A sense of urgency is just a capitalistic construct, so take your time and read this at your leisure.
SONG INSPIRATION
This month’s blog is inspired by Silk & Cologne by EI8HT & Offset from the Metro Boomin Across the Spiderverse soundtrack.
SUMMER UPDATE
It’s hot. In land, air, and sea. Heat domes. Wildfires. Boiling oceans. Don’t let the complacency fool you – this is a climate emergency and our society will continue to crumble under its weight. No sweat – let’s dance until the sky falls!
Initially, I planned to spend half the summer in N’Angland and half in Texas. However, that changed to 3 months in N’Angland and 1 month in TX and AZ. Everything worked out for the best. I took time off in June/July to recover from burnout. I’m happy to report that 2 weeks of lounging, drinking, and gaming worked. By the end of my staycation, I was ready to return to the office. Then, I headed south. Sometimes you need to relocate to a different place in order to gain a different perspective. I’ve been reflecting on my family, friendships, hobbies, and new life in N’Angland. I haven’t visited Austin, TX in over a decade. Like all places in the southern US, it’s super-hot right now. But that hasn’t stopped me from exploring the city. Austin’s explosive growth is bananas – so much new construction. I’ve been walking around the neighborhood, exploring new restaurants, going to the movies, and socializing with old and new friends.
INTENTIONAL MENTORING
Officially, I’m in TX for an intentional mentoring program which has provided a glimpse into advising students in research. I’ve learned tons about effective mentoring strategies. As academics, we’re seldomly trained in project and personnel management. We certainly aren’t required to take any coursework in those subjects. Yet, it’s an essential part of our careers. I think I’m a decent mentor, especially with respect to mental/emotional health, career navigation, and professional development. I am much less confident with research mentoring. It’s a complex process and I’m a novice. Research mentoring represents a huge commitment. You have to invest time and energy in training a person and entrust them with a (typically) multi-semester or multi-year project, while learning their personality. I’m super thankful for this experience (better to learn it now than later) and I hope to apply lessons learned in future advising.
WRITING
Writing has been the highlight of my life the past month. My novel has surpassed 70,000 words as of yesterday, with completion scheduled for early September (hopefully before classes start). My excitement shows in the ~1000 words/day I’ve been cranking out on the weekdays. I can’t wait to have a completed duology, which I may either collapse into a single book, expand into a trilogy, or keep it in its current form. In the world of short fiction, I’m making progress on a tag-team short story with my writing partner. At present, 80% of our story is complete with a September 1st deadline. Another short story I submitted to a contest this past spring remains on the judging table. On the non-fiction side, two manuscripts (one on which I’m 1st author and the other 2nd author) are moving through the hands of co-authors. With any hope, both of these will be submitted before the end of the year which I desperately need for the current job cycle.
CURRENT SHOWS AND BOOKS
Recently finished watching: Rick and Morty (s6);Sweet Tooth (s2); The Handmaid’s Tale (s5); The Venture Bros (s5); Wednesday
Currently watching: The Venture Bros (s6); The Witcher (s3)
Recently finished reading: Parable of the Sower; The Spare Man
Currently reading: A Modern History of Japan; Dune; Parable of the Talents
Thank you again for reading! As always, reader suggested topics are always welcome. My next blog is scheduled for Thursday, August 24th. Until next time….
The Planetary Novelist 