2025 Session 3 - week 5, highlighters!

Well, that was a week - a LOT of drama from both staff and students, and two writing projects coming to urgent deadlines.  Hopefully some of you had a quieter time to balance that out!  At least the article due 15th October was finally submitted (after 2 hours 45 of fighting the submission site), so we get virtual chocolate all around!

This week's discussion topic is inspired by a couple of super-organised female first years who like to sit at the front of any class, have those large canvas pencil cases stuffed with supplies, and pull out 3-5 coloured highlighter pens as soon as any kind of handout appears.  I have bought so many highlighter pens over the years - ones in cute cases, ones arranged into a flower shape, ones which promise to be muted colours, ones which claim to not bleed through even the thinnest of paper.  But somehow they never transformed my reading comprehension, my memory r my organisation.  Opening a new pack and making test-swipes in my notebook is always a moment full of promise though so it will probably happen again!  What's your experience with highlighters?  Must have or meh? 

Home office supervisor/micro-manager

LAST WEEK'S GOALS

Daisy

Paper data processing
Student abstracts/presentations/posters
Web posts
External event and preparation
Accounting
Start on giant review committee task
Two fun friend meetups

Dame Eleanor Hull

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions (TRQ paper, think about abstracts for conferences, festschrift, how to make all this work)
- grade the rest of the undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write another grad quiz, write another undergrad assignment, comment on in-class undergrad work
- write a sample syllabus for a proposed course

heu mihi

1. Read ch. 2 and 3 of the dissertation
2. Write teaching award recommendation after observation
3. Answer interview questions from my press for a blog post of some kind
4. Read undergrad's short story ahead of Friday meeting
5. Read 35 pages of Italian
6. Keep up with workouts--I might run in a 5k on Saturday, because why not?

JaneB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
e) do not eat sweet treats already bought for Christmas (not a good move)
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) week 6 materials ready to go
b) limit teaching and admin to 2 hours at weekend (I have a three hour research meeting on my "no work day" so...
c) pick up graduate student applications postponed due to group paper
d) do appraisal training (new system. SIGH)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) - create final draft on Monday, send to the two copy-edit/references volunteers. Submit the whole darn thing on the 15th (allow several hours for the stupid exhausting submission system for this set of journals, and writing the cover letter).
b) test the computer stuff we set up two weeks ago if possible... collaborator on that project goes away end of week, so we want this ready to go if possible for the next stage
c) return box text to main team
d) schedule mock viva for junior PhD student.
e) find time to work on budget planning following a meeting two weeks ago. Grrr!
f) work on revise-and-resubmit of the multi-author paper which has been ongoing for at least 5 years. SIGH.

