Summer Session, Week 5: What time is it?

The question heu mihi posted about napping in Week 4 got me thinking about time. I fondly recall a conversation with my friend David when we were in graduate school--he was a TA and full time student, and I had a full time job and took one class a semester for six years. When I asked him if he listened to Morning Edition on NPR, David said, “Nah, I usually don’t stay up that late.”

For this week’s prompt, I’m interested to know if you think of yourself as an early bird or a night owl, or neither. Do you have a particular time of day when you most like to write or read or teach? Has that changed over time? Does it change with seasons? 

Feel welcome to skip the prompt and reflect on your goal past and future. I’ll be back to comment as the week moves forward.

Last week's goals:

Daisy

1) Cover as much ground as possible for student project field work

2) Help students with field data and sample collections

For extra “would be nice” goals, or options for terrible weather days:

3) Send out letters for association stuff

4) Start revisions for cool paper

Dame Eleanor Hull

Make the Albatross fly away.

Finish moving back into my study (move books, file papers, organize a bit).

At least two hours on class plans.

Scholarly reading x4, Latin x4, Greek x3, Domestic x2.

Walk daily, stretch x5.

Write letters.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Put the goals in their appropriate places in my calendar.

Read two articles on Prudence, making notes, and tracking citations.

Draft a call for papers for the special issue.

Scan a box of pictures.

Good Enough Woman (carried over)

1. Clean out the medicine cabinet.

2. Clean out dresser drawers.

3. 2 20-minute creative writing brainstorming sessions.

4. Float like mist through daughter's movie night with her squad. (We are boarding the dog for the evening, which will help tremendously. We boarded him for the first time on Wed for my son's graduation, which meant my folks could come for dinner without us worrying about him knocking one of them over).

5. Eat some of the greens my friend brought from her garden.

heu mihi

1. Sit x 5, Latin x 5

2. 5 hours on My Project, including working through reader's comments on essay-in-progress

3. Read less short, less difficult book for next year's grad seminar

4. Prep two more fall lectures

5. Journal issue second proofs

6. Copyedit an essay for next journal issue

humming42 

1 Magic wand for overdue poetry review: I don’t know how else to get this done, other than some magical sprinkles that will get me to sit down and think it out

2 Road review: Working on it, but not getting around to finishing the book

3 Submit revision for online course: again, magic sprinkle but also a specific deadline (Friday) will help. 

4 Cross ten items off the list of things to do. Will help to have a goal, even if self-generated

Susan (carried over)

1. 2x 2 hours on Famous Author

2. Start reading for prize (assuming 20 books, get through at least 5)

3. Read article for review (it's an R & R I read for the first round, so should not be terrible I hope)

4. 2 more sections of program review

5. Have fun with my brother & his family when they come for the weekend

6. Exercise, sleep and read

7. Do fun things with friends

Summer Session, Week 4: Now with a title!

Hello! I hope that you're all having a delightful weekend and--if desirable--taking a break from all of your very active Doing.

For this week's prompt, I'll ask you a series of questions. You can answer all of them, some of them, one of them, or none of them. They don't mean anything, of course--I'm just trying to have fun with the prompting!

1. Have you given thought to any interesting animal species recently? If so: what animal, and why?

2. At what time of day is the light in your home most pleasing to you? At what time of year?

3. Do you nap regularly? For how long?

4. What did you have for lunch today (whatever "today" is for you)? Did you like it?

5. Who is most likely to interrupt you when you're working, and how do you feel about those interruptions?

6. What color do you most like wearing? What color (if any) do you dislike wearing? Why do we have preferences about what colors we wear, anyway?

7. What are you looking forward to in the coming week?

Last week's goals:

Dame Eleanor Hull:

Work on Albatross's intro & conclusion, send to reader.
Start work on Domestic chapter.
Read a friend's essay & comment.
Scholarly reading x4.
Latin & Greek each x4.
Grade things & change student's Incomplete to grade.
Move books back into my study.
Regular exercise & stretching.
Write letters, buy steamer and steam linen clothing.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell (held over):

Set and breakdown June goals.
Finish peer review.
Read two articles on Prudence, making notes, and tracking citations.
Make appointments with two doctors.
Email co-editor.
Write and mail thank-yous and birthday cards.

