It's now officially spring here in the UK since the clocks went forward last night. It is also getting warmer and there are daffodils everywhere, and hyacinths and magnolia starting to bloom. I hate losing the hour, but the longer evenings are definitely compensation.
This is the last week for goal setting as next week is the last in the session, so we'll review session goals, as usual, and maybe look ahead to next session. Volunteers for hosts welcome!
Today's prompt is stolen from a question a friend asked on Facebook last week, and is just for fun: If money were no object, what would you treat yourself to each week or month? The one restriction is that the treats have to be ephemeral, not lasting objects, so for example, fresh flowers each week, a regular supply of fancy chocolate, a massage...
Last week's goals:
Daisy
Admin catch-up
Read student chapter (different one!)
Last concert for season
Document planned course changes
Grant application
Heu mihi
1. Reread ch. 1; deal with ch. 2 OL text if the library gets
it to me this week
2. Send lots of email reminders and Zoom links for various things
3. Clear up a couple of notes-to-self in Alignment
4. Return to exercise, again
JaneB
1) SELF-CARE (recovery and self-kindness)
* habits: something creative, D&D, read a novel, intentional movement 15
minutes x 3 days, a social thing
2) HOUSE-LIFE CARE
* 75% or more of the weekly minimal chores
* sort out the BOTTOM of the stairs area
3) TEACHING AND ADMIN
* prepare for submission of undergrad research projects (I get to administrate
all of it this year - yay. not.)
* feedback on postgrad chapter (it's never-ending)
* start timetabling planning if possible (make list of what I need to think
about, at least)
4) RESEARCH
* do at least two items on the Consultancy Paper list
* referee an article
* read for stupid research assessment thing duty which I do not want to do.
Pout.
Susan
1. Read and trim paper for this weekend
2. Read essay for seminar tomorrow
3. Do several admin type things so they are DONE.
4. Pull together material for potential award.
5. Sleep
6. Keep reading for fun.
Dame Eleanor
- grade things
- graduate applications, process
- grant application, read/comment
Julie
1. Build a bridge!
2. Read through corrections to a thesis I examined last year.
3. Informal queries about PhD examiners for student.
4. Self-care: exercise, sleep, read, journal.
5. Life admin: renew health cards for Easter travel, research summer travel plans, do small to medium house jobs.
Happy Mothering Sunday (UK) to all the mothers in our group, and especially Julie since she's in the UK...
ReplyDeleteUnlimited money, well, I would like very good chocolate and sheep's cheese (and fresh bread/croissants). But that would NOT be good for me... :-)
I can probably host or co-host the summer session, unless anyone else has ideas?
LAST WEEK:
Should have been reasonable, but somehow wasn't. Still really, really annoyed/upset/worried about the whole can't-talk-about-it mess from the previous week, and the news has not been good, plus probably hormones. Sigh. So I was low on energy and stuffed up with hayfever, which never helps my mood, and chores just did not get done (nor did refereeing. Sigh. I really find refereeing a slog...).
1) SELF-CARE (recovery and self-kindness)
* habits: something creative, D&D, read a novel, intentional movement 15 minutes x 3 days, a social thing knitted some and made a Mothering Sunday card, played twice, finished the history book and started a novel, 3 days of movement, nothing additionally social
2) HOUSE-LIFE CARE
* 75% or more of the weekly minimal chores nope! I'm not quite out of plates or underwear yet...
* sort out the BOTTOM of the stairs area it's somehow gained some recycling stuff as well
3) TEACHING AND ADMIN
* prepare for submission of undergrad research projects (I get to administrate all of it this year - yay. not.) just about done. Drama because it turns out one colleague forgot to release feedback to students for the final year project, and now all those students needed extensions to their final marks, plus the perennial issue of trying to allocate second marking fairly whilst navigating around colleagues who point-blank refuse to support anything outside their research specialism and who our manager does not seem to be managing (I mean, he may be behind the scenes, but so far it doesn't have any effect on this person refusing to do stuff, or doing it very badly if it's not to their taste. SIGH). But I have most things ready...
* feedback on postgrad chapter (it's never-ending) I did all the first-draft things but there's one section to go (the only piece which is on it's second reading)
* start timetabling planning if possible (make list of what I need to think about, at least)made a list. Still waiting for the official permission to start planning which I need before I start discussions with colleagues. All this waiting doesn't help my brain be productive in a low energy week...
I did also read.comment on two pieces of writing from another grad student and do a lot of "drop in" advising of first years who have started the assignment they were set at the start of Feb and don't remember what we did in CLASS in February... you can mention which parts of the assignment can be done now after every class, and point out how happy their future selves will be if they do the work now whilst they remember the content, but most students have to learn the hard way!
