The semester has ended! Time to wrap up grading – and 2024. Let’s dive in.
SONG INSPIRATION
December’s blog is inspired by Glorilla’s TGIF.
THANKSGIVING RECAP
Thanksgiving was just what the proverbial doctor ordered – a week of leisure with family and friends. I was shocked to discover my parents had initiated a reno of the family home. But it made me super happy to see them updating and beautifying their space as they march into their 70s. The food was amazing, the energy was full of love and life, and the work was minimal. One of my best friends joined this year’s celebration for the first time which presented an opportunity to introduce the Gulf Coast to an outside perspective. Per usual, Thanksgiving reminded me of a few recurring thoughts – my parents are aging; the semester was more tiring than I anticipated; and I really need some time away from N’Angland. I’m already itching to celebrate next year and to (hopefully) visit home more regularly.
FALL 2024 WRAP-UP
It’s a wrap – my most successful semester teaching to date! Yes, teaching and mentoring improve with time as you amass more experience and feedback. And that’s exactly how I feel at the end of a laborious semester. The students brought amazing energy to both courses and my research group cranked out some exciting preliminary results on a number of projects. I have scored three first round interviews to date, submitted an external grant as PI, and submitted a paper with a collaborator. Was it exhausting? Absolutely. Am I weary? You betcha! But am I burned out? Well…that’s the interesting bit. I don’t feel the way I felt last winter. Perhaps that’ll change after AGU this week. Overall, in terms of teaching and research, I feel excited and optimistic about winter and spring. Yes, I’m very tired and stoked for 4 weeks away from short days and overcast skies. Thankfully, the existential spiral has yet to rear its ugly head, perhaps due to having had such a spiritually fulfilling semester.
WINTER BREAK
Unlike last year, I won’t have 2 months off for winter. However, I intend to use the month I have to the fullest (mostly). I am currently attending a mega-science conference in DC, which will involve hours of talks, meetings, workshops, and social gatherings. Next week I hope to gather my wits on a beach along the Pacific coast. I suspect I will feel a tinge of burnout by then. Afterwards, I’ll spend a couple of weeks in the southwest for the holidays. I’m doing my damnest to ingest as much sun as possible before returning to N’Angland in January. I’m super excited to see my friends and celebrate the holidays with new traditions. And let’s be real – I need to catch up on so much reading and television. I have Netflix, Disney+, Max, Hulu, and Prime shows ON DECK! The right show in the right hotel room *chef’s kiss*. All of this to say, I need to recharge my batteries so I can start the rat race next year. Despite the never-ending work, I can’t deny how good it feels.
CURRENT BOOKS AND SHOWS
Recently finished reading: Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe
Currently reading: A Modern History of Japan; A Voice from Darkness
Recently finished watching: Abbott Elementary (s3); A Man on the Inside; For All Mankind (s4); Great British Bake-Off (s12 – in the US); Kaos; The Acolyte; The Diplomat (s2); The Terror (s1)
Currently watching: Abbott Elementary (s4); Agatha All Along; Saiki (s2); Delicious in Dungeon; Devil in Ohio; The Floor (s2)
Thank you for reading! The first blog of the new year is scheduled for Thursday, January 9th. Have a happy holiday season! Until next year….
The Planetary Novelist 