So there's only one week left of vacation - and one more week until I have to start waking up early. I must admit that I do like these breaks from reality, but even I am ready to get started. I've been working more than I was at this time last year, so I'm excited to hit the ground running. But of course, this doesn't mean I've been totally attached to the computer. Some highlights...
Going to the movies (Sweeney Todd, National Treasure 2, I Am Legend, The Orphanage)
Eating at some great restaurants around the city
Sleeping late...almost every single day
Running (even if it is still on a treadmill)
Receiving - and revising - two conditional acceptance articles (still finishing the second, but it's close)
Making progress on one of my grants - and more progress to go before school starts again
Revising an article outline into something that will be better when I start writing - even if the initial process is painful
Crocheted a shawl
Okay, so this list is really to remind myself that I've been productive and to encourage me to keep it up during the school year. With physical therapy ending soon, I'm looking forward to having more time in my schedule to devote to work. But first, with the semester starting next week, it's time for a new hair do... updates coming soon...
As you can see, I really am doing my best to write more, even if it is stuff that's not particularly useful for me (but hey, it gets those juices flowing!). When I was living through this weekend, I thought I was being rather unproductive, but now that it's Monday, I'm pretty proud of myself. I finished a detailed outline for a collaborative article I am working on with some colleagues from another university (albeit a few days late, but I don't think anyone really noticed), I finished the last of my fall semester grading (grad student exams - boy were they awful), managed to see a movie, have dinner, drinks, and random Sunday afternoon party with friends, did some laundry and some grocery shopping, and even ran! Yay running (more on that in a minute). So really, it's not so bad after all.
I also ran this morning - starting this past week, I have been allowed to run unsupervised (short story for the uninitiated - surgery in August, boot off in November, physical therapy for another month or so, and really cool scar). So I ran yesterday and today for 20 whole minutes (well, 5 minute warm up walk, 10 minute jog, 2 minute walk break, 10 minute jog, 3-5 minute cool down walk). And amazingly, I am not that sore! I was a little stiff this morning and a bit swollen (getting the sneaker on took a little extra wiggling), but overall, I feel great. I'm really excited to think that I may be running (okay, jogging) 5k's by the spring and actually training to run something at a less than slow pace by the fall (full recovery for my surgery is about 12 months or so).
So now it's Monday and so far, I've run (okay, jogged - it was 10:54 pace on the treadmill) and slept late. Now it's time to get ready for the day and head into the city to do some work. That's right - just me, my work, and a coffee shop. That's my kind of day!
Yay Monday (for now - classes start in a few weeks and then they won't seem quite as exciting!)!
Last semester, I wrote a letter of recommendation for a terrific student. While she may not have had the highest grade in my class (although, it's pretty hard to get high grades in my classes to begin with), she was certainly one of the brightest, most insightful, and most compassionate students I've had the chance to teach in a while. She's just a pleasure - and I was so happy to write a letter telling prospective schools that. She even wrote me a thank you note and gave me a Starbucks card as a thank you (my addictions are well known to my students).
Well, today she sent me an email saying that she had been accepted into her top choice graduate school - one in which we were a little worried because her GPA, while strong, was not stellar (and this is a top notch Ivy program that she wanted to get into). But they did take her - and boy, are they lucky to have her! I know that my letter was only one small part of the package, but I would like to think that my being able to say great things about her helped in some small way. She's a great student, a great person, and is going to do great things in her life.
This is one of the things I love about my job - knowing that I've had some small role in the lives of people who are going to make this world a better place. It may not be much, but it keeps me smiling on my way into work.
