2025 Session 3 - Week 6, colour coding

It's clock change time in the UK this weekend - an extra hour of sleep is always a nice thing, but it means we are now officially into the "come home from work in the dark" time of year.  Autumn is my favourite season, followed by winter, but something about driving to work in the dark and coming home in the dark makes work feel even more takes-all-the-time-and-energy than the rest of the year.  And of course students get more unhappy about "late" classes (the latest end at 6pm - to students used to finishing school or college by 3 or 4, it is probably quite painful!).  Quite a few students are on their second or third illness and starting to drag a little - yes, definitely time for clock change and late Autumn, despite the weather remaining comparatively warm.

Interesting to read that we're all not much for the highlighters - I mentioned that seeing undergrads using them inspired this topic, and to expand it was because it seemed a rather retro thing for them to be doing.  This week, lets talk a bit more widely about colour - is colour important to you when it comes to stationary and the organisation of work things, or not?  Do you have colour associations with particular subjects or aspects of your work?  Or do you just grab the nearest folder or pen regardless of colour?

As a reminder, NEXT week is week 7, our goals review week (we planned a 13 week session ending 14th December, although we can go on an extra week if we want).

Mr Shoutypants LOVES this laser pointer cat toy (it has several different shape options - he seems to like this star and the butterfly ones best).  He has developed a specific combination of meow and stance that commands me to make the prey appear so he can stalk and chase it.  A blurry photo taken phone in one hand in poor light - the other hand was busy manipulating the cat toy.

LAST WEEK'S GOALS

Daisy

People-managing issues
Accounting
Read and comment on thesis work (3 students)
Update course outlines
Finish giant review task
Review co-authored paper
Finish grading!!
Something fun with friends

Dame Eleanor Hull

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions (TRQ paper, think about abstracts for conferences, festschrift, how to make all this work)
- re-write grad quiz, comment on last week's in-class undergrad work, plus another if I dare assign anything else right now, grade grad quiz
- work on sample syllabus for a proposed course, also add required boilerplate to another one I mostly did last summer
- breathe!

heu mihi

1. Read ch. 3 and 4 of the dissertation

2. Run event and get organized for colleague's service/admin position

3. Final (??? I hope) edits to book MS--I just got another email with some very fiddly questions that I need to answer

4. Gift for baby shower

5. 35 pages of Italian, keep up with workouts

JaneB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) prepare for week 7 meetings
b) week 8 materials half done
c) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
d) pick up graduate student applications postponed due to group paper
e) do appraisal training (new system. SIGH)
RESEARCH
a) read and comment on draft of paper for not-my-grad-student
b) read and comment on draft of paper from surprise collaboration
c) find time to work on budget planning following a meeting two weeks ago. Grrr!
d) work with lead author on revise-and-resubmit of the multi-author paper which has been ongoing for at least 5 years - get sent to rest of multi-author team.
e) confirm mock viva for Junior PhD student

Julie

1. Finish the damn abstracts (deadline theoretically today)
2. Personal Research Plan (deadline Friday)
3. Start reading book for review
4. At least one research/writing session.
5. Self-care/fun stuff: baking, make soup, exercise, sleep, maybe do something creative, hopefully see friend at weekend.
6. Home/life admin: stock up at farm shop, take daughter for haircut, organise getting piano taken away.

Susan

1. Send out draft of Big Stupid Report
2. Get a bit more of paper written for next week.
3. Set up brown bags, schedule seminars for next semester
4. Clear journals off my desk
5. Keep sorting stuff, getting rid of what I can
6. Enjoy trip to city, time with friends, and even the committee meeting
7. Keep up with exercise (cycle x 3, yoga and weights x2)
8. Make sure I keep sleeping

2025 Session 3 - week 5, highlighters!

Well, that was a week - a LOT of drama from both staff and students, and two writing projects coming to urgent deadlines.  Hopefully some of you had a quieter time to balance that out!  At least the article due 15th October was finally submitted (after 2 hours 45 of fighting the submission site), so we get virtual chocolate all around!

This week's discussion topic is inspired by a couple of super-organised female first years who like to sit at the front of any class, have those large canvas pencil cases stuffed with supplies, and pull out 3-5 coloured highlighter pens as soon as any kind of handout appears.  I have bought so many highlighter pens over the years - ones in cute cases, ones arranged into a flower shape, ones which promise to be muted colours, ones which claim to not bleed through even the thinnest of paper.  But somehow they never transformed my reading comprehension, my memory r my organisation.  Opening a new pack and making test-swipes in my notebook is always a moment full of promise though so it will probably happen again!  What's your experience with highlighters?  Must have or meh? 

