The cold, dark, and snow (can you believe it!?) has arrived with only a few weeks until the start of holiday season. This month’s blog is shorter and sweeter than usual because I have a lot of work to do.
SONG INSPIRATION
This month’s blog is inspired by Cards from Doja Cat’s new album, Vie. I remain obsessed.
NYC
Last weekend I visited New York City for the first time, a place I’ve imagined since elementary school. And to top it off, I visited the Empire State Building, which I was obsessed with as a child. OK – but let’s backtrack a bit. Despite living in a town with an Amtrak station, I had yet to take the train down to the city. During my depression, I originally planned this trip as a way of getting out of the house and having something to anticipate. Post-depression I decided to use the trip as an opportunity to do recon for a future, longer trip, see my first Broadway show, and reconnect with an old friend. I wasn’t disappointed. The train ride, though long for some, was lovely, and it gave me 13 hours roundtrip to catch up on multiple projects.
New York was amazing! Bright, loud, gritty, dense, a mess, and invigorating. I loved watching the people, walking the streets, and feeling the pulse of the city. The view from the Empire State Building was breathtaking, although I could’ve done without feeling the building sway on the 102nd floor. Gotta keep meeting my fear of heights head on. Although I’ve seen the photos, I hadn’t realized how drastic the city skyline has changed in recent years. The juxtaposition between glass and concrete and brown brick was striking and added a temporal dimension to the landscape. Central Park was enormous and there were so many people about thanks to a surprisingly mild and clear Saturday. Broadway was epic. I saw The Lion King, which did not disappoint. Times Square was a mess, full of interesting people and blazing screens and lights. I loved it, but I can’t fathom the New Year crowds. Perhaps most importantly, I caught with a friend who I hadn’t seen since our high school graduation over 17 years ago. That was a tsunami of nostalgia and embarrassing stories. I left that interaction feeling as if worlds had collided, so many people and years and experiences connected. I’m itching to return to NYC for a full week of museums, shows, restaurants, and friends.
A MOUNTAIN OF WORK
There’s nothing like a week at an invigorating conference surrounded by friends and collaborators to renew your excitement for research, teaching, and science as a whole. Not to mention the San Antonio River Walk was fantastic! But as the semester winds down, looming deadlines have left a mountain of work on the horizon. In 30 days, I turn into a pumpkin for winter break. That leaves four weeks to submit a paper, conclude a college writing course, submit the last vestige of job applications, and prepare for the holidays. While I’m uber thankful for the ability to conduct cool and interesting science, I’m can’t deny that I’m stressed. One of the reasons is simple: I have 25 job applications to submit this Fall which takes extra time that I don’t have. On the other hand, I’ve learned to interpret certain types of stress as a symptom of success. I don’t mean that in a toxic capitalist sort of way, but the reason I’m stressed is because I’ve had good fortunate in my research, teaching, and mentoring. People want to work with me, and I want to work with them. I’m grateful, but that doesn’t mean I’m not overdue for a beach vacation.
CURRENT BOOKS AND SHOWS
Recently finished reading: Volcanism on Mars
Currently reading: Dune Messiah; Project Hail Mary
Recently finished watching: Law and Order: SVU (s26); The Gilded Age (s3); The Great British Bake Off (s16)
- Nothing like a dose of police procedural to ease the mind! And I really love the pacing, costumes, and story of The Gilded Age. The characters continue to surprise me and Railroad Daddy is bae. I also loved this season of GBBO – and the winner was a no-brainer.
Currently watching: Daredevil (s2); Final Draft; Moriarty the Patriot; The Floor (s3); Physical Asia; The Lazarus Project (s1)
Thank you for reading! The next blog is scheduled for Thursday, December 11th. Until next time….
The Planetary Novelist 