Today's theme is hopefully joyful. Going back to Hattie Crisell's questions: what are the rewards for you of being a writer (or researcher or academic, if you prefer)? Crisell herself cites comfort, 'an illusion of control'; that writing is a 'lifelong project' which is difficult but brings the satisfaction of progress and finally, understanding and connecting with others. Many of her interviewees, however, are refreshingly honest about liking the recognition: the awards, the positive reviews, even the money.
So what are the rewards for you? Is it the satisfaction of writing itself? Is it getting away to a library or an archive or a field trip? Is it the reviews, or having 'an eager beaver student' to quote Susan, saying they've read your book, or want to do a PhD with you?
Last week's goals:
Dame Eleanor
--1-2 hours research on each of 3 days
--prep for language groups
--book flight
--throw together two more sample syllabuses
--go to friend's lecture
--read for mystery group
--revise schedule if tomorrow's classes get cancelled
--enter some numbers on Blackboard
--try to stick to schedule I planned
--remember to look at calendar & lists every day
Daisy
Grant report
Grant application to offset budget cuts
Student Q+A session about all the horrible things
Undergrad chapters
One concert and a few rehearsals
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:
a) 75% of weekly list of chores
b) make a sketch for the new idea for the shelving in living space
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) successfully rearrange stuff from Tuesday and get through Thursday's long
day
b) work through discussion of the new administrative role
RESEARCH.
a) continue to progress modelling work
b) spend an hour on the revision for the revise and resubmit paper plus
organise/lead meeting
c) start working on lots-of-pages grant review (sigh. necessary, but oh, a
dispiriting prospect)
Susan
1. Harmonize grades and release them
2. Update syllabus to change assignments to counter AI (oral presentations,
here we come)
3. Write up assignment and revise because the library no longer has two
resources the assignment used.
4. Enjoy meeting my editor and others, seeing family and friends.
5. Keep up with email so I'm not drowning when I come back.
Heu mihi
(carried over from previous week)
1. Finish mini-talk #1 (revised and everything)
2. Write 3 pages of nonsense, bringing me to a total of 5
3. Write academically or creatively x 5
4. Deal with various journal-related issues
5. Plan summer travel!
6. Italian and exercise.
Julie
1. Research and writing: organise material for Big Article,
one day on review article, write one, maybe two sections on chapter.
2. Book travel for conference and seminar next month.
3. House/life admin: sort out accommodation for part of summer trip (booked the
wrong dates, now have to find somewhere else), finances, put dates in calendar
and plan other stuff, orthodontist appointment for son, book a haircut.
4. Self-care/fun: exercise, read, journal, maybe plant some stuff if weather
ok.
The main reward for me probably is the satisfaction of the writing itself and the feeling of getting it right, particularly if that takes more than one go. And it is therapeutic, not necessarily in a writing out problems and feelings way, just that I feel better on days when I get to write. But I am also pleased when other people like what I write, and more generally pleased if students seem interested by a lecture, or something I've covered in a seminar. So there are writing rewards and teaching rewards.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1. Research and writing: organise material for Big Article, one day on review article, write one, maybe two sections on chapter. - SOME, YES, ONE AND A HALF.
2. Book travel for conference and seminar next month. - YES
3. House/life admin: sort out accommodation for part of summer trip (booked the wrong dates, now have to find somewhere else), finances, put dates in calendar and plan other stuff, orthodontist appointment for son, book a haircut. - YES, YES, SOME, YES, NO
4. Self-care/fun: exercise, read, journal, maybe plant some stuff if weather ok. - YES, YES, YES, NO (weather still unpredictable)
This week:
1. Research and writing - organise more material for Big Article, finish review article (due 1st April), get close to finishing chapter.
2. Read article for post-doc mentee.
3. Grade posters for conference session next month.
4. House/life admin: book haircut, return library books, declutter dining room, book June mini-break with daughter, book another chunk of summer trip.