Good Enough Woman:

1. Clean out the medicine cabinet.
2. Clean out dresser drawers.
3. 2 20-minute creative writing brainstorming sessions.
4. Float like mist through daughter's movie night with her squad. (We are boarding the dog for the evening, which will help tremendously. We boarded him for the first time on Wed for my son's graduation, which meant my folks could come for dinner without us worrying about him knocking one of them over).
5. Eat some of the greens my friend brought from her garden.

heu mihi:

1. 5 hours on My Project (reading/writing/note-taking)
2. Read and edit essays for first part of collection
3. Read painfully difficult (but short) book in anticipation of teaching it next spring
4. Prepare one new lecture for fall
5. Sit x5, Latin x5
6. Celebrate my birthday! Host son's birthday party! Host parental post-party visit! Too much celebration, frankly!
6a. Have private whatever-I-want time on the afternoon of my birthday, while the house is empty (start a fun new knitting pattern, maybe?)
7. Process journal article
8. Run stuff to thrift store for donation

humming42:

1 overdue poetry review
2 Road review
3 Novel review

Susan:

1. 2x 2 hours on Famous Author
2. Start reading for prize (assuming 20 books, get through at least 5)
3. Read article for review (it's an R & R I read for the first round, so should not be terrible I hope)
4. 2 more sections of program review
5. Have fun with my brother & his family when they come for the weekend
6. Exercise, sleep and read
7. Do fun things with friends

Summer session, Week 3: Go-to artwork

By now I hope we’re settling into a bit of a summer routine, or maybe finding that space between “I have all the time in the world” and “summer is slipping away!” On my list of things I hope to get to this summer are things I want to frame so I can hang them up in my still-needs-to-be-cleaned office. Thinking about this, I was reminded of the poster sales in the student union way back in my undergraduate days: I bought a Monet print and a theatrical poster from the film Reds.

One of my current to-be-framed prints is by the Spanish Surrealist Remedios Varo:

For this week’s prompt, I’d like to ask you to share a piece of art that you connect with because it inspires you, shocks you, welcomes you, or otherwise has some impact. Feel free to drop in a URL if fussing with copy and paste in Blogspot is too time consuming. Or, skip the prompt and share how your week went, what you’re thinking about, and what you’re looking forward to this week. Last week’s goals follow below.

Daisy

1) Check on or get official permission to do off-site research

2) Plan analytical next steps for Project Garnet, prepare and mail samples

3) Do sample photography for Project Garnet, do detailed descriptions

4) Go through all field gear and check/replace/organize as needed (aka buy new pants because old ones don’t fit after this year!)

5) Sort out roles for new councilors on national organization

6) Do something fun with kid to celebrate school opening again!

Dame Eleanor Hull

Get Albatross complete enough to send to RL writing group and another more specialized reader.

Start work on Domestic chapter.

Read a friend's essay & comment.

Latin & Greek each x4.

Grade things & change student's Incomplete to grade.

Buy supplies & paint my study.

Regular exercise & stretching.

Campus run to pick up books.

Pay bills, write letters, iron linen clothing.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

Set and breakdown June goals.

Finish peer review.

Read two articles on Prudence, making notes, and tracking citations.

Make appointments with two doctors.

Email co-editor.

Write and mail thank-yous and birthday cards.

Good Enough Woman

1. Draft 500 words of Rambling essay.

2. 2 30-sessions on creative writing.

3. Do all the things for all the celebrations (my daughter's 16th b-day on June 8 and my son's HS graduation and my dad's 80th b-day on June 9th). Try to accept that preparations and celebrations will take most of my time.

heu mihi

1. Write 5 hours

2. Finish big book I stopped reading in January

3. Read 2 articles

4. Prep 1 article for issue 49.1

5. Sit x5, Latin x5

6. Finish first sleeve of cardigan and start the second

7. Two social things

humming42 

1 overdue World review

2 overdue poetry review

3 Road review

Susan

1. Get book orders in

2. 2 x 2 hours on Famous Author

3. 2 more (formulaic) sections of self study

4. Start reading when I get my assignments for book prize (In good news, I've learned that they divide the pile up, we read our group, and nominate up to 4 for everyone to read.)

5. Exercise, sleep, read

6. Do fun things with humans

Summer session: Just realized that we need a Week 2!

Hello everyone, 

As I was getting ready for bed, I realized that we had not yet posted a prompt for this week. So here's a placeholder version!

Although I haven't caught up on last week's comments yet (due to trip to see family), it's wonderful to see you all! Welcome back, Good Enough Woman!

Here are last week's goals for your check-in. (See, I told you that prompts may be perfunctory this session!)

Daisy:

1) Finish three reviews that are due next week
2) Plan analytical next steps for Project Garnet
3) Open Albatross file and review
4) Get Old project files from co-author and review

Dame Eleanor Hull:

Add at least 3 paragraphs to the Albatross.
Work on the book 30-60 minutes x 3.
Finish moving out of old work office.
Grade a few things to clear a student's Incomplete.
Finish prepping study for paint.
Assorted errands and stuff too dull to list---if I do any 3, that'll be fine.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell:

This week's goals:
Pull together data to make the most of my day on campus.
Search for the newest articles relevant to Prudence.
Contact at least two doctors.