Home office supervisor/micro-manager

LAST WEEK'S GOALS

Daisy

Paper data processing
Student abstracts/presentations/posters
Web posts
External event and preparation
Accounting
Start on giant review committee task
Two fun friend meetups

Dame Eleanor Hull

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions (TRQ paper, think about abstracts for conferences, festschrift, how to make all this work)
- grade the rest of the undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write another grad quiz, write another undergrad assignment, comment on in-class undergrad work
- write a sample syllabus for a proposed course

heu mihi

1. Read ch. 2 and 3 of the dissertation
2. Write teaching award recommendation after observation
3. Answer interview questions from my press for a blog post of some kind
4. Read undergrad's short story ahead of Friday meeting
5. Read 35 pages of Italian
6. Keep up with workouts--I might run in a 5k on Saturday, because why not?

JaneB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
e) do not eat sweet treats already bought for Christmas (not a good move)
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) week 6 materials ready to go
b) limit teaching and admin to 2 hours at weekend (I have a three hour research meeting on my "no work day" so...
c) pick up graduate student applications postponed due to group paper
d) do appraisal training (new system. SIGH)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) - create final draft on Monday, send to the two copy-edit/references volunteers. Submit the whole darn thing on the 15th (allow several hours for the stupid exhausting submission system for this set of journals, and writing the cover letter).
b) test the computer stuff we set up two weeks ago if possible... collaborator on that project goes away end of week, so we want this ready to go if possible for the next stage
c) return box text to main team
d) schedule mock viva for junior PhD student.
e) find time to work on budget planning following a meeting two weeks ago. Grrr!
f) work on revise-and-resubmit of the multi-author paper which has been ongoing for at least 5 years. SIGH.

Julie

1. Meeting with PhD student to discuss viva prep.

2. Reference for another student.

3. Complete Personal Research Plan (department requirement, but more sensible than other plans forced on us).

4. Finish typing up some notes, organise photos and notes from this trip.

5. Put meetings etc in new diary.

6. Review abstract submissions for big conference next year.

7. Life admin: book dentist and flu jab, organise son's school trip, order school photos, send sister's birthday card.

8. Get back to exercise.

Susan

1. Actually start drafting paper for conference in two weeks

2. Set up brown bags

3. Set up speakers for spring

4. Keep up with BIG STUPID COMMITTEE

5. Do one box from room of doom, and the cart

6. Call doctor for referral to PT

7. Contact realtors for initial meeting

8. Do something fun at the weekend

9. Keep up with exercise

10. Keep up with regular sleep

2025 Session 3 - week 4, sticky notes/scratch pads

 Hello everyone, I hope you all had a decent week. the leaves are turning properly now making the drive home from work in the afternoon on sunny days much prettier than usual, and the students are well into sharing around the Freshers' Flu with staff, another well known seasonal marker!  So far I've avoided it but I am firmly masking and when I had to teach a couple of lab sessions I improved the seal with wardrobe tape - the teaching room is nicely laid out but has no open windows (some CAN open but only if people climb on benches to make it happen manually - old building retrofitted somewhat thoughtlessly, doubtless by the cheap bidder), no air conditioning, is on the afternoon-sun side of the building... so it gets both hot and stuffy.  And we could hardly open the doors to the corridor because firstly, setting a bad example, and secondly, the practical involving grinding and sieving soils then measuring out a lot of fine soil powder for various tests, and this was our first years first introduction to laboratory work, so the corridors would not have stayed clean either.  We use non-contaminated soil from a nice local nature area, it's VERY visible when they do spill anything on tables, floors or their lab coats, and the only chemical involved in this first class is water, so it's a perfect first practical in terms of minimal risk, easy to see if they have or have not spilt a bit or followed the rules about cleaning up as they went AND it yields useful data for later in the course (IF instructions were followed.  I got three reliable-looking datasets from about ten groups this time).  But it was definitely something of a germ party and a dust storm in there!

For stationary this week let's talk about what we use for ephemeral notes.  Despite all my notebooks, I do tend to still need some less permanent writing surface - to remind me to do something in 5 minutes, jot down a number I need in a different software package to look up a student, to make a to-do list for the afternoon, to write down a book name or sketch an explanation for a student.  Do you do all those things electronically, use a whiteboard, use sticky notes (branded or not? shape and size?), use the backs of old handouts and envelopes, keep a reporter's notebook on your desk... many options!  I look forward to hearing what you do!

Two Shoutypants pictures this week - the boy attempting to psychically persuade me to get out the treats, and a clearer shot of the begging/threatening paw he often offers as part of the process(he has very large murder mittens at full spread, but they are very hard to photograph!).  He likes to spread his toes so aaaaallll the very white claws come out then gently pat my leg with just the paddy part underneath, it's somewhat unnerving the first time he does it!

