I never like these last few weeks of the summer -- too many hopes for things to squeeze in, all the anticipation and flurry of activity for the new term, regrets over what didn't happen in the summer. That's partly what my August experiment was designed to counteract -- with good results -- but today it's just me I'm talking to, and repeating that the summer was great isn't really cutting it.
Things I did this summer:
- Spent a lot of time with the dogs -- ours and various others we've had to babysit for the past few weeks
- Took on all the household duties so my partner could create art
- Watched movies
- Read for pleasure
- Agonized about an overdue essay
- Admitted I have depression and re-started therapy
- Started taking a supplement that's altering my brain chemistry for the better, but I'm still trying to get the dosage right
- Did a lot of yoga
Things I'd still like to do:
- plan my courses, set up reserves, etc
- read some more novels for fun
- skim some possible novels for spring's courses
- write an article
- reorganize my home office
- purge and reorganize my school office
- make all my handouts, & prepare all my slides for the whole semester (or at least 1/2 of it)
Making a list does always make me feel better. That's the benefit of the academic calendar -- we get to start everything fresh 3 times a year. No matter how terrible a semester is, it always comes to an end. And each one begins with bright new hopes and possibilities.
Well, it supposedly only takes 21 days to start a new habit. Guess I just have to pick something to improve and get started.
|