Good Enough Woman:

1. Complete small grant app for teen writing program
2. Finish flyer for teen writing program
3. Take son to DMV to get permit
4. Contact dog trainer
5. Start developing DIY MFA reading list
6. Two 30-minute writing sessions on the Rambling essay
7. Two 20-minute brainstorming sessions for creative writing
8. Make a list of veggies that I like and that are convenient and easy to prep. Buy some of those veggies.
9. Start shopping for daughter's b-day and my dad's b-day.

heu mihi:

1. Write 4 hours--finish book review; send Death essay off to friendly reader :)
2. Read 25 pages a day of Big Book I Stopped Reading in January
3. Clear at least one article off of my desktop
4. Sit & Latin x4 each
5. Start prepping one article for journal issue 49.1

humming42:

1 brief music commentary
2 overdue World review
3 overdue poetry review
4 Boredom chapter abstract
5 catalog piece
6 Road review

Susan:

- finish book review
-book orders
- a little work on the chapter
- exercise
- read for fun
- sleep
- have fun with family

Summer session: Official Week 1! Goal-setting and more

The last time that I co-hosted a session (with DEH), I duplicated the first Week 1 with my own, secondary Week 1, so I hope that I'm not doing the same this time. Since last week was the Summer Session Preview, I figure that it's fair to call this the Official Week 1--right?

As advertised, I don't have a very clever hook or imaginative prompt for you, but I thought that I would share a small story from last week. On Thursday, my department organized a hike and picnic lunch for faculty and grad students, since we hadn't seen each other in quite a long time. The hike was to take place very near where I live, at a spot that I recently learned I could reach by walking through the forest that surrounds my house. I thought that it would be fun, therefore, to hike to the event, and spent the entire week looking forward to it. And it was great! The hike to the hike ended up being longer than I'd expected--just over 2 miles, instead of the 1.5 I'd anticipated--which somehow made it even better. I left in plenty of time, met up with the department, went on a short hike with them (eating lunch at a lovely spot by a waterfall), and walked home. All told, I was in the forest for about 4 hours and hiked just over 6.5 miles. 

I loved it--especially the hiking-alone part. It was a gorgeous day, I saw four different waterfalls, and all in all it was perfect. I go out into the forest all the time, but this was different somehow. It made me think that I need to do this more often: step out my door with some snacks, a book, and a water bottle, and spend hours hiking (and reading) in the forest. So now I'm starting to think about how to fit that into my summer plans, and what that changes about how I think about the summer--in addition to Work Accomplished, how do I want to experience the next three months? I always want to soak in more summer than I seem to get; what can I do to really get the forest, and the summer air, into my bones?

Back to business. Last week we introduced ourselves and considered some possible themes for the session; one or two of us even laid out session goals. For the rest of us, this is the week to begin making some goals in earnest. (Or not. You can always just hang out for a while and make goals later. Please disregard anything that sounds too prescriptive: This is your time!)

So for this week, introduce yourself if you're just joining us, make some plans for the session if you're ready, and tell us what you want to accomplish (or enjoy, or whatever) over the next seven days!

Preview to Summer Session!

 Happy change of seasons/end of term/new beginnings!

Our summer (or winter, if we have any fellow travelers in the southern hemisphere) TLQ session will start next week on the weekend of May 22/23 and wrap up on the weekend of August 21/22. Your hosts will be heu mihi and humming42. After our tremendous adventure that’s just wrapped up, we’re thinking summer will be a little more low key, more like a cabin in the woods than your quarters on the starship.

And now to continue the shameless borrowing of text below from those who have been good enough to host here previously... 

The format will be the same as ever. Next week we will set goals for the whole session and then continue with weekly goals. Goals can be in any aspect of life although the key focus is often writing tasks that are personally and professionally important but that never quite tip over into important AND urgent. Urgent things sometimes find their way in here too, that is completely ok too, and process goals are also most welcome.  Each week there will be a discussion topic or prompt to write about if you feel so inclined.  We’ll remind everyone of their big session goals about midway through.

Anyone new or old is welcome to join. And finally, don't worry if you miss a few check-ins. Life happens. This is a supportive, generous space with no intimidation factor so enjoy it!

So for this week:

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. What's your main focus at the moment? You are welcome to be vague and mysterious in the interest of maintaining anonymity while still introducing yourself to the group.

