2026 Session 1, Week 6

Since this is a short session, we're already halfway through it! Therefore I'm posting session goals as well as last week's goals (colo(u)r-coded to help find them in a long post) so we can think about whether it's time to get cracking on some items; face the need to jettison some; or realize that we have had to add some new goals. This seems like a good time also to remind ourselves of Julie's starting question about how we can practice kindness, to ourselves, to others, to our world. 

I am writing this with a cat on my lap; not sure if it counts as my being kind to the cat or her being kind to me, but it does seem to increase both of our happiness. 

As to this week's topic, here are some brief words from my man John McPhee: "Writing should be fun at least once in a pale blue moon." What might you do this week to make that pale blue moon rise?

Session goals:

Daisy

One new paper as first author... seriously, just one, I can surely do that???
Be effective and kind supervisor for two grads and two undergrads.
Do good job on massive important review committee.
Do something fun with friends once a week.
Exercise!!!!

Dame Eleanor Hull

*Research:
--abstract due end of this month for summer conference #2
--conference paper for April travel
--very overdue essay to finish ASAP (currently at 5005 words, so I have made progress during break)
--regular scholarly reading and language study, a process goal
*Teaching:
--read two PhD exams, consult with student as necessary
--plan out all class prep for the term and keep on top of it
*Personal:
--collect paperwork for taxes
--clean the garage and de-mousify it
--plan/organize travel for April trip and three others (two conferences, one purely fun)
--replace my ancient i-Pad
--In general, I'd like to do better at managing my time.

heu mihi

1) Finish messy, partial draft of article due in July (I'm teaching the book that it's about in April, so there's no sense in getting too far ahead of myself, since rereading it will be helpful)
2) Edit festschrift essays and draft at least part of the intro
3) Maintain exercise
4) Creative writing: average 2x/week, however drafty and silly it may be
5) Add occasional meditation to my weeks
6) Languages: Read one Italian novel; work on Latin and/or Old English
7) 3+ good habits a day*

JaneB

SELF-CARE: all process goals, for three term time months:
a) intentional movement for at least 20 minutes three days a week or 15 for four days a week (this can be stretching or more active exercising, but it needs to be intentional and additional to just "doing life"),
b) some kind of making (art or craft) a couple of times a week,
c) doing something gently social (playing D&D online counts, or a multi-text exchange with a non-work friend, or spending time on a forum a couple times a week
d) keep up reading for pleasure and read at least one non-fiction book
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT: goals carried over!
a) keep doing the weekly list of chores - aiming for 75% done every week to be realistic.
b) sort out new shelving in my living space - and maybe a sofa
c) clothes storage solutions (currently all my actually-in-the-rotation clothes are either in the laundry basket, on the airer, or piled on a chair or in the clean undies basket. This is not ideal).
d) plus pay more attention to my finances. Not quite sure what that will look like, but it got dropped last trimester, and I need to be less careless!
TEACHING AND ADMIN: This is a lighter semester, but the first month is full of grading from the first semester whilst preparing for the second's teaching. Process goals here for the session because the session doesn't line up with our academic calendar (which is a mess...).
a) end each work week (Thursday) with everything set up ready to go for the following week and, if possible, have a solid start on the week after that.
b) limit working on teaching and admin issues over the weekend (let's say no more than 5 hours) and if possible ZERO
RESEARCH
I have a lot of balls in the air, but for this session I do have some very concrete goals, very different for me!
a) revise and resubmit two papers by due dates in early April (one I'm a minor author on, one I'm leading)
b) be on top of contributions to large project where I have a small part - by the end of the session I would like a clear plan for the little part of the project where I am the leading expert.
c) complete and submit a first-stage grant application
d) keep up with all the other pieces of research and writing as things come in and go out (they're all collaborative, so what happens when isn't entirely in my control).
c) make measurable progress with at least three other writing/data processing projects (I'll make a list now of what I'm working on)