Julie

1. Meeting with PhD student to discuss viva prep.

2. Reference for another student.

3. Complete Personal Research Plan (department requirement, but more sensible than other plans forced on us).

4. Finish typing up some notes, organise photos and notes from this trip.

5. Put meetings etc in new diary.

6. Review abstract submissions for big conference next year.

7. Life admin: book dentist and flu jab, organise son's school trip, order school photos, send sister's birthday card.

8. Get back to exercise.

Susan

1. Actually start drafting paper for conference in two weeks

2. Set up brown bags

3. Set up speakers for spring

4. Keep up with BIG STUPID COMMITTEE

5. Do one box from room of doom, and the cart

6. Call doctor for referral to PT

7. Contact realtors for initial meeting

8. Do something fun at the weekend

9. Keep up with exercise

10. Keep up with regular sleep

2025 Session 3 - week 4, sticky notes/scratch pads

 Hello everyone, I hope you all had a decent week. the leaves are turning properly now making the drive home from work in the afternoon on sunny days much prettier than usual, and the students are well into sharing around the Freshers' Flu with staff, another well known seasonal marker!  So far I've avoided it but I am firmly masking and when I had to teach a couple of lab sessions I improved the seal with wardrobe tape - the teaching room is nicely laid out but has no open windows (some CAN open but only if people climb on benches to make it happen manually - old building retrofitted somewhat thoughtlessly, doubtless by the cheap bidder), no air conditioning, is on the afternoon-sun side of the building... so it gets both hot and stuffy.  And we could hardly open the doors to the corridor because firstly, setting a bad example, and secondly, the practical involving grinding and sieving soils then measuring out a lot of fine soil powder for various tests, and this was our first years first introduction to laboratory work, so the corridors would not have stayed clean either.  We use non-contaminated soil from a nice local nature area, it's VERY visible when they do spill anything on tables, floors or their lab coats, and the only chemical involved in this first class is water, so it's a perfect first practical in terms of minimal risk, easy to see if they have or have not spilt a bit or followed the rules about cleaning up as they went AND it yields useful data for later in the course (IF instructions were followed.  I got three reliable-looking datasets from about ten groups this time).  But it was definitely something of a germ party and a dust storm in there!

For stationary this week let's talk about what we use for ephemeral notes.  Despite all my notebooks, I do tend to still need some less permanent writing surface - to remind me to do something in 5 minutes, jot down a number I need in a different software package to look up a student, to make a to-do list for the afternoon, to write down a book name or sketch an explanation for a student.  Do you do all those things electronically, use a whiteboard, use sticky notes (branded or not? shape and size?), use the backs of old handouts and envelopes, keep a reporter's notebook on your desk... many options!  I look forward to hearing what you do!

Two Shoutypants pictures this week - the boy attempting to psychically persuade me to get out the treats, and a clearer shot of the begging/threatening paw he often offers as part of the process(he has very large murder mittens at full spread, but they are very hard to photograph!).  He likes to spread his toes so aaaaallll the very white claws come out then gently pat my leg with just the paddy part underneath, it's somewhat unnerving the first time he does it!

  

LAST WEEK'S GOALS:

DAISY

Complete talk
Record talk
Paper outline and section points to go with talk
All the marking
Web posts
External committee wrap-up
Accounting

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5

- at least 3 writing sessions (I've scheduled more than that on my calendar; let's see if I can stick to them!)
- grade the rest of the undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write another grad quiz
- read another essay submission
- read the rest of the files for committee work

HEU MIHI

1. Really must read the dissertation, at least the intro + 2 chapters
2. Consider writing LOR, but without a deadline, this may get pushed
3. Read 35 pages of Italian
4. Spend Saturday helping Mom declutter some part of her house

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week in addition to Inktober,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) get week 4 and 5 materials ready to go, and STOP THERE (after this week I'm only coordinating the first years, not teaching the classes, for a couple of weeks - a bit of a breather before things get seriously busy - but I need to focus on research not on teaching this week),
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) review processes for graduate student applications and catch up on relevant emails
d) do appraisal training (new system. SIGH)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) meeting, at least half a day of work.
b) test the computer stuff we set up two weeks ago
c) edit/precis box text using comments.
d) talk about viva preparation with junior PhD student, and post-wildfire issues with junior MSc student.
e) continue to work on budget planning following a meeting last week

JULIE

1. Maximise final afternoon today in other archive before trains stop running on Tuesday (didn't realise this before I came). How many photos can I take in four hours?
2. Maximise rest of time in Barcelona
3. Celebrate my dad's birthday tomorrow.
4. Squeeze in as much time as possible walking around my favourite bits of the city.

SUSAN

1. Last letter of recommendation, due Friday (it's for a grant, and I really want them to get it.)

2. Start planning late October paper

3. Plane tickets for November conference

4. Set up talks

5. Be ready when ILL microfilms arrive to sit and save them to a file, which will be a massive PITA.

6. Clear out one box from the room of doom. (JaneB has a chair of doom, I have a whole room!)

7. Clear the chair in my office of accumulated paper

8. (optimistic) deal with one pile from my desk

9. Keep up with exercise

10. Do fun things at the weekend

11. Maintain healthy sleep schedule

2025 Session 3 - week 3, pens

 

Greetings from a very windy UK, where the first Atlantic storm of the season is letting the trees get all dramatic and cast their leaves around, and annoying Mr Shoutypants because his windowledges are cold on windy days.  It's still relatively early in Autumn and mild, but it is REALLY DEFINITELY Autumn now.  My favourite season!  Despite the students... and the colleagues... and the new software...