2. Think and speculate and dream (out loud if you want!) about goals for this session, but sit with them for a week or so and we’ll officially post them next week. Feel free to throw out a whole bunch now and pick from those next week or think about the things you want to clear out of the way to make room for the bigger goals.  

3. Feel welcome if you are so inclined to set an INTENTION for the whole session. If that’s something you want to do, this is a great time to think about it. 

4. Or just come say hello and tell us how you’ve been over the break and then come back next week for introductions and session goals. 

Our dates are listed below because I usually forget the schedule a quarter of the way in, this will keep it handy for reference.

Have a lovely week!

2021 Session 1, Week 17: Disembarking procedures

Greetings, passengers and crew! First Mate T'Melnor speaking. Senior bridge crew have completed negotiations with Primaveran officials regarding docking procedures, customs inspection, fumigation and Albatross handling. We have docked at the spaceport in orbit around Primavera Prime. Passengers proceeding to other destinations will be able to make connections within the spaceport. Those heading planetside should go to Dock 17H3 for the shuttle to Primavera Prime.

• Passengers, please fill out the paperwork that has been delivered to your cabins, then proceed to your designated airlock. Crew will take your baggage from the hold. Take only your hand luggage to the airlock. 
  
• Crew, expect an announcement regarding shore leave, not to begin before all passengers have safely left the ship. 
• All those who wish to say goodbye to Captain Ivan Vorpatril, please proceed immediately to Docking Bay C, where he will rendezvous with a Barrayaran escort shuttle to take him directly to the embassy. We thank Captain Vorpatril for his stimulating company during our voyage and wish him well with all his endeavors, diplomatic and otherwise. 
• Albatrosses are to be quarantined at the spaceport. Those responsible for them must post bond to ensure that they are not abandoned at the port. Visiting hours can be arranged through the Primaveran Office of Ecological Security.
• All personnel must leave the ship before fumigation for Demotivators begins at 1200 hours on Wednesday.
• Among the rest of the paperwork, each of you (both crew and passengers) will find a form with goals for the voyage, either the original set or those amended mid-journey. Please check these and indicate which goals you have completed. There is extra space in which to include significant activities performed during the voyage that were not listed among your original goals.

Thank you for joining us on this research mission. Captain Daisy and I wish you the best with your projects, and we would be pleased to travel with you again. I understand that heu mihi and Humming42 are organizing a mid-year mission, dates to be determined. We look forward to working with them on their mission. Live long and prosper!

Paperwork:

Captain Daisy
1) Start slow and sensible strength training/exercise program
2) Analysis and Report on fun local project
3) Do a good graduate course for lovely students
4) All the revisions for all the things, mainly student stuff
5) Survive classes

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
Reassess my 5-year plan.
Get a polished draft of Illuminated.
Get as far as I can with steady progress on an outline for Translated.
Organize quarters.
Deepen and normalize self-care practices.

heu mihi
1) Research and writing:
   a. Public/private conference paper (due March).
   b. Pedagogy conference paper (due May).
   c. Collection intro - This is going to be March's project.
   d. Death essay.
2) Teaching: Have fun, be good, and don't let it take over my life.
3) Habits:
   a. Sit regularly.
   b. Language study at least a few times a week.
   c. Write/research three hours/week.
   d. Try out Monk Manual for this term.

Humming42
1 Keep up with teaching things .
2 present at three online conferences that unfortunately all fall in March.
3 submit Boredom to online conference.

JaneB
My overall goal is professional survival:
*prepare and deliver class materials just-in-time,
*grade before the absolute final final deadline for grades,
*be kind to students,
*do research things that yell at me (basically, revisions for manuscripts that ECRs need, things for ECRs, things for collaborators who are less in the hole than I am, keep community thing ticking over - I am definitely Community Thing's Group Mom and it is a pain).
*Try not to lose myself in the chaos of my house, and
*continue to move and eat in a balanced way

Karen
-Deliver new course with at least two weeks lead time in prep across the semester
-Complete NTRO output
-Hand over all service responsibilities esp Hons project
-Get two postgrads through examination
-prep the mighty kombi for long service leave

Susan
1. Finish chapter 2 of Famous Author.
2. Keep up with teaching, but don't let it take over my life. .
3. Finish big transition for Proforg.
4. Repeatedly going to the decks for relaxation and exercise programs.
5. Ensuring that I regularly "hang out" with friends (and maybe by the end of the session some of that will be in person!).
6. Watch out for my mother (she's in assisted living, I can't visit, so. . .).
7. Other duties as assigned.

T’Melnor
*Deliver quality classes online, keep up with grading, give my students a decent learning experience.
*Finish the article that has turned into my Albatross.
*Revise Schedule.
*Prioritize sleep and physical health.