5. Self-care/fun: read, journal, exercise, maybe plant stuff, make list of birthday requests.
That's a lot of YES/DONE! How are you doing with the plan to assign different projects to different days?
DeleteMostly ok. I think it keeps things fresh. I'm not sure Big Article is getting enough time at the moment, but the aim is to submit it by the end of the academic year, so there's time.
DeleteThat is an absolutely beautiful flower! Glad it is bringing joy each year it blooms.
DeleteHave fun with the travel planning!
That's a lovely amaryllis!
ReplyDeleteI like writing as a craft and as a way of emptying out the ragbag of my head and getting to take a look at it. One of the things that keeps me back from novelling is the idea of other people reading stuff from my head in the way that they read fiction in process - it's taken a lot of effort to be sanguine about the processes of editing and refereeing and rejection around academic papers, and those are my ideas but written in a not-my-style style. I don't know, that's a messy half formed off topic thought! I love the craft of writing, the challenge of finding the right words to put a thing into the world, of being clear and accurate and also (relatively) easy to read. I like that you can always get better at writing!
LAST WEEK:
was not a good week. I had an emergency dentist appointment on Tuesday morning and now have a temporary filling, but it wasn't a good experience (dentist team as ever were lovely but...) the anaesthetic needle hit a nerve, the anaesthetic didn't quite cover the whole area so one corner of the drilling was no fun at all, and because it was a back upper molar my cheek and jaw were pulled about some. All of which to say I'm still in pain (and tooth pain is one of the most distracting kinds of pain, it's much easier to ignore hip or back pain when I need to think for me!), although it is slowly improving, and eating soup and soft things cautiously, and that is affecting my mood and my energy and all the things. Plus, on Tuesday, the weather suddenly went to SPRING MODE and the pollen count shot up, so some of the discomfort in my face is from cross irritated sinuses!
SELF-CARE: all process goals, for three term time months:
a) intentional movement 20x3 or 15x4 three times, two were gentle stretchy "meditative movement" things but it still counts
b) some kind of making (art or craft) x2 none
c) something gently social x2 not really
d) read at least one chapter (of fiction) every day this week yes
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT:
a) 75% of weekly list of chores no
b) make a sketch for the new idea for the shelving in living space no
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) successfully rearrange stuff from Tuesday and get through Thursday's long day yes. It was looooong. and the last class was clearly one none of the students really wanted to be in! It was a guest spot in one of those necessary-for-accreditation final year modules that requires a lot of dull material, and they know my content isn't part of their major assessments, and it was a 4pm to 6pm class... And because of the sore mouth I wasn't up to playing D&D that evening after all the talking which was a pity. But that's just how it goes some days! And I'm glad to have the guest spot behind me, it's been a low-key niggle on the horizon since mid-January
b) work through discussion of the new administrative role mostly yes
RESEARCH.
a) continue to progress modelling work slowly. Still can't work out the Mystery Error but the workaround is working for the moment.
b) spend an hour on the revision for the revise and resubmit paper plus organise/lead meeting yes. The afternoon of the tooth thing so may not have been at my best! Two weeks left to get it in, and some authors STILL haven't added their bits. Herding cats!
c) start working on lots-of-pages grant review (sigh. necessary, but oh, a dispiriting prospect) no
But on top of that lot I did get the latest version of the paper with the former visiting post-doc commented on and returned, and commented on a big chunk of draft text from the senior MSc by Research student - she's struggling with overcomplicating everything, I know it's a self confidence thing and that her weak point as an undergrad was always structuring her written text, but her drafts are not getting better, and I think she's panicking about needing to pay another set of "writing up" fees which is making it worse. So difficult!
THE COMING WEEK
DeleteThe nice decluttering person is coming on Friday and I only have to be on campus on Tuesday.
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 - I need to make four Easter cards for family
c) something gently social x2
d) read at least one chapter (of fiction) every day this week
e) ask the decluttering person to help me take a digital photo suitable for applying for passport renewal (we can do that from home so I want to at least TRY and do it that way!)
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT:
a) 75% of weekly list of chores
b) make a sketch for the new idea for the shelving in living space - and get the nice decluttering person to help me measure up!
c) list for decluttering person (turning out all the kitchen cupboards is the main job on the list)
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) do a good job of Tuesday's lab sessions
b) check over lists for after Spring Break (we have three teaching weeks left before the assessment period)
RESEARCH.
a) continue to progress modelling work - we have a meeting this week. Hopefully my collaborator will spot whatever is making the results from my old laptop be peculiar!
b) Have a full near-complete version of the revise and resubmit paper
c) start working on lots-of-pages grant review (sigh. necessary, but oh, a dispiriting prospect)
d) start methods training for applied thing
If toothache were mortal it would be the most dreaded of all illnesses.
DeleteAnd yet you still did your movement and your reading and commented on student work, and got the guest class over with! A good week for accomplishments.
Toothache is horrible. Hope this week is gentler for you. Well done on getting the guest class over with and on teaching through all the discomfort.
DeleteWhat a week! Hope this one is better and toothache stays away for good.
DeleteWay to go on all the student work and teaching things while still dealing with papers and dentists!
Ouch! So sorry about the emergency dentist. I have only ever taken opiates when I've had dental surgery, so I know how terrible the pain is.
DeleteThat is a lovely flower!
ReplyDeleteWhat are the rewards of being a writer/academic? Pretty much all of it, except grading and committee work! I like writing, even though sometimes it's hard to get started. I like seeing my name in print. I love traveling to archives and conferences, because I like to be somewhere *with a purpose* not just sight-seeing or relaxing, and to get to talk to other people who care about the peculiar things I care about. I like being able to have "distinguished" in my e-mail signature (even if it's a renewable award rather than a permanent title)--so, the recognition. I like working with college-age and returning students, being around younger people, mostly people who really value education rather than just going to school because it's expected of them (this is an artifact of LRU's student population). My life suits me very well, and I know I am fortunate in this.
How I did:
--1-2 hours research on each of 3 days: YES
--prep for language groups: YES
--book flight: YES (hooray!)
--throw together two more sample syllabuses: NO
--go to friend's lecture: showed up at the very end (OBE), so I did get to see her; my husband was there for the whole thing, at least.
--read for mystery group: YES (skimmed, didn't like the book)
--revise schedule if tomorrow's classes get cancelled: YES (it was very nice to have an extra day of break!)
--enter some numbers on Blackboard: YES
--try to stick to schedule I planned: ha ha, well, I did TRY
--remember to look at calendar & lists every day: MOSTLY
ALSO: swam close to two miles, 2 other gym visits; cleaned up after another basement flood (we now have a new sump pump, so I hope there will be no more floods); made carrot muffins; went for a walk with a friend; read three novels in addition to the mystery I didn't like (I spent the snow day reading and cooking); did a lot of pilling of Basement Cat, who wasn't feeling very well this week.
Last set of goals, yowza!
--1-2 hours research on each of 3 days
--try to finish conference paper
--prep for language groups
--throw together two more sample syllabuses
--gym x4
--finalize plans for seeing friends on Saturday
--remember to look at calendar & lists every day
A lot of yes! And sounds like very good use of the snow day.
DeleteGlad there was extra reading to make up for disappointing mystery! Second the excellent use of snow day, there is a lot to be said for making the most of days like that by including non-work fun things!
DeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteThanks for holding me over! Last week was The Big Conference, so that took over all my time. I honestly don't think that I've ever worked so hard. I was there from 6:30 or 7:30 am until after 9 every day.... And then yesterday I did very little (laundry, long naps), and today I'm sort of pulling myself back into the world. Wow.
So! Here's my list from two weeks ago, which is rather moot:
1. Finish mini-talk #1 (revised and everything) - Yes, and it's been delivered
2. Write 3 pages of nonsense, bringing me to a total of 5 - I think so? I can't remember, but I have more than 5, for sure. Like maybe...6!
3. Write academically or creatively x 5 - Definitely not; maybe x2?
4. Deal with various journal-related issues - Yes
5. Plan summer travel! - Yes
6. Italian and exercise. - Yes?
Whatever, it was two weeks ago.
As for rewards, well, at the conference, I gave a short talk about my new book in the "New Scholarship" session, and it went over very well. I think that this book is my best--which it should be, since I hope that I'm improving and not the opposite!--and it was exciting to have people come up to me afterwards to ask questions and express interest. I definitely enjoy the recognition--but I also deeply enjoy putting things into book form--anything, almost--I bound the cards people gave us when our son was born, for instance. It gives me a very satisfying feeling of completion. So that's a reward, too.
Work goes on with much business this week. Here's what I need to remember to do:
1. Revise (and present!) mini-talk #2
2. Work on taxes, ugh
3. Read a dissertation and prep for defense; read a student's pre-exam documents and prep for defense (we have a complicated exam structure)
4. Finish grading lingering papers
5. Wrap up a few conference things
6. Give self permission to drop the ball on creative work, writing, and even exercise, sometimes
I'm glad the conference went well, and what lovely feedback about your book!
DeleteEchoing Dame Eleanor - well done on the conference and that's a great response to your book!
DeleteThat is wonderful about your book, so glad that was a good experience! And congrats on making it through a huge conference and everything that involves! Hope this week is quiet and you get some recovery time.
DeleteIt's so great to have good feedback on your work! Congratulations!
Delete
ReplyDeleteMy job is awesome, despite the current angst and drama it is still an amazing job. As far as the writing part, I really do like seeing a finished paper with my name on it, particularly if it is with people I enjoy. I love giving talks and geeking out with conference people about the obscure things we enjoy… The travel for field work and conferences is marvelous too. On a larger scale I like the teaching because it is the same things but with more people.
All that said, this entire month is a garbage fire and I am barely keeping things together. The list of done things look good but none of it was real research or even satisfying. The music is keeping me sane this month… I am so grateful for that option, makes it possible to close the door on office stuff and concentrate deeply on something beautiful.
Last week’s goals
Grant report DONE
Grant application to offset budget cuts DONE
Student Q+A session about all the horrible things DONE
Undergrad chapters DONE
One concert and a few rehearsals DONE
This week’s goals
More undergrad chapters
Data analysis with students
Two concerts and a few rehearsals
Copy-edit thesis
Sort out last few weeks of term for teaching
Book summer conference travel
Hooray for music, then! I'm glad you have something beautiful to keep you sane. And I hope that the horrible stuff settles down soon to whatever the new normal is.
DeleteWhat a lovely amaryllis! And so great that it has continued to bloom! I have a beautiful Christmas cactus that was my mother's and it's in bloom now, and it always makes me think of her.
ReplyDeleteIt's Thursday, so...how I did:
1. Harmonize grades and release them NO (tomorrow?)
2. Update syllabus to change assignments to counter AI (oral presentations, here we come) YES
3. Write up assignment and revise because the library no longer has two resources the assignment used. YES
4. Enjoy meeting my editor and others, seeing family and friends. YES
5. Keep up with email so I'm not drowning when I come back. MOSTLY I HOPE
So clearly I HATE THE GRADING. I do anything but. Otherwise, Famous Author is PUBLISHED!!! In good bookstores, at least in the UK. I did two events this week, and saw my nephew and great-niece, and my sister came to London, so we had time together, and . . . . I've caught up with lots of stuff, and have a list of things to do.
Obviously, since it's Thursday evening (UK time) my list is short:
1. DO THE GRADES
2. Set up Interlibrary loan for two articles
3. Reject students we can't admit to grad program (the software has frozen on me and I have given up until someone helps.)
4. Expenses for last two trips
5. Have fun on my last two days here
Yay for Famous Author! Look forward to spotting it in a bookshop soon. Enjoy the last two days here, even if the weather seems to have decided to go back to winter.
DeleteFortunately, I experienced last week's lovely summery weather!
Delete