Last week we talked about which writing tools we used when - this week lets focus in specifically on pens.  I have very strong feelings about pens, and I know many of my academic colleagues do, and I keep a pen-pot of university issued cheap biros on the student facing side of my desk in hopes of stopping them accidentally walking off with either the slightly better, mosre costly uni issued gel pens or even worse one of MY pens.  As a mark of the financial situation of most UK regional (and this year also Brand Name) universities, the stationary cupboard is no longer stocked, but I have a box in my office which contains leftovers from past activities and years, so should be able to stock the student facing pen-pot for at least this year - and if at least half of them continue taking notes on their phones instead of paper (postit notes are left next to the pen-pot) perhaps two or even three years!  So which pens do YOU guard jealously?  Do you have an old favourite, a new discovery to share, or complete bafflement as to why people care?

He knows he shouldn't be there but he can't see me so I don't know, right?

LAST WEEK'S GOALS

DAISY

Complete draft of upcoming talk for co-authors to look at
Paper outline and section points to go with talk
External committee work and travel
Write web posts on plane or something
Do at least one fun thing while away for trip

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions
- grade undergrad essays, prep for grad class, write and grade grad quiz
- read another essay submission
- read files for committee work

HEU MIHI

1. Write LOR for third student
2. Revise index
3. Read 35 pages of Italian novel; maybe attend Italian discussion group
4. Complete periodic review of Gen Ed course (been on my docket for months now)
5. Start reading dissertation
6. Read prospectus

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days b) making a couple of times a week,
b) print off Inktober prompts and start doing them

c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure

IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) get week 3 materials finished off for the first year module (the coming week is week 2)
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) make contact with all my tutees/supervisees - again
d) get week 4 materials sorted for the honours class (they need releasing Tuesday of week 3 so if they are done by the end of this week that will help me relax over the weekend)
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) a couple of hours of work, schedule meeting
b) read and comment on chapter for meeting, add to methods text
c) test the computer stuff we set up last week
e) edit/precis box text using comments.

JULIE

1. Get reading for two different chapters done and fill in as many gaps as possible.

2. Start looking at primary sources (two different archives in different places, so need to work how to juggle)

3. Co-habit peacefully with my dad.

4. See family.

5. Ignore all but urgent and essential emails.

SUSAN

1. Find chair for session

2. Organize talks

3. Write report on sabbatical (due Wednesday)

4. Write two letters of reference

5. Start thinking about the paper I am giving at the end of October.

6. Buy plane tickets for conference in mid-November

7. Do something about ILL stuff

8. Keep up with exercise

9. Do something fun

10. Sleep

2025 Session 3 - week 2, writing tools

 Hello everyone, I hope your week has gone well.  It's properly Autumn now the equinox is past, and here with pleasing symmetry the equinox was the first day it was definitely cool enough for me to add an extra layer to my outfit.  The new teaching term arrived with added drama, but at least the leaves are turning and I had some pretty weather to look at outside the window when glancing up from the computer!

For this week's optional discussion topic, let's take a high level view of writing implements (in future weeks we will have space to get into the details of brands and swap recommendations for specific types).  What parts of your work do you type, what parts get done by hand?  How has that changed over time?  Do you find yourself having strong feelings about whether a task requires ink or pencil?   

