Friday, February 21, 2014

Carbonite Compressions

My life is a compressed can of whoop-ass: I reel among graduate class readings and papers, teaching, student government, conferences, writing my dissertation, preparing for prelims, pets, partner, and family. Some things fall by the wayside, like cleaning, friends, and reading and writing for fun. I don’t write much that isn’t research-based these days.

So what you see here, on this blog, are the remnants of the last few years – the bulk of what little me-time I justified taking. This isn’t my core, it isn’t all the important stuff, but it is what lets me keep chugging along. It gives me enough peace to focus on academia.

With any luck, a year from now I will have less to juggle. I will have three little letters after my name. I will be on the job market. Life will be better. I will be better.

Something’s been nagging at me, though.

One of my graduate friends once told his advisor that he was looking forward to starting his career and his life. His advisor leaned back and cut straight to the point: “You’ve already started your career and this is your life.”

I guess this blog is a small step toward reclaiming a part of myself that’s been sealed away for far too long.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!



(image by Seung Mo Park, found at http://sploid.gizmodo.com/these-wire-sculptures-actually-look-like-people-frozen-1458551798)

4 comments:

revelations said...

keep on chugging... I have been chugging for a long time it helps the sanity... :)

Sweeper of Dreams said...

Thanks, sir! I certainly hope so. Cheers.

Brian Miller said...

its not easy.
i work full time, am in grad school...and yada yada...the list is rather long...ha.

i hope that you do in the coming year find more time for your creativity...i think it brings balance to a hectic life.

Sweeper of Dreams said...

Thanks, Brian. I wish the same for you, but I have to say you seem tapped into your creativity! I very much appreciate you sharing it. And amen to finding balance - the eternal quest, eh?