4) RESEARCH
* do at least two items on the Consultancy Paper list yup! It's now fully on other people's plates for the week...
* referee an article no
* read for stupid research assessment thing duty which I do not want to do. Pout. no. Now rather more urgent
did also make comments on an application for funding for a series of workshops which I was asked to join rather at the last minute (because the lead only spotted the funding opportunity at the last minute, not because I was a last minute choice for once which is nice). If funded, the organising group would be really fun, as it's made up of me plus three colleagues in the field who are all a pleasure to work with
THE COMING WEEK:
DeleteShould be another fairly steady week - there are two weeks left until Easter Break for us, and I have no classes this week (my first year class are on a field trip which I'm not assigned to, and my other teaching is the dissertation which should be submitted this coming week - more classes next week when the first years are applying various practical skills to data and photos collected during the field trip), and I have quite a lot of meetings and organis-y type duties. My lists are becoming rather heavy in urgent/noisy rather than TLQ at the moment, but making sure those things are not forgotten helps me get to TLQ things rather than feeling I can't go do them because I might have forgotten something else, honestly. My brain is TIRED... and Easter is filling up with meetings (because there's a lot to do before the end of the month, etc. etc.). One positive is that I have another day to adapt to the clocks going forward, as I don't have to be on campus until Tuesday and my first call isn't until 10 tomorrow (9am yesterday time, I do NOT like the clock change...).
1) SELF-CARE (recovery and self-kindness)
* habits: something creative, D&D, read a novel, intentional movement 15 minute x 3 days, a social thing
* book at least two days off work in addition to the Easter bank holidays in the break week
2) HOUSE-LIFE CARE
* 75% or more of the weekly minimal chores
* sort out the BOTTOM of the stairs area
3) TEACHING AND ADMIN
* organise all the submitted undergrad projects, assign to markers, ensure all markers are aware of the process (lots of meticulous file relabling and digital organisation needed, sigh)
* finish feedback on postgrad chapter
* start timetabling planning process if possible
4) RESEARCH
* referee an article
* read for stupid research assessment thing duty which I do not want to do AND attend stupid meeting. Pout!
The teaching/marking drama sounds nightmarish! I hope the organising group gets funded. It's about time you got something fun to work on.
DeleteWhat hassles! I agree that refereeing can be a bit of a slog, as well--but I'm also just tired of reading other people's drafts. Oh well. I hope that the week is manageable and that you adjust to the time change quickly!
DeleteThank you for the Mothering Sunday wishes! My kids joined forces with their grandfather to cook dinner for my mum and me. And I have a book, an amazing scented candle and a hand-drawn card.
DeleteYour workload sounds insane at the moment. Hope you can hang in until the end of term.
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ReplyDeleteA weekly massage sounds fantastic! I need to work on finding a place. With a found gift card, I went back to the spa at my old gym, and it struck me as trying much too hard. I mean, be a spa or be a gym! I'd like a place that's a little sporty, a little medical, rather than music-for-meditation and electric candles.
ReplyDeleteUgh, what a week. So.Many.People and So.Much.Talking. Extra meetings. Dissertation defense. Dentist. Extra day on campus, so half again the usual amount of driving (and that's not counting the trip to the dentist, plus a vet trip to more or less the same place yesterday, so probably double the driving, actually).
How I did:
- grade things. YES: all the things that have come in.
- graduate applications, process. NO, untouched.
- grant application, read/comment. NO (downloaded it . . .)
ALSO: apart from driving driving driving, I swam twice (yay!), bought a pair of black jeans, baked a cake, cut my hair, loaded a bunch of stuff to the ViLE site, and . . . that may be all that is worth reporting. I don't think I've even touched any research, except for sending myself an essay to read at the gym, which I didn't do b/c of the vet appointment that I had forgotten about until Sir John reminded me.
So, last weekly goals for this session. Wow. Can we all have badges for surviving Janfarch?
- swim 2x, cardio 3x, yoga 5x
- half an hour of research x5
- schedule a make-up thing for class
- process grad applications
- read/comment grant draft
- make arrangements for at least one of three upcoming conferences
I'd be willing to host or co-host for the next session.
That was a lot of things. And now we're into (almost) April, which is the month of madness--but also the month in which the end is in sight, for North American academics at least.... I hope that the week goes well!
DeleteSounds like an intense week. Driving is exhausting. Hope this week is easier.
DeleteWell, massages, definitely. Definitely! I would also deeply love one absolute non-work-day per week. I don't know quite how to manage that, since I'm not paid hourly, but maybe there would be some way to reduce work responsibilities (or stop agreeing to so many damn things) if money truly were no object....
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1. Reread ch. 1; deal with ch. 2 OL text if the library gets it to me this week - STILL WAITING ON TEXT! MS is due tomorrow. If the Latin isn't checked by then, I'll just have to fix errors in copy-editing, I think.
2. Send lots of email reminders and Zoom links for various things - Um, probably
3. Clear up a couple of notes-to-self in Alignment - Didn't work on this as much as I would have liked, but I did some
4. Return to exercise, again - Yes (2 runs/2 swims/1 yoga class)
I also finished my Italian novel (vol. 1 of Ferrante's "L'Amica geniale")--327 pages, all by myself! I just got vol. 2, but I'm going to give myself a little break before diving in. It's even longer. But I'm moving towards my goal of reading 3 Italian novels this year.
This week:
1. Get everything, everything in order for Very Fancy Writer visit next week--including reading another one of her (short) books
2. Submit final MS to press!
3. Read ahead for class (teaching new book next week)
4. Get information together for program fundraiser (so much dread around this)
5. Reread and do whatever I can to Alignment, which is due on the 15th
6. Print MS to review
It's a busy week, leading up to another busy week. Lots of events--too many. I'm missing the big march on Saturday because Kid doesn't want to go--and honestly I could use the time to prepare for class, etc.--but at least my husband will go and represent us....
The problem with non-work days is that one worries about the things not getting done! Or spends the day intending to do them, while running around doing necessary housework etc., so it feels like a work day on which nothing much is achieved. Well done on the Italian! I'm impressed that you're reading a literary book. Inspired by your example, I'm struggling through Le Indagine di Zia Poldi, which I originally read in English for my mystery group, then found its original was in German, but I think my Italian may be marginally better than my German. At least, I have a lot of Romance language experience to support it. Maybe once I get through the Italian I'll try the German, since by that time I should know the story pretty well.
DeleteHooray for the MS being so close to being a book!
Well done on the Italian novel! Ferrante doesn't seem from the English translation that she'd be an easy read. The only two books I've read in Italian (from a year's intensive course at university) are Il giardino dei Finzi-Contini, and Il sistema periodico. Neither was a light read, but Levi at least writes quite straightforward prose, and was very short! I doubt I remember enough Italian now to tackle anything.
DeleteOh, unlimited money. My first thought was flowers, but also weekly massages would be lovely. I buy myself flowers pretty regularly, but I buy the cheap bouquets at the grocery store, which vary in quality. And the ones from florists are MUCH nicer. I have a massage therapist at home, but haven't gone to one this year, and now I am desperately in need of one.
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
1. Read and trim paper for this weekend YES
2. Read essay for seminar tomorrow YES
3. Do several admin type things so they are DONE. CAN"T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE!
4. Pull together material for potential award. YES
5. Sleep SOME
6. Keep reading for fun YES
Well, I made it through the week, which is in itself an accomplishment. The second trip was good, but stressful: I saw one of my colleagues whose response to greeting me was to burst into tears because of the awfulness of the world (she studies the middle east, so. . .) And my nice tenants talked about deciding NOT to go home to see families this summer in fear that they might not be readmitted to the US. So that was heavy. But I saw many colleagues, heard some good papers, and generally had a good time. On the other hand, I haven't been sleeping well (lots of waking up at 2 and not sleeping for 2 hours or more) which is not so good.
I'm not traveling again until a quick trip home to hood my last grad student, and then when I leave My Favorite Library and move back home.
This week:
1. Busy work:
letter supporting student honors project
Write abstract for one of fall conferences
Finish working on images for Big Collaboration
2. Expenses for last two conferences
3. Read and figure out what I have to do for review of big grant from the UK
4. Read dissertation chapter
5. Read through editors comments on Famous Author, plan revisions
6. Do revisions of first 3 chapters of Famous Author
7. Return to exercise - 3x weights, 2x yoga, 1 walk to work
8. Get into healthy sleep cycle
9. Keep reading for fun
NB: 1-4 are really "clearing the decks", but I need to do them.
Also, I could potentially co-lead the summer session. Or maybe even an intersession of a month or so...
DeleteHope you can get back to better sleep patterns soon. There are no words to say how sorry I am about the awful situation in the US. Even at a distance, it's scary.
DeleteI would also love regular massages and facials. And fresh flowers. And maybe a regular cocktail evening. I've also had book subscriptions in the past, and that was always a nice treat, getting a book a month.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1. Build a bridge! - YES (took JaneB's excellent advice and started reading a big book which has some relevance for research and teaching. Also started ball rolling on getting someone to do some transcription/data entry.
2. Read through corrections to a thesis I examined last year. - YES
3. Informal queries about PhD examiners for student. - YES
4. Self-care: exercise, sleep, read, journal. - YES, NOT ENOUGH, YES, NO
5. Life admin: renew health cards for Easter travel, research summer travel plans, do small to medium house jobs. - YES, NO, NO.
Also: read a PhD student's introduction draft, read and commented on a draft article for a mentee.
This week:
I am at a conference Friday through Sunday, which will be exhausting and means Saturday and Sunday are effectively work days, so I am going to take it easier this week.
1. Finish reading big book, and take notes in a bridge-building way.
2. Finalise the transcription/data entry.
3. Meetings with PhD student and someone whose grant application I am supporting.
4. Self-care: exercise, sleep, reading, journaling.
5. Life admin: Easter holiday prep, research summer holiday plans.
I hope the conference is fun and inspiring as well as exhausting! But definitely take it easier this week in any case. Enjoy the big book and good luck with the rest!
DeleteOooh… If money was no object the first thing I would get is a personal trainer for couple of workouts every week. I did that once many years ago for about 2 months when a new gym had a special offer, and it was amazing. I loved it and learned so much in a short time… Even twice a week was fabulous, I wish I could do that longer term, especially now that age means I need to approach a lot of things differently than in the past.
ReplyDeleteOn smaller scale, making some Friday nights take-out night would be pretty awesome… Or do weekly dinner from a local place that does fancy pre-made meals with all local ingredients… Or a monthly or biweekly cleaning service… Regular flowers too!
Last week’s goals
Admin catch-up ETERNAL
Read student chapter (different one!) DONE
Last concert for season DONE
Document planned course changes DONE
Grant application NOPE
This week’s goals
Edit student chapters
Set exams
Finish term marking
Analytical stuff and sample prep
Grant application
My once-a-week meeting with my trainer is definitely one of the best things I do for myself. I think my gym subsidizes it somehow, because it's not that expensive: $20 for what is supposed to be 30 minutes and is often 40-45. Thanks for making me appreciate it more!
DeleteHooray for three DONE things!
Checking in late again, and quickly, mostly to say I’m still here (surgery is next week).
ReplyDeleteOn the topic, I think I’d pay someone else to cook good, healthy, food that I like and leave it in my fridge and/or freezer to reheat.
Goals for last week (actually, the last two weeks):
--Finish signup directions and guidelines for transcribers, communicate with people who have volunteered to test the directions/site
partly; worked on directions & guidelines, but still need to complete them; communicated with volunteers
--Visit archive to collect additional documents for site
yes (yesterday, but done)
--Continue work on site: add additional documents as time allows; experiment with adding person, place, and/or event items as time allows
yes on adding some documents; no on person/place/event items
--Write department chair, program director, and scheduling coordinator re: possible adjustments to fall schedule
postponed; need to do this coming week
--Continue movement, especially strength training of arms/shoulders (perhaps begin using some of the recommended post-op stretches as warmups?) yes on regular exercise; no on rehearsing post-op stretches
--Continue work in the garden (weeding, seed-sowing, mulching, bed-building)
yes except for bed-building
--Continue household work, especially packing/mailing returns, taking things to storage, and/or generally rediscovering/rearranging things.
some
--Begin taxes
finished taxes during week one of the two-week period!
Also: wrote an entry for my church’s Lenten Devotional, attended an excellent Lenten Studies series (we have a Biblical scholar to come in each year to talk about a book of the Bible), did various things in preparation for surgery, renewed my driver’s licence/converted it to a RealId, and undoubtedly some other things I’m forgetting about.
Goals for what’s left of this week (& into the coming week):
Delete--Finish up ancillary tax-related tasks
--Write department chair, program director, and scheduling coordinator re: possible adjustments to fall schedule
--Clean and organize apartment as much as necessary
--Get the garden to a stopping point (mostly a lot of mulching; some seedling-thinning and maybe seed-sowing if time)
--Squeeze in a bit of exercise
--Get ready for and get through surgery; begin recovery
Oh, and during the first week of the period covered above, I did also take a full day off to read a book (Barbara Kingsolver's Without Shelter, highly recommend) and a day in the garden.
DeleteMore money things - I would LOVE a cleaner, I didn't even think of that! If a book subscription counts as consumable, then definitely several of those, but as a book hoarder I'm not sure they work. Perhaps something like a kindle account I don't have to pay for with my own cash?
ReplyDelete