no more research
um, i can’t believe i’m saying this, but i want to get back to work. real work. like, as in taking care of kids and talking to people and feeling like i had really ACCOMPLISHED something at the end of the day.
don’t get me wrong — if this month truly were an extended vacation, i’d love every second of it. but it’s not. i’m really trying to get work done on my research proposal, but i don’t have tons of experience and my progress is slow. i am having a lot of trouble focusing for long periods of time, but i feel guilty for the frequent (very frequent) ‘breaks’ that i’ve been taking.
it doesn’t help that i looked up the actual deadlines for turning in my proposal for funding and found out that they are OCTOBER 2010 – JANUARY 2011. i know it will be better to have done most of the prelim work ahead of time, but that certainly doesn’t light a fire under my laptop. i mean, who knows what will be happening then?!
today i will try to meet some finite goals:
☑ finish draft of intro section
☑ start outline of methods section
☑ read review paper sent by D lab yesterday
this should be doable . . . i hope!
improv everywhere
on the way back from charlotte, i drove from greensboro on while josh snoozed (the poor guy has some serious sleep debt!). to keep me awake and occupied, i played a this american life podcast — absolutely love these! one of the stories featured was about a prank pulled in a local starbucks where a group of about 8 people did everyday normal things in a 5-minute loop — and repeated them for an hour.
these everyday actions included things like:
■ a minor quarrel between a young couple
■ a spilled drink
■ going back to get some napkins
■ brief sneezing fit
apparently, it took several cycles before the unknowing regular customers in the store caught on! such an interesting project about turning the mundane into something noteworthy (and maybe even spectacular).
since i’m on my research rotation with plenty of internet perusal time (they’re BREAKS, okay!?), i came upon the group’s official website and discovered . . .
YES! the ultimate urban prank. apparently, the no-pants subway ride is now a yearly tradition! i love that it combines two everyday things (subway + nakedness . . . come on, we are ALL wearing no pants at some point in the day!) to make a shocking combination that makes you chuckle, and perhaps even think a little bit.
interested? apparently, this event will be taking place in multiple cities this year on january 10th. of course, the more publicized it gets, the less of a true prank it is, but . . . i can imagine it would still be fun.
spring already!?
not in real life, of course, but in the fashion world . . . why not? orla kiely is going back to her roots for spring!
don’t tell her i said this, but i wasn’t a huge fan of ms. kiely’s dark and slightly melancholy looking fall/winter ’09 collection. bright + happy is what orla does best! now if only she would refresh her stationery line . . . i would buy it alllllll.
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12.16.09
workout: world’s worst 3 mile run (average 9:28/mi). i knew not to expect too much 4 days out from the marathon and 2 days into a cold. but i felt like i was running with someone else’s legs — actually, someone else’s body altogether! this body felt much heavier and less aerodynamic than usual, and it moved less with what felt like a normal amount of effort. hmmm.
i also did a yogadownload. after considering attending a live class, i decided that my body still isn’t quite up to it. i’ve been actually having some back pain ever since the race that is bothering me, so i didn’t want to do anything hardcore. however, i did sign up for a class on saturday AM (at franklin street yoga).
commenter pen: thank you for your recommendations! i may end up checking out blue point after all — it would work on the way to or from work. carrboro is a little far for me but i have definitely heard wonderful things about sage rountree!
doin’ time: oh, i’m going to need to come up with a new name for this section! this dinner was 50% martha and 50% from eat, drink, and be vegan. josh and i both enjoyed the cumin-lime tofu (although it wasn’t QUITE as good as the gliding calm version. that’s the tofu gold standard in my opinion.)
served with a side of local broccoli and martha’s sweet potatoes and roasted pears. actually, the sweet potatoes were also local — loving my new weekly produce deliveries from bella bean!
10 Comments
Yeah my 3 miles post-marathon SUCKED too..Hopefully you'll recover quickly! And I've never tried tofu….but that pic makes it look kindaaa sortaaa good..? haha
Haha my friends in college always used to say "Don't you hate pants??" I'm not really sure why, but I just sent them the link to the naked subway prank. 🙂
It's funny how we can accomplish things yet not feel accomplished. I'm sure you're getting things done, but it's not what you're used to! I hate the days when it feels like all I do is pass meds. All. Day. Long.
I totally understand that about research. And the internet is such a temptation. I can't let myself open the Web browser- even to check a real fact- while I'm working or it's all over.
I adore This American Life. Ira Glass is phenomenal. I definitely have a crush on him. He came to my university last year, and it was one of the best speaker series I've ever been to.
The no pants subway ride is hilarious. So Lady Gaga.
DO NOT worry about that bad run. seriously – you JUST ran a marathon. If I race hard (like at CIM) I usually take a long break. Last year I took 2 weeks off, this year 10 days. I think its important to make sure you are recovered, especially if you were sore. The other marathons this year I ran sooner since I wasnt sore and actually walked a bit of the race :-/ or "didnt race hard".
Yay for Bella Bean! If only I still lived in Boston and could partake in the no pants subway ride. Darn!
awwwwwww! thank you for the wonderful shout out!!!!!!!! you are sooo sweet!!!!
HAPPY THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!! 😀
Let your legs be slow and just don't push it. They'll come around soon.
I love Improv Everywhere! They have videos on youtube! I love when they go to Home Depot (or some big store) and all freeze in place…haha.
Excellent choice from ED&BV–although I am little biased toward anything involving tofu:)