The first week of classes is over and out, and the second about to start. It was a good week (in all kinds of ways), but I’m still trying to synthesize all the little bits and bytes of new issues, dates, people, etc., that came out of classes, committee meetings, and email. Two notables in the last category--a former lecturer in my department, now living North of the Border, is finally and very happily pregnant, AND an archivist at College Park verified that a set of files I identified online—but couldn’t get up to Maryland to see in person, are indeed all, *all,* about my guy. If I’m lucky, these files include his application for federal appointment to consular and diplomatic service and should also be chock-a-block with now declassified information that will help me understand aspects of his career in California Indian Country, so I’ve sent my $28.00 in photocopy fees off to the Nat’l Archives Trust Fund in Georgia, and soon, an archivist in Maryland will be shipping to me 35 pp. of really-important-to-my-research information. I’m hoping that by November, I can settle into writing this stuff up and maybe get it finished and out to a journal by the end of the winter holidays. One thing that I have learned about my own teaching and museum schedule after all these years is what my seasonal round (re: writing) looks like. I know when I can manage to crank out a book review, an article, a conference paper, etc.
Other Adventures in Writing. #&*# ^# @*&*#)%*. I'm currently trying to get back on my regular sleep schedule, since I had to stay up all hours of the wee morning (for me, at least) last Monday to get a manuscript in shape for publication in a relatively small-potatoes venue that will, nonetheless, probably find its way online one of these days (so I don’t want it to be completely lame). I’d been half-heartedly working on it for a couple weeks—gathering citations and cleaning up the prose, etc.—but two things got me off schedule. First, I thought Aug. 31 (the deadline) was Labor Day. Not. And second, I had already agreed to go out for some fun that was supposed to take 2 hours, but took 4 hours (I knew this would happen, but I couldn’t get out of it… and I did have a good time looking at award-winning artwork and wine and eating funnel cakes). Anyway, on Monday morning, I had emailed the editor and promised the article by that night and I was NOT going to ask for another extension. I sent it off by about 2 am, but without photos (stored on my computer at work), which I promised to send in the morning. So, I was up early to get those in shape, at which time I found about 4 typos (2 of them were the kind that happen when you fall asleep with your finger pressing a letter on your keyboardddddd)—like that—so I had to resend the entire manuscript again (this time with photos attached). I figured the editor was pretty exasperated with me (I would have been), but that afternoon, I got a very cheerful email request from her asking if I’d review a couple papers that apparently run theoretically parallel to mine. (I suspect one of these authors is reviewing mine.) Of course I agreed…quid pro quo…and all that; and I’m very happy that my paper will have some intellectually-sympathetic company in this same volume. But, for the rest of last week I couldn’t get a decent night’s sleep. I’d be wide awake at 2:30 or 5 am or wiped out by 3 pm. It was super frustrating, but this was my punishment for procrastination, I guess.
Job Search. We are starting to get applications for our t-t position. I’m trying not to stress over the timeline. But I *am* stressed out over it. I’m still not entirely sure it’s a good idea, but California still has no budget so I guess it truly was the best-bet option.
Teaching. Haven’t done much of it (3 hours worth?), but I’m on schedule. And only 14 more weeks to go!
Exhibit. Lots of editorial work and design decisions and formatting still to come. Lots. Lots. Lots. But it *is* going to happen one way or another. A Tuesday meeting will wrap up most of the unfinished ends. Hopefully, she says. Because it’s time to get postcards and some of the graphics to the printers. And to begin staging other elements. (And to get insurance forms completed?) I’m going to dedicate much of Monday, and some of this afternoon, to this. And to making brownies. I’ve got my priorities straight. (But I do plan to off most of them onto MP1 and MP2.) Off to the gym.
2 comments:
B seems like a good soul, not the kind to be annoyed with YOU, of all people - considering all the work you did last year! I was going to submit, but my advisor expressed a wee bit of trepidation, since I'm not an anthropologist.
Well, she is a good soul, but I could imagine annoyance for the simple reason that at some point one needs to get on with the next phase of the process. And, I'd still love to read your paper sometime. Have you figured out where you want to submit it?
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