Here's Mr Shoutypants making the most of a patch of late season sunshine (I am a terrible photographer and black, curious cats who tend to rush up to the camera whenever it is pointed at them are not great subjects, apologies)

LAST WEEK'S GOALS:

DAISY

Review
Write outline for upcoming talk
Write one section of talk as paper section
Field work with student on weekend
Major committee stuff - internal
Major committee stuff – two sets external
Write web posts

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions
- grade grad quizzes, comment on undergrad in-class writing, prep for grad class
- read another essay submission
- read files for committee work

HEU MIHI

1. Catch up on emails in all three accounts
2. Write letters of recommendation
3. At least *start* reading (other) grad student's dissertation
4. Finish preliminary round of proofs and indexing
5. Get on top of various life things (call Mom, pay bills, that sort of stuff)
6. Exercise at least 5 times--Friday is optional

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days (the two non campus days and one of the weekend days)
b) making a couple of times a week,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) complete prep for new honours session and revise week 2 slides to introduce it.
b) get week 3 materials set up (next week is week 1)
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) make contact with all my tutees/supervisees - again
RESEARCH
a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) schedule two meetings
b) attend meetings for big project (more meetings. they love meetings)
c) read and comment on chapter for meeting following week
d) test the computer stuff we set up last week
e) edit/precis box text using comments.

JULIE

1. Prep for viva on Thursday and submit report afterwards.
2. Workshop for recently retired colleague on Friday.
3. Prep for research trip.
4. Prep for being away for two weeks (my mum is very capable, but still need to make sure everything is lined up for her).

SUSAN

1. Find chair for session

2. Organize a couple of talks

3. Prepare for workgroup meeting on Wednesday

4. Return to exercise when I return to health

5. Figure out how to get microfilms on Interlibrary Loan.

6. Have fun trip to winery on Friday

2025 Session 3 - week 1, notebook week

Happy solstice!  Campus was swarming with anxious, excited, slightly hungover, confused students this week which definitely changes the mood of the department - partly because of all the people who are rediscovering that summer is different, and we're back to the 30 minute wait at every food venue for coffees, and the soup runs out at our usual lunch place at least half an hour earlier, partly because it's curtain up time.  This is definitely new stationary season!  This week, let's talk about notebooks - how do you keep all your ideas and thoughts and little things you need to remember and research materials organised?  Are you fully digital, or do you still have physical notebooks?  Are you a "use the basic old reliable and throw them out when full" or the "ONLY this brand in THIS colour" kind of person?  Any notebook use tips you've learnt as you've grown into your academic self?

Anyone who wants to join a week late, please do, you're always welcome!

Shoutypants doesn't approve of the new curtains in this room because he has to wait for me to open them before he can get on the windowsill to people-watch (this window looks onto the narrow one way street at the front of my house - we have no front places, the door opens onto the pavement, so he has good people watching and can also see into the houses opposite.  He used to be able to open the old curtains himself.  Yes, I still need to paint the "new" plaster from when the windows were upgraded about three years ago.  or more maybe? 

GOALS FROM LAST WEEK

DAISY

Clear up all adminstrivial things I ignored the last two weeks while registration was in full swing.
Organize student project meetings and tasks
Organize my writing tasks so I can pick something to work on each day
Organize my schedule so I have some time blocks to write
Pick one block and write! (if only it was that easy…)

DAME ELEANOR HULL

- swim x2 or x3, cardio x3, weights x2, yoga x5
- at least 3 writing sessions
- grade grad quizzes, comment on undergrad in-class writing
- read another essay submission
- do Saturday loooong workshop thingy
- assorted appointments (eyes, PT, other)
- remember to be in all the right places at the right times!

HEU MIHI

1. Get through Very Fancy University event.
2. Proofs & index of 50 pages of book.
3. Read 35 pages of Italian.
4. Read grad student's chapter.
5. Exercise at least 4 times. (It's a busy week with many inconvenient meetings that will require me to be creative about my workout schedule....)

