"In many disciplines, for the majority of graduates, the Ph.D. indicates the logical conclusion of an academic career." Marc Bousquet

Sunday, June 19, 2011

What to do on a Sunday?

It's one of those weekend days where you feel like doing something, but you're not sure what. So instead of doing anything, you just sit around and write a blog post about what you COULD be doing. I could be:
  • Going to the farmers market and picking up luscious, locally grown organic kale and tomatoes and zucchini and beets and mushrooms and sweet onions -- and maybe some strawberries and artisan cheese. But the Sunday farmers market is right near work, so walking there would make it feel too much like a weekday.
  • Going to yoga. I've been neglecting yoga lately, but the teacher I liked for Sunday classes is not longer on the schedule. There's another class a little later in the day that I like, but that teacher's classes are more challenging and I need to ease back into my practice. Better just to skip it.
  • Going shopping. I have plenty of winter "business" and "business casual" type clothes but not much for summer. There's no dress code at work, so no big deal, but sometimes we host events where it'd be sort of unacceptable to look like the slob I usuallly do. There's one on Thursday, but I don't feel like going shopping. I'll just wear my MLA interview suit again. It'll be 95 degrees in the shade, but whatever.
  • Cleaning the house. I fucken HATE cleaning with a passion, so I'm always putting it off. Things usually reach a point of unbearability, at which time, I might do the bare minimum, but I don't think we're there yet. The dishwasher is still functional, so the kitchen's OK, and Peaches took care of the opossum shit (I haven't actually seen the little bastard lately, but ze has clearly been around -- the feral cats don't leave their crap around like that) on the back porch yesterday. The rest can wait another week. Meh, maybe I'll put in a load of laundry.
  • Getting on with my research and the business of remaking myself as an independent scholar. Wait, it's Sunday. Are you kidding? Having weekends that don't entail "work" (unless it's paid!) is one of the good reasons to leave academe! So, yeah, um, no. (I'll give you a research update later, though. Now that I've solved my library access problems, I have a plan and have slowly but surely been making some progress, though we're still at a very early stage.)
Meh, maybe I'll just go for a walk or do a yoga "home practice" or read something "for fun." And then Peaches and I'll go to the hipster wine bar later and sit outside while the sun sets and the day melts away, sipping some vernnaccia or some verdicchio (yes, I'm partial to Italian wine) or maybe a St. Germain cocktail.....

Hope y'all are enjoying your own weekends!

1 comment:

  1. I'm not feeling well today, so I've spent the bulk of the day on my couch. I've watched silly movies, made some tasty pasta, and took a nap. Yesterday, I spent a beautiful Saturday at a music festival with my partner and a couple of friends.

    It feels so great to spend a guilt-free weekend not working if I don't want to (and as you say, if I'm not getting paid for it). The renewed ownership of my weekends and evenings has been the best part of this whole process. I feel like I've regained my sanity - I've been working on some research projects as well, but that work on my own schedule and sans guilt. It feels absolutely wonderful.

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