When I first started writing these weekly reflections, Ellie was consistently napping each day, which proved to be a convenient time to review the past week, reflect a bit, and push publish on the post. Now a nap means she’ll be up until 10:30pm (at least), and still getting up around 7:00am, no thanks!
Read MoreFeeling super energized about research this week. I’m working on a funding application that’s really exciting to me, and I also just really love the beginning stages of research project development, where you’re gathering and organizing information and using that info to develop new ideas. Along similar lines, we had the first meeting for a fellowship program that I’m doing this year (which I briefly wrote about in a September weekly update). The program sounds like it’ll be a huge support as I’m working on this funding application, and also for future funding endeavors. As an added perk, it also means that I’ll get to travel to DC in the spring and see my family… always a plus when work travel can be combined with a family trip.
Read MorePutting my main tasks in writing each week is making me think a lot about how much I “should” be doing and what’s “enough” for a tenure track faculty member to be doing. Looking at my list for the week makes me uncomfortable. Between research and teaching I see four projects and think, “Is that all? Why am I not doing more?”
Read MoreWe took a trip to the Columbia River at the end of August and it was lovely. It also made us realize how much we love the ocean. We had some money in our travel savings fund, so we figured, it’s there, let’s use it instead of just having it sit there. So, we went to Cannon Beach this weekend, a place that we’ve been for day trips before but never to stay the night.
Read MoreMy main takeaway this week has been to slow down and listen to my body (which feels like it’s been my life main lesson since Ellie was born). I’ve been feeling a little “off” lately, experiencing things like shortness of breath and a racing pulse. I happened to have a doctor’s appointment scheduled for my back and was considering whether I should ask them to give my heart an extra listen… turns out I didn’t have to ask.
Read MoreWeek 1 of the term is done. Even though I’m not teaching this term I still felt that nervous excitement (or is it apprehension 😄) about the beginning of the year. I’m also still in disbelief that it’s October already. Time just keeps on going. Although this week felt pretty light in terms of the number of things I was doing, I did have some big wins (quality, not quantity, right?!). I submitted my fourth year review, finished the initial round of reviewing article titles for a systematic review project with a collaborator, finalized a poster presentation for a conference in November, and am 99% done my prep for winter term!
Read MoreNow that I am officially back on contract I am bringing back my weekly updates for the school year. I kicked off the week by working from home and then ended it with meetings (because it wouldn’t be academia without them!). My office still looks like I just moved in… and honestly, it’s not high on my priority list so it’ll probably look like this for awhile. I did get a small table this week to put under the white board for when I have meetings. So… now I can just shove things underneath the table to make it look a little less cluttered. Before having Ellie, I used to need my work spaces to be super organized before getting to work… after Ellie it doesn’t phase me at all.
Read MoreIn the words of Daniel Tiger… “that was fun but now it’s done.” We had two major endings this week. We ended our two week trip to the east coast and I officially ended my third year on the tenure track (my contract ended last Sunday and grades were due on Tuesday… don’t ask me why they make grades due after our contracts end and after graduation…). With these 2 big events coming to an end, I’ve been thinking a lot about the passage of time. When Ellie was an infant, I sporadically listened to the podcast, The Longest Shortest Time, and I think about the title often because it so accurately describes life with a young kid. In the midst of the year, it felt like time was dragging and that our trip to see family was light years away, and now here I am settling back into daily life and it’s all done.
Read MoreWe are. Still. Traveling. We’re coming up on the two week mark and I think that might be my limit. Or at least my limit of not having a consistent schedule.
Read MoreThis week Mike and I celebrated 8 years of marriage… by flying across the country with a three year old, which is probably the most fun way you could spend an anniversary. It actually wasn’t that bad. Everything went as smoothly as it could go, we didn’t have any major meltdowns, and the airplane snacks/drinks kept Ellie entertained for a really long time.
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