten my weight in all kinds of baked goods and nuts! There are several great castles here that totally need velvet dresses and capes...