Last night I went out with friends, colleague friends. I like them. I care about what’s going on in their lives. It feels relevant but it is also 95% about college matters, all the things I’m not supposed to be thinking about. My job, not my career. The idea of giving up much of that closeness with my friends is really sad, not to mention really hard while I’m geographically present in my beloved borough. I see why its so good to physically escape.
Forgot to press start on the pedometer. I’ve no idea how far or fast I ran. Felt defeating. Yet the run itself felt good. Why does it matter that I can’t quantify it?
Then go a text from a colleague in town from Italy trying to make a plan. I want to stay here and work but networking is also part of my job. No wait. Not my job. It’s to the potential benefit of my career. And I like the guy, but after five texts we don’t have a plan and my day is on standby. Reminds me of dating.
Michael Crawford once told me that the secret to academic success is knowing what you’re going to do the next time you can take 15 minutes in the library. My Doctoral Supervisor didn’t think much of this advice, said it was an inappropriate approach for a junior scholar. That said, I’m not so junior any more. Perhaps I shall dust of that advice. I’m sure the 15 minutes aren’t to include blogging–a modern omphaloscopic indulgence.
The next 15 minutes (or more) will be double checking Euripides references in Diodorus as my PR suggested.
Liv Mariah Yarrow 