…so let’s try to keep it that way. Like many of you, I’ve recently gone to such events as new faculty orientation sessions, “welcome back” breakfasts, and human resources workshops. I like it here. I have a bunch of new friends, many of them academics like me and many of them not. In response to the question Why did you leave your previous job?, I have two answers. One of them is longer and somewhat more complicated. The shorter one, which I like better is this: I’m a salt water fish, and that was a fresh water environment.
Inspired by Geeky Mom, here is my (admittedly general) working list of personal and professional aspirations for the coming year. I will probably update this a bit:
- In general, do what I want to do in my teaching, research, and service without worrying about whether it will get me tenure. This is paradoxically, I am convinced, the way to get tenure. If it isn’t, well, I’m not going to turn myself into something I am not (see “salt water fish” above). I haven’t done the random quotations meme, but I like this Emerson quote found at Julie’s: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” If, in however many years, I am not tenured, then that’s the institution’s loss, and I’ll be on to something else.
- Be more disciplined about scheduling my time: writing, class prep, grading, teaching, service. Make use of iCal, my new Palm, all those self-help books on productivity. No tv and no Internet at home should help a great deal. I also want to create a long-term tentative calendar of goals and plot the way to achieve them.
- Get into the habit of not saying yes or no immediately.
- Pay better attention to my health. If my body is happy, my mind is usually happy.
- Exercise regularly. Make it to the gym at least three times a week, and hopefully five. Take the classes at my gym: yoga,
spinningGroup Ride™, and Centergy™. - Eat well more often than not: complex carbohydrates, lots of fruits and vegetables, plenty of protein, plenty of water. Allow myself an ice cream cone or some Krispy Kreme donuts now and again.
- Get plenty of sleep every night.
- Exercise regularly. Make it to the gym at least three times a week, and hopefully five. Take the classes at my gym: yoga,
- Next spring, start looking for a place to buy here in Sparkle City. Now is the time, and there are plenty of cool, old homes within walking distance of the (surprisingly, for a town this small) happenin’ downtown.
- Stay single for awhile. If I meet someone who knocks me over with her wit, charm, and beauty…well, I just have to trust that I’ll know what to do. Otherwise, I plan to enjoy hanging out with friends.
- Go to New Orleans for Spring Break 2007 to help with the recovery effort.
- See as many musical performances as I can. Music makes me happy. Jeff Tweedy was great. I’m going to see Cat Power in Atlanta on September 12 with Scrivener. I think I’ll go see go to this show (featuring a friend of mine I haven’t seen in awhile) in Asheville on September 6. And there will be lots of acts to see at the Hub Bub Showroom.
Update: When I go to Kansas City next month, I’m going to get a black star tattooed on the outside of my right arm opposite the pen? that currently resides on the inside.
So what are your aspirations for the coming year?