Julie

1. Research/writing:
(i) Big article, which I am hoping to send to a top journal. Plan is to have a full draft I can present at a seminar at the end of April.
(ii) Chapter for a local history: I have a 15,000 word draft, and the editor likes it, but wants it to be twice as long (!) to fit with other chapters, so I need to pad it out. (IMO this is ridiculous, but I am committed now. And I will be paid for this.) Due April
(iii) Review article for anniversary edition of a journal, due 1st April.
(iv) Grant application: start the process.
Teaching
(i) Preparation for new first-year teaching next year (we are redesigning our curriculum, so I have to participate in this): keep to the bare minimum.
(ii) PhD corrections for final PhD student.
Other academic stuff:
(i) Organising committee for big anniversary conference in April.
3. Life admin/house stuff
(i) Plan big summer trip to celebrate significant birthdays (the actual trip will be self-care/fun, the planning is too stressful to be).
(ii) Finances: tax return, but also some big decisions to make
(iii) Small to medium jobs: decluttering, new lamps, get pictures framed and hung, get a standing desk and new chair for study, new chair for spare room (for reading in the morning sun), touch up paintwork in various rooms.
Kids:
(i) Ongoing parenting stuff, plus school work, final-year assignments, daughter's driving test.
Self-care/fun:
(i) Meet-ups with friends, especially around significant birthdays.
(ii) Reading for pleasure
(iii) Journaling
(iv) Do more creative stuff.
(v) Exercise

Susan

Research: minimal.
Famous Author: On Sunday night at 8 PM I submitted the corrected proofs and index for Famous Author, which will be published in March. There are going to be events and publicity stuff around this. But it's DONE. (It also means I had a minimal break and no relaxation over the holidays, which is not good.)
Rest of my life project: I have microfilms in the library and I need to scan them. I have two now, and I'll get the rest. It's something I can do during the semester, without worrying about reading everything or doing anything with it.
Other: My department is planning a small conference in honor of my retirement, but since the person who would have done all the work is now dealing with a mother who has terminal cancer, I'll probably do most of the planning.

Teaching: I am inventing a new course, mostly because I wanted to teach stuff that is relevant, so I'm mushing together parts of two different courses that I think speak to our current moment. The title is stolen from the American Historical Association's tagline, "Everything has a history". I want to do a good job, stretch myself and my students, but not kill myself. Classes start next week.

Admin: I'm chair of our graduate program, and budget cuts etc make life challenging. I also need to identify someone to take over. Or maybe I don't. But I'd like someone good (i.e. both efficient and kind) to do it.

Life: The plan is to sell my house and move at the end of the semester. So I need to do SIGNIFICANT decluttering, getting rid of academic books that supported teaching I won't do again, books I won't read, etc. It's a lot.

Last week’s goals:

Daisy

All trip accounting for lab work and conference
Read and edit student chapters

Dame Eleanor Hull

--1/2 hour writing/research on each of 3 days
--prep for 2 meetings
--prep for guest class
--prep for future class activity that has to be started way in advance
--prep for language groups
--first round of grading
--track down missing ILL book or institute library search
--gym at least 3x, yoga at least 4x
--remember to look at calendar/lists every day

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 other than re-reading bits of Queen Demon
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) reschedule decluttering person session.
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) deliver week 3 of teaching, chase up the last few students I need to meet with (or raise Welfare Concerns)
b) prepare class materials for fifth week of teaching, with updating
RESEARCH. This all feels very repetitive but I AM making small bits of progress each week, not just listing-and-ignoring!
a) work on the larger outline grant application
b) analyse results and start another set of models running
c) read and comment on second draft of paper from Unexpected Collaborator

heu mihi (held over)

1. Finish program
2. At least one more LOR
3. Clean house for Dad's visit
4. Prepare newsletter
5. Send program highlights to chair
6. Italian & exercise

Julie

1. Research/writing - one day on each project, fourth day wait and see which needs the attention.
2. Meetings and department seminar.
3. House/life admin: travel planning, financial stuff, return library book, decluttering.
4. Self-care/fun: exercise, reading, Netflix, journal, cook a new recipe.

Susan

1. Figure out conference stuff - hand it off to colleague
2. FInish reading book for review
3. Update syllabus
4. Multiple little admin things
5. Keep plugging away at clutter: office, room of doom
6. Keep up with exercise, figuring out what I can and can't do.
7. Have some fun