2026 Session 1, week 4

Here we are in February! Bye, January, don't let the door hit you on your way out. 

I'm going to take this week's quote and theme from John McPhee, whose essays about writing have been collected and published as Draft No. 4. (I admit I'd be delighted if I ever limited myself to four drafts of any serious piece of writing.) Structure is always hard for me, and I envy scientists and social scientists who have field-driven standard structures to work with. McPhee presents and discusses various visualizations of the structure of essays he has written: a spiral, a circle, a set of ovals hanging from a through-line, two sets of ovals/images arranged as two sides of a triangle, the lines converging. And then he says this:

Readers are not supposed to notice the structure. It is meant to be about as visible as someone's bones. And I hope this structure illustrates what I take to be a basic criterion for all structures: They should not be imposed upong the material. They should arise from within it. That perfect circle was a help to me, but it could be a liability for anyone trying to impose such a thing on just any set of facts. A structure is not a cookie cutter. . . . A piece of writing has to start somewhere, go somewhere, and sit down when it gets there. (34)

I will note that although bones are not visible, we would certainly notice if they were missing. But I like the idea that writing has to 'sit down when it gets there' rather than, say, hitting the reader over the head with the main idea.

And presumably even the scientists find that a structure is not a cookie cutter, that 'methods' and 'discussion' sections do not write themselves (that's a fantasy of the humanities, I expect). 

So if you feel like discussing your experiences with structure--developed or imposed, internal or external, diagrammable or just sensed--have at it in the comments. Also, of course, let us know how you did last week and what your goals are for this beginning of February.

Daisy

Help students to get presentations ready
Do mountain of committee reviews
Don’t lose mind
Do something healthy

Dame Eleanor Hull

--2 hours writing/research on each of 3 days
--abstract for August conference
--meet with TAs
--edit & submit teaching report for annual review
--add time estimates to list of class prep items
--prep for my classes (restrict to teaching days as much as possible!)
--process grad applications (10-ish, now)
--3 hours on garage
--remember to look at calendar/lists every day
--order book for Greek group

heu mihi

1. Read student's exam prep documents and give feedback
2. Get as much as possible done on the program for the big conference we're hosting in March
3. Read ahead for class
4. Read a few essays and decide whether to assign them or not
5. Make one more little box for a flash drive
6. Admin stuff: Finish reviewing grad students' syllabi, review grad applicants' files for Friday interviews, prep for undergrad meetings, any number of other little things as they arise

JaneB

SELF-CARE: all process goals, for three term time months:
a) intentional movement 20x3 or 15x4
b) some kind of making (art or craft) x2
c) something gently social x2
d) read at least one chapter (of fiction) every day this week
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT: goals carried over!
a) 75% of weekly list of chores
b) make a sketch for the new idea for the shelving in living space
c) decluttering person will hopefully come, and we will Tackle The Kitchen Cupboards...
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) deliver week 1 of teaching
b) prepare class materials for third week of teaching, with or without revision
RESEARCH
a) work on grant application
b) set second set of models running at end of week

Julie

1. Work on Big Article: try to figure out structure and start organising material.
2. Add new section to local history article.
3. One day on review article.
4. House/life admin: son's birthday, brother's birthday, more financial stuff, decluttering, pay for school trip, tidy desk.
5. Self-care/fun: video call with friends, read, journal, Netflix, exercise, do something creative.

Susan

1. Finish microfilm
2. Organize things with guest
3. Do reading for workshop (precirculated papers are great, until they are not!)
4. Get a little bit ahead on teaching.
5. Work on organizing conference
6. Hang out with friends
7. Keep up with exercise/ PT
8. Limit social media for mental health