JANEB

SELF-CARE:
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days (the two non campus days and one of the weekend days)
b) making a couple of times a week,
c) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
d) keep up reading for pleasure
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
d) get a new cat litter trapping mat
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) get week 2 materials set up (next week is week 0)
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) identify reading/outline discussion points for new topic for honour module
d) admin role - check my allocation of other people's ViLE sites (we have a checklist of the minimal information that needs to be there, for consistency, and guidelines for assessment requirements. Some people do not think it applies to THEM. This led to a major and embarrassing situation at the exam board with all the external examiners, so this year we are doing the checking By The Book. Sigh. WHY can't we trust adults to follow the rules?)
e) make contact with all my tutees/supervisees

RESEARCH

a) multi-author paper (due 15 October) schedule two meetings
b) attend meetings for big project (more meetings. they love meetings)
c) make the list of all the projects that are in the air, and their current status
d) do feedback comments on texts for senior MSc student and former visiting postdoc.
e) get box text back from former PhD student and send to other author for a different paper.

JULIE

1. Write report on PhD thesis and send to other examiner.
2. Work on chapter for edited volume.
3. Difficult conversation with car crash PhD student. This should be a final conversation, but he's reluctant to accept the inevitable, and my co-supervisor is not good at confrontation so....
4. Self-care: physio appointment (back is playing up again), journal, read, do something creative.
5. Pilates and run if physio allows.
6. House stuff: clear some stuff from garage, fix a couple of small things, buy new coffee pot (nothing happens without coffee!).

SUSAN

1. Get new chair for conference session where chair can't come

2. Organize a bunch of talks and events for our graduate program

3. Draft one paragraph on the research of a colleague for a merit review

4. Deal with all the admin stuff which is coming at me very fast right now.

5. Empty two boxes. Get stuff I've organized to the various sales they need to go to. (There's a large bag of shoes for goodwill, other stuff for the cat rescue yard sale.)

6. Submit expenses for summer TOMORROW before they make us use the crappy online system ourselves starting Wednesday.

7. Do fun stuff this weekend

2025 Session 3 - week 0, time to set some goals

Welcome to the new TLQ session!  This is the first week of 14, so we're setting goals for the period between now and 14th December, and will have a mid-session check in/recalibration on 2nd November.

Since it is autumn and the start of the new academic year (for most of us at least), I thought we could have a theme of stationery.  As soon as I see a change of leaf colour or a cool, crisp morning or another hint of Autumn, I feel this powerful urge for new school supplies.  this year so far I just got some new stickers, plus the acronym for the new unit I belong to following the August reorganisation is the name of an animal so I've acquired some tiny models of those animals for my office.  But clearly I need MORE stationery.

Let's start by talking about work bags.  Do you have a dedicated bag (or two or three bags) for work?  Are you a back pack person, a handbag/purse plus tote bag person, a grab the laptop bag and shove everything else in your pockets person?  How do you move your stuff between home and campus, and what sort of things do you move around?

So, four things, this week - introduce yourself if you want to, session goals, goals for the coming week, and, if you have time, tell us about your work bag(s).

When setting goals, think about your current context, and what do you need to get done by Christmas.  What top left (important, non-urgent) things and personal things would make you feel like it's been a good year overall, or that the calendar year ended well, when we wrap the session up on 14th December?

Here's the boilerplate from previous sessions about 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 okay, and process goals are also most welcome. 

If you've been thinking for awhile about joining in, we'd love to have you try us out this time around!

Oh, and here's a picture of Mr Shoutypants settling in on my D&D notes just when I needed to check them.  He looks like he was very well aware of that!

Intermission week 3

 We start properly next week so I thought we might as well have a final placeholder in case there are things to share - work doesn't stop, so TLQ important stuff should also carry on!  Autumn is slowly getting going here, and I needed to wear a cardigan for a couple of hours yesterday which was a pleasant treat.

Here's Shoutypants having a nice bath to be all spruced up ready for the start of the new session - cats are so bendy (and black cats are hard to photograph).