tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post6552729604309788383..comments2024-03-29T00:34:24.152+00:00Comments on Top Left Quadrant: Week Two: Hold the SpaceJaneBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17779448611795379774noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-57255724293669899272016-10-01T02:34:36.241+01:002016-10-01T02:34:36.241+01:00Hmm. I hadn't thought of the time I've ke...Hmm. I hadn't thought of the time I've kept for Church, but that's definitely time I block out. And we usually go out for breakfast afterwards, so it's a bit sociable. Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-85093915566669981632016-10-01T00:14:12.735+01:002016-10-01T00:14:12.735+01:00CC, the defense likely will not be the final step....CC, the defense likely will not be the final step. It's very common to get corrections, so the question is whether or not I have to do *minor* corrections, which vary in terms of how "minor" they, but they still constitute a "pass" (although I don't think I'd be a "Dr." yet until the corrections were made and confirmed). I could also be sent back to do major corrections. This is more problematic and does not indicate that I've passed (I don't think). I could also fail, and be given the opportunity to resubmit in a year (or so), starting all over again with new examiners. I don't think I will fail.<br /><br />Either way, I'm probably not finished with the document.Good Enough Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531793545583712309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-5790391527363864252016-09-30T18:06:15.680+01:002016-09-30T18:06:15.680+01:00There *may* be a context in which lecturing someon...There *may* be a context in which lecturing someone about their "attitude" makes sense, but, if so, I can't bring one to mind. It seems to me that such lectures are usually an indication that the person doing the lecturing, despite holding more power, by some measure, than the person being lectured, is feeling powerless to change the situation in any constructive way, and pretty discouraged/negative themselves, and, unable to vent their frustrations at those above them in the hierarchy, has decided to vent at subordinates (or sometimes equals) in a way that shifts the blame to them. <br /><br />It can also, I think, be a sign of a dreamer/big ideas person (the type who often seeks out a managerial post of some sort) feeling overwhelmed by the day-to-day details that go into the implementation (or not) of the dream (or unwilling to grapple with those details, and resentful of those who do, and so realize all the practical ramifications of big-picture changes/decisions). <br /><br />Whatever the reasons, it's not good behavior, and not good management, because it saps the energy of those on the receiving end of the lectures. Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-77599709102694870212016-09-30T17:58:50.671+01:002016-09-30T17:58:50.671+01:00Ugh. The only thing I can think of (and I don'...Ugh. The only thing I can think of (and I don't claim to be good at all at this sort of thing) is to point out that the request was especially difficult because you'd blocked out the time to prepare for the conference (without saying that you felt the conference presentation suffered for it; that's always the tricky part, and one with which I *am* familiar from arguments about the effect of class load and other working conditions on the effectiveness of teaching). Maybe a "I managed, but is there a way we can avoid this happening again?" type approach? Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-70310988462630840532016-09-30T17:54:36.143+01:002016-09-30T17:54:36.143+01:00Late sympathies for the rough week (and another co...Late sympathies for the rough week (and another congratulations -- to us all -- for surviving the debate. May we now survive the election, and the 4 years that follow.) It sounds like you made progress, and created the conditions in which you could make progress, which is a win in my book. And yes, brief explanations may be necessary, though a combination of physical injury and the need to focus on deadlines in a space conducive to that seems like a pretty good reason for working at home. It also sounds like the major goal with diss advisor should, probably, be "not burning bridges"/transitioning to a former-colleagues relationship as soon as possible (though of course some of that is probably out of your control; hence one reason for bridge-maintaining). Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-8047863838274837152016-09-30T17:48:12.472+01:002016-09-30T17:48:12.472+01:00That does sound like a good break (though, yes, no...That does sound like a good break (though, yes, not restful -- 2.5-year-olds are not easy, though they certainly aren't boring). I've got an odd 10-day-or-so period of mostly travel in about a month (two back to back trips with 1 home/teaching day in between), and I need to think about how best to make them a time to think about some long-term projects, and generally regroup. This is a good reminder to start working toward that goal, especially in terms of taking as little grading as possible with me. Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-28780889142152388662016-09-30T17:41:49.150+01:002016-09-30T17:41:49.150+01:00Topic: the one bit of time that I'm generally ...Topic: the one bit of time that I'm generally pretty good at holding for myself and tending my relationships with others is Sunday morning (and sometimes Sunday afternoon when my small Bible study/support group at church meets). Partly out of obligation (to other humans more than God; I sing in the choir), and partly out of habit, I nearly always go to church on Sunday morning, and I almost always spend some time catching up with one or more other members afterward. I did miss two weeks in a row at the beginning of this term, both because I'd stayed up late the night before: in one case to do something for my brother's birthday, in one case because I was working on syllabi, due Monday. That was probably diagnostic of how the term was going to begin. <br /><br />And I think the above holds a clue to one thing I could do to hold a bit more time for myself, especially now as I'm feeling just a bit more caught up with the term (though definitely not fully there yet): I need to do a better job of detaching from work (and the internet more generally) in the evenings, and following a bedtime routine that leads to a more regular bedtime. Unfortunately, that requires being enough on top of things that I'm not staying up trying to finish one more thing that I really do owe my students, and the whole get-a-bit-ahead-to-stay-on-schedule thing is a bit too close kin to the "when the rush is over I'm going to have a nervous breakdown" quote mentioned above (which, I realize, resonates with me in part because I'm reasonably good at coping with emergencies, even relatively long-running ones, but tend to pay the price afterward). Nevertheless, I could apply a stricter "do I really have to do this now?" standard. <br /><br />In the longer term, this is also an argument for trying to take summers off from teaching again (which I feel curiously guilty about, even though I know it's a good idea). It's not so much that I used to get so much done during the summer, as that having both time off and time to do some household chores, self-care, reading, research, and class prep over the summer made for more, and more productive, time during the school year. So I guess that's my longer-term holding/making time for myself goal (and I will *not* feel guilty about it!) Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-61055626980617293022016-09-30T16:51:52.256+01:002016-09-30T16:51:52.256+01:00Another late but hearty Congratulations!!!
And a ...Another late but hearty Congratulations!!!<br /><br />And a "hah" on the even-later-to-the-party secondary supervisor. At some point you've just gotta keep moving. <br /><br />Is the viva definitely the end of the process at your institution, or might they ask for additional revisions (this seems to differ at U.S. institutions; mine was one where nearly everybody gets a handshake and a "congratulations, Dr. ---" after a few nervewracking minutes in the hall after the defense, but I know a reasonable number of people who had revisions to do after the defense. Usually binding pre-defense means the defense is the final step; hope that's the case for you. Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-32111987426999373962016-09-30T16:42:47.840+01:002016-09-30T16:42:47.840+01:00I, too, remember that saying (though I don't t...I, too, remember that saying (though I don't think it was in our home; my mother had "children learn what they live" on a tea towel, instead. That one's good, but maybe a bit too demanding, especially of mothers; one could, however, add some lines about children seeing adults taking care of themselves, and learning to do the same). I think the whole point of the nervous-breakdown passage is, indeed, that the rush is never over (so one might as well have the breakdown, or at least take a break, *now*). Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-82141774513148653952016-09-30T16:37:23.513+01:002016-09-30T16:37:23.513+01:00Ugh. I'm sorry. For better or for worse, I don...Ugh. I'm sorry. For better or for worse, I don't have the research-based dilemmas, but trying to figure out how to be fair to both my students and myself given the less-than-ideal conditions in which I teach (and the less-than-ideal conditions in which many of my students are trying to get an education) is a constant struggle. Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-18693417977549270582016-09-30T16:25:53.724+01:002016-09-30T16:25:53.724+01:00Very quick, very late check-in to say that the goa...Very quick, very late check-in to say that the goal for the week now mostly past is the same as for the preceding one: <br /><br />--come up with session goals<br /><br />(I'm making progress, really!). Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-18109784977666797152016-09-29T13:06:21.719+01:002016-09-29T13:06:21.719+01:00Very late checkin here, but I'll claim part of...Very late checkin here, but I'll claim part of holding my space has been deliberately choosing to stay off the computer at home in the evening.<br /><br />Anyway, last week<br />1. Writing experiment one - diarised time on two days of the week for reading then writing. Did one day - had an article lined up. Read, took notes, ut in ILL request for a further resource coming, even updated Endnotes. Next day np. What I've learnt is morning is good, but it needs to be set up before hand to have a reasonable chunk and limited potential to self-sabotage.<br />2. Investigate stand-sit desk thingy. DONE - bought and installed and using it (only short standing periods as I get used to it). Really happy I put this on my list - standing in the shop I thought about delaying but then realised how good it would feel to report back as done - and so did it!<br />3. make daily to do lists - not so much.<br /><br />Not much left of this week, so I'll Keep the scope small:<br />1. Make visible progress in the garden.<br />2. Value sleepkarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14194004000208786744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-10484458464662138952016-09-29T12:46:31.193+01:002016-09-29T12:46:31.193+01:00Late to the party but - YAY!!! Congratulations!Late to the party but - YAY!!! Congratulations!karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14194004000208786744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-14535409191626584462016-09-28T00:04:35.929+01:002016-09-28T00:04:35.929+01:00Thanks everybody! Not just for these congratulatio...Thanks everybody! Not just for these congratulations, but also for supporting me throughout this process. <br /><br />And DEH, I think I'll probably have to go to the UK for the viva. I asked the post-graduate coordinator about Skype, but he said that people tend to still like to do the viva face-to-face. My fantasy is that my examiners will read the thesis and say, "This thesis is great! And, therefore, Skype is just fine!" But I doubt that will happen. So I'll probably be going. It will be an expensive disruption, but, at the same time, since I chose to attend a school in the UK, I can't complain too much about having to go there to finish things up.<br /><br />Funny story: After I emailed my department to let them know when the bound copies would arrive, and to send my electronic copy, my newish secondary supervisor sent me the chapter feedback she said she's send two weeks ago. Yes, she sent me feedback after I submitted my final draft. I won't be reading her comments and corrections for a few weeks. On the upside, she said that, overall, the draft was very good.Good Enough Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531793545583712309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-60898740728926302452016-09-28T00:01:24.206+01:002016-09-28T00:01:24.206+01:00Thanks Elizabeth Anne for this post- I particularl...Thanks Elizabeth Anne for this post- I particularly like the idea of blocking out writing time in my calendar, which at this point is probably exactly what I need to do as I am swamped by meetings - and when I read your comment about the creepiness of corporate culture being rewarded, I felt like shouting yes! How apt! What a great turn of phrase to describe what goes on. Thanks for making me smile about this insidiousness. awAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-8959260123536500062016-09-27T23:56:37.091+01:002016-09-27T23:56:37.091+01:00Many many congratulations. Fantastic on getting th...Many many congratulations. Fantastic on getting the thesis finished! awAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-12905810983070945872016-09-27T22:46:36.009+01:002016-09-27T22:46:36.009+01:00Thank you Susan and Dame Eleanor for the support! ...Thank you Susan and Dame Eleanor for the support! I met with my mentor today, and she seemed pretty happy with me, so that is a huge relief! Diss advisor seems pretty annoyed with me though. That said, I'm thinking it wasn't a great idea to keep working with my diss mentor as a postdoc. Sometimes it is time to move onto other things. I meet with world's best mentor later this week - I'm pretty excited for that, but feel a press to make massive headway on projects tomorrow before we meet.<br /><br />Susan - Surviving the debate prolly should have been our only goal for the week! Waffleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10529248813060681101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-87980057778340357182016-09-27T17:36:47.028+01:002016-09-27T17:36:47.028+01:00It's now official: I've reached the end of...It's now official: I've reached the end of being able to put off really getting back to work in a serious way. (Don't hate me -- I work well into June for that privilege.) I need to get things done while taking good care of myself. I think that means really checking in with myself regularly and trying to relax. That's pretty intentional, right? That's what I need to think about this week. Can I try to feel grounded? Do I need a mantra to say to feel grounded?<br /><br />Last Week's Goals<br /><br />Gardening: move forward on blueberry project: NO<br />Writing: 5 sessions: YES<br />Health: start going to bed earlier; take supplements: SOMEWHAT but I get a free pass on this because I went to the dentist and it hurt for the weekend after, so I get a gold star<br />Mental health: meditate 1x this week; move like water; pay some attention to checking in and trying to relax: FAIL, just fail. I didn't meditate and ended up seething angry at one point over nothing. Total waste of energy. (On the other hand, maybe it was like an emotional hot flash. Hmm.)