Wow! It’s not officially arrived yet, but Fall is kicking my ass, schedule-wise, and it’s showing up right here. I’m letting an extra day or two lapsed between posts, and when I get to them, my enthusiasm lacks conviction. While I often finish my runs by scribbling ideas for future posts, they’re generally ideas that require more time to pursue than seems to be available. Even a quick foray into the garden with my camera seems a challenge recently, plus the weather hasn’t made that terribly appealing. As you’ve noticed, I’ve been pulling out photos from last spring’s travels to share, but that trick has to be rationed lest you abandon me in droves.
So I’m trying something completely different today: I’m going with point form and with lists. Killing two birds with one stone, I’m going to make a post of getting myself organized. You’ve been warned, and I’ll understand if you choose to leave now. No hard feelings. Really.
Have they all gone, then? Now, where was I.
Oh, yes . . . .
Fall to-do’s:
–Write Research Leave Report (convincing Board that 70% salary was justified, thus ensuring possibility of future leaves.Almost Finished. Yay!!
–Write Application for (very small) Grant to support a Book Club I’ve started for International ESL students Finished & Submitted
–E-mail respective deans, support people, re plans for this year’s Book Club; choose dates; make up and distribute posters; send e-mail to list-serve First task done, still have to choose dates, etc.*
—Finish course outline for next term’s ENGL 450 so I can get book order to bookstore for last week’s deadline. Not Done! Must be done this week! ***
—Write proposal for Canlit essay collection CFP
–Write proposal for Slayage conference
–Write proposal for ACCUTE (November deadline!)
— Decide whether to write proposal for Urban Lit panel
— Figure out how to set up effective Forums on Moodle
–Contact other members of Recruiting Committee to set up work toward spring recruiting fair.
—See hearing specialist, dentist, doctor (long overdue pap, especially) Appointment done for hearing, dentist is next week, doctor’s appointment has to be re-scheduled, AGAIN!**
—Need to visit my mom soon!
—Get down to Victoria to visit son and his GF. This very pleasant to-do accomplished this weekend. Check!
—Run a half-marathon.Registered for one October 16th
–Knitting — should do finishing on the mohair dress; finish knitting tweed dress; start gloves; make more socks for Christmas gifts; choose cardi pattern to make for Nola; make the Cobblestone sweater for Paul
–Try to manage some de-cluttering Sorted out 7 or 8 pairs of shoes I’m not wearing and took them to Consignment Store. Gave one really good pair to a daughter. Several bags of clothes ready for Goodwill and have moved to trunk of car for delivery.
—Need to spend at least a few hours in the garden on fall clean-up, bulbs, transplanting, etc. — or at least enough time to delegate tasks to Paul. (so glad one of us is retired!)
–Must organize a family dinner soon, and what about Thanksgiving?
Ongoing background (daily-weekly stuff)
— Prep courses each week; marking
YIKES!! Just realized that this includes re-reading novel for ENGL 125 by next week!! Get that book out now!
–Pilates classes x2
–Three shorter runs 6-8kms, easy; speed, stairs and one long weekend run (about 2 hours)
–Blogging — and I’m behind again (still? always?) on my Reading Blog,
–Big stack of books to read. Big Stack!!
PERSONAL TO DOs for THIS WEEK:
Phone VOA to find out where our Opera tickets are
Renew memberships for UBC-MOA and for Vancouver Art Gallery
E-mail L.
Clear off/organize my desk so I can see past all the clutter.
I’m sure your lists are long as well. Any secrets for getting it all done? Any magic wands you’d care to share? Personal secretaries you’d like to lend out? Let me know, would you? Meanwhile, I’m off to prep tonight’s class after which I’m phoning about the opera tix and phoning the Dr’s office for an appointment. Check. Check.
(And did you notice that long, potentially overwhelming lists are considerably mitigated by pretty images? I’m trying to learn something from that. Photos courtesy of my garden . . .)
You've got a lot on your plate!
