thursday: reminder of how to be a grad student

Not To Do Today

1 Avoid twiddling with two book annotations. They are good enough! I focused on Everything that Rises Must Converge ( a favorite from Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor) and a deliciously pointed essay on faith and fiction in Mystery and Manners. I moved ALL the Flannery O’Connor books and commentaries from my bedside bookshelf to the living room shelves, to make room for The Next Big Reads. No twiddling. Good enough.

2 Postpone writing a long overdue letter to Dave. After my packet is turned in.

3 Sigh. Put DOWN the laptop for all uses except grad student writing. I’ve CHECKED the magazine message boards (paid work is good) and emailed editors for paychecks, for new story assignments. No one needs me on Facebook, and I like a recent comment by a classmate that Facebook is an endless yearbook signing party. (Yes. And I like it. So?)

4 Stop worrying about my American Airline flight for next week, at least for this next few hours. I’ve done what I can for now. Stop worrying about housing while I’m gone and childcare things yet to figure out.

5 Do not start any big cleaning projects. Throughout my academic life, when writing is due, I clean—but all the projects are WAY TOO BIG. So. Stop now.

To Do Today:

(first: eat breakfast. Now.)

1 Write. Edit essays for my graduate work deadline next week.

2 Nurture my poor hair after the long winter. I will place myself in Amanda the White’s chair, maybe for the last time before her maternity leave

3 Walk the beach.

4 Take kids to the playground after school, again. Show'em mama can pitch. Pack that enormous book of essays.

5 Fold billions of loads of laundry. Houseclean? A little. Small stuff only. May have an honored houseguest, so…

6 Plan for more open time this weekend: cancel the stuff I didn’t want to do anyway!

7 Look at the backyard and garden and see what small measures can be done in the late afternoon. After writing and walking.

Reminder to self: run at joy, chase it as fast as you can go. And then maybe clean the sink, if there’s time. Seventy degrees, maybe today? Thaw meat for the grill.

First, though: breakfast. Maybe a second cup of coffee. Yeah, I think there's time. Joy. First.