<br />Cooking: one meal this week: YES! Happy on this front.<br />Planning: spend a couple hours updating calendar and figuring things out: SORT OF. I got focused on planning and then having the perfect calendar and then ordered a new calendar and it's not come yet. Stupid.<br />Spirited!: work with him to get him back on track: NAILED IT<br />Work: spend a couple hours putting syllabi together instead of waiting until next week and panicking; spend minimal time on worry: DIDN'T WORK ON SYLLABI though I did spend minimal time on worry<br /><br />So now I have work to do.<br /><br />This Week's Goals<br /><br />Work: Syllabi done and into printing, Blackboard uploaded, first week prepped, make most unpleasant phone call, write service letter, schedule meeting, begin to write up document, minimal time on drama, email service obligation<br />Gardening: move forward on blueberry project<br />Writing: 3 sessions<br />Health: start going to bed earlier; take supplements<br />Mental health: meditate 1x this week; move like water; pay some attention to checking in and trying to relax<br />Cooking: one meal this week<br />Planning: give self enough time to get things done; try to get organized<br />Spirited!: onward<br /><br />Move like water, float like mist, plod like a grounded turtle, everyone!Earnest Englishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01947000435270263070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-45380734195389479312016-09-27T05:14:02.539+01:002016-09-27T05:14:02.539+01:00Holding space for ourselves, being intentional. ...Holding space for ourselves, being intentional. I'm not good at this, and am too haphazard. I do try to cut off work at a certain point (early tonight because I decided to do my civic duty and watch an intelligent woman on stage with an ignorant bully). But I also respond to far too many emails at the weekend, and try to keep up with what other people need. Not ideal. I am trying to create some boundaries this semester, but the challenge is for me, not for others.<br /><br />Last week's goals:<br />1. Finish paper for October conference and post by Thursday. DONE on Thursday, but not posted till Saturday<br /><br />2. Organize things for trip to lovely research library next weekend: which footnotes can I easily check there? <br /> Done, but last minute, poorly organized.<br />3. Finish reading novel I started when on vacation in August.<br /> No.<br />4. Walk one day.<br /> No, but went to the gym two mornings while visiting my brother.<br /><br /><br />Reflection: it always takes more time to go somewhere than I expect. But I got there, and had lunch with a colleague who was loving my book ms. So that was good. I checked the absolutely vital footnotes, and a few others. Then I enjoyed a weekend as "Auntie Susan", helping my brother with his twin 2 1/2 year olds while my sister-in-law was away. So it wasn't restful, but certainly a break!<br /><br />Goals for next week:<br />1. Finish assessment stuff and personnel stuff that is long overdue (TRQ, but must be done)<br />2. Check one chapter of footnotes<br />3. Return to book I need to review<br />4. Walk one time.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-73594549754391730982016-09-27T05:03:41.418+01:002016-09-27T05:03:41.418+01:00Sorry about your week. And I've just survived...Sorry about your week. And I've just survived the debate, so I hope you did too. Twitter kept me sane.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-57843879544002511412016-09-27T05:02:09.234+01:002016-09-27T05:02:09.234+01:00Hip Hip Hooray! Sure there are mistakes. And in...Hip Hip Hooray! Sure there are mistakes. And in two weeks you can find them. But it's done.<br /><br />And I've got your session goals noted.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-82440440526125152242016-09-27T04:59:26.247+01:002016-09-27T04:59:26.247+01:00Oh, jeez. They learn on Saturday that an emergen...Oh, jeez. They learn on Saturday that an emergency task has to be done? Really? I hope you find a way to deal with that with your manager. Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-6683383566605946832016-09-27T04:53:59.355+01:002016-09-27T04:53:59.355+01:00When they do something scuzzy, it's good to li...When they do something scuzzy, it's good to live with the anger for a bit. But then I have to say, I can't let them rule my life. Hope you can get back to the gym -- it does help. As does time.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-68291892875793253622016-09-27T03:37:45.220+01:002016-09-27T03:37:45.220+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Joy Arborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06378635886834002410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607718568717088162.post-55452016056629302422016-09-26T19:54:59.914+01:002016-09-26T19:54:59.914+01:00CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! That is HUGE!!!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! That is HUGE!!!!!Daisynoreply@blogger.com