Don't worry about putting the blog down for a bit, or posting short pieces, or lists like today's. Everyone understands.
Wow that a big do list…
you could delegate some of those things to pater…museum membership, Opera tickets…just a thought.
I do appreciate snippets of beauty as they keep us afloat when there seems to be nothing but work ahead.
You've got beauty at your doorstep so you can enjoy it even wearing pj's!
I'm exhausted just reading that! But I'm sure it helps to get it all down, being a bit of a compulsive list-maker at times myself.
The garden shots are lovely, especially like the colors on that sunny berry pic.
I think some of it is just the change of seasons – the shift once absorbed will be more manageable?
Whoa – you have a crazy amount to do!! Good luck with it all! I have no words of wisdom – if you are motivated, it will all get done. P.
I love reading other people's lists and that one is a corker!
My problem is that the simple act of writing the task down on a list gives me a lovely glow of satisfaction just as if I had actually done the thing I'm supposed to tackle. So no advice from me I'm afraid.
Wow, I'm impressed. I actually think that listing things make them less scary and overwhelming, usually. It also helps me to prioritise, because when I have just 'too much' to do, I can get paralysed. Good luck with it all!
Holy cow, that's quite a list. I think you're 30% of the way there having quantified your responsibilities. Why not do a work back plan – a critical path, to help you to apportion your time optimally.
You are always doing a great deal, from my perspective. The academic list alone is impressive, and then… a half-marathon. Force of nature, ma!
Susan: Thanks for the understanding.
Hostess: I like your thinking! Delegation! Mind you, the man already does all the food (groceries, cooking) and most of the cleaning 'round here, so I have to play those cards carefully . . .
Susan: Aren't the berries gorgeous in the sunshine? And yes, the list-making is reassuring even as it's a bit terrifying.
Lisa: Sadly, it generally only gets worse until, well, April. Last weekend was one of the few no-marking weekends 'til sometime in December. But once I accept the reality that summer's freedoms are gone and just get to it, I'll at least be in the rhythm.
Patricia: It's true, you know. Some of those items are choices I make because I AM motivated. And that does really help.
Lesley: Me too! Now I think I deserve a reward — maybe a break?
Tiffany: It really helps me — then I sort into A, B, & C priorities. And I do the swiss-cheese hole-at-a-time approach to getting it done. Plus crossing items off, really good fun!
K: Which could perhaps lead to knitting dropping off the lists and, say, committee work moving ahead priority-wise? Oh dear . . .
Duchesse: Of course, you'll notice that much of what I do is simply stuff that keeps me sane. (in which case, of course, I should have listed my naps — they're clearly a priority that's getting short shrift!)
I too juggle many things to do, yet find myself sitting reading blogs and gossip blogs. My ability to prevaricate is endless especially when there is marking to do.
I am finally going to the doctor about a kidney infection I have had for 2 weeks! I have post stamped and ready in still in my bag after a week and a prescription dated from the beginning of summer to collect. Your list is awesome though as I find exercise bites the dust as work kicks in. Plus I haven't even registered for my MA yet!!
I will post some photographs of Bellapais tomorrow.
OH my , that is quite a list, and I am sure new items crop up daily…..
Can't say that I can help as I seem to have temporarily abandoned my blog. At least I'm thinking about it. Seriously though, I think making the list is the biggest hurdle, and then one is able to absorb and plan and just get it done. That is what seems to happen to me.
Alison: Get yourself to the doctor! That's taking busy-ness to the extreme. But I do understand getting to that point, especially when there's commuting involved — sometimes these self-care appointments take so much work. As for the exercise, if I didn't treat it as a must and keep it high up on the list, I know it would end up sliding away. I swear it gives me energy for the stuff I need to do, altho' some days I also swear it just wears me out!
Mardel: I completely understand why you'd give the blog a break for a while with all you have going on. You must be making lists constantly, whether or not you write them down. I hope you do find time, though, for the occasional e-mail, if not blogging. I miss you!