  

LAST WEEK'S GOALS:

DAISY

Complete talk
Record talk
Paper outline and section points to go with talk
All the marking
Web posts
External committee wrap-up
Accounting

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5

- at least 3 writing sessions (I've scheduled more than that on my calendar; let's see if I can stick to them!)
- grade the rest of the undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write another grad quiz
- read another essay submission
- read the rest of the files for committee work

HEU MIHI

1. Really must read the dissertation, at least the intro + 2 chapters
2. Consider writing LOR, but without a deadline, this may get pushed
3. Read 35 pages of Italian
4. Spend Saturday helping Mom declutter some part of her house

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) get week 4 and 5 materials ready to go, and STOP THERE (after this week I'm only coordinating the first years, not teaching the classes, for a couple of weeks - a bit of a breather before things get seriously busy - but I need to focus on research not on teaching this week),
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) review processes for graduate student applications and catch up on relevant emails
d) do appraisal training (new system. SIGH)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) meeting, at least half a day of work.
b) test the computer stuff we set up two weeks ago
c) edit/precis box text using comments.
d) talk about viva preparation with junior PhD student, and post-wildfire issues with junior MSc student.
e) continue to work on budget planning following a meeting last week

JULIE

1. Maximise final afternoon today in other archive before trains stop running on Tuesday (didn't realise this before I came). How many photos can I take in four hours?
2. Maximise rest of time in Barcelona
3. Celebrate my dad's birthday tomorrow.
4. Squeeze in as much time as possible walking around my favourite bits of the city.

SUSAN

1. Last letter of recommendation, due Friday (it's for a grant, and I really want them to get it.)

2. Start planning late October paper

3. Plane tickets for November conference

4. Set up talks

5. Be ready when ILL microfilms arrive to sit and save them to a file, which will be a massive PITA.

6. Clear out one box from the room of doom. (JaneB has a chair of doom, I have a whole room!)

7. Clear the chair in my office of accumulated paper

8. (optimistic) deal with one pile from my desk

9. Keep up with exercise

10. Do fun things at the weekend

11. Maintain healthy sleep schedule

2025 Session 3 - week 3, pens

 

Greetings from a very windy UK, where the first Atlantic storm of the season is letting the trees get all dramatic and cast their leaves around, and annoying Mr Shoutypants because his windowledges are cold on windy days.  It's still relatively early in Autumn and mild, but it is REALLY DEFINITELY Autumn now.  My favourite season!  Despite the students... and the colleagues... and the new software...

Last week we talked about which writing tools we used when - this week lets focus in specifically on pens.  I have very strong feelings about pens, and I know many of my academic colleagues do, and I keep a pen-pot of university issued cheap biros on the student facing side of my desk in hopes of stopping them accidentally walking off with either the slightly better, mosre costly uni issued gel pens or even worse one of MY pens.  As a mark of the financial situation of most UK regional (and this year also Brand Name) universities, the stationary cupboard is no longer stocked, but I have a box in my office which contains leftovers from past activities and years, so should be able to stock the student facing pen-pot for at least this year - and if at least half of them continue taking notes on their phones instead of paper (postit notes are left next to the pen-pot) perhaps two or even three years!  So which pens do YOU guard jealously?  Do you have an old favourite, a new discovery to share, or complete bafflement as to why people care?

He knows he shouldn't be there but he can't see me so I don't know, right?

LAST WEEK'S GOALS

DAISY

Complete draft of upcoming talk for co-authors to look at
Paper outline and section points to go with talk
External committee work and travel
Write web posts on plane or something
Do at least one fun thing while away for trip

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions
- grade undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write and grade grad quiz
- read another essay submission
- read files for committee work

HEU MIHI

1. Write LOR for third student
2. Revise index
3. Read 35 pages of Italian novel; maybe attend Italian discussion group
4. Complete periodic review of Gen Ed course (been on my docket for months now)
5. Start reading dissertation
6. Read prospectus

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week,
b) print off Inktober prompts and start doing them

c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure

IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) get week 3 materials finished off for the first year module (the coming week is week 2)
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) make contact with all my tutees/supervisees - again
d) get week 4 materials sorted for the honours class (they need releasing Tuesday of week 3 so if they are done by the end of this week that will help me relax over the weekend)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) a couple of hours of work, schedule meeting
b) read and comment on chapter for meeting, add to methods text
c) test the computer stuff we set up last week
e) edit/precis box text using comments.

JULIE

1. Get reading for two different chapters done and fill in as many gaps as possible.

2. Start looking at primary sources (two different archives in different places, so need to work how to juggle)

3. Co-habit peacefully with my dad.

4. See family.

5. Ignore all but urgent and essential emails.

SUSAN

1. Find chair for session

2. Organize talks

3. Write report on sabbatical (due Wednesday)

4. Write two letters of reference

5. Start thinking about the paper I am giving at the end of October.

6. Buy plane tickets for conference in mid-November

7. Do something about ILL stuff

8. Keep up with exercise

9. Do something fun

10. Sleep