This has been your public service announcement

[lunabee34]

1. Hi, kids. Don't be me.

Josh is all the way better. I am so relieved. However, while he was sick, I basically did nothing but keep the house and kids afloat and catch up on the grading I didn't do while I was at my parents'. I was recovering physically from the trip, so it was basically sleep, grade, sleep, chores, sleep, cook, sleep, grade, sleep--you get the picture. The kids helped so much; I am so glad they are old enough that lots of these tasks can be delegated to them and that I don't have to play with them when I really can't. However, what this means is that I did not write the conference paper I was supposed to be writing this summer. The paper I am presenting this Friday. Aahhahhahahhahahah.

So, I started working on that this weekend. I already had all the research compiled, and with the exception of one book (review below), I'd already read it all before; I just need to go back through it looking for this different purpose. So I did all that over the weekend and Monday, wrote half the paper yesterday, and will finish the second half today when the first day of the conference is over (the joy of an international conference is that it's over at noon! the despair is that the first session this morning started at 4:30!). I'm not worried about finishing it or about the quality; the writing is going fine, and I'm pleased with it.

However . . .

2. This summer was supposed to be about me resting and recharging and rejuvenating and getting to a place where I'm not procrastinating all the time. And it's actually getting WORSE!

I am not a procrastinator. This is not me. I am a do-aheader. I am a 15 minutes early is on time kinda gal. I hate this.

I thought about going back to work a few days ago and nearly burst into tears. *sigh*

3. Here's some good stuff to read.



The Novels of Mrs. Oliphant: A Subversive View of Traditional Themes by Margarete Rubik

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a good argument that Oliphant has been unjustly left out of the canon and a robust defense of the merits of many of her novels (she was of the Trollope school of writing and extremely prolific).

Oliphant is typically seen as rather conservative, but Rubik argues that she had more subversive ideas about gender roles than is traditionally allowed. Rubik is writing during that period when it's very important to feminist scholars to prove that 19th-century women writers are subverting the norms of the time, but I find parts of her argument compelling, particularly Oliphant's late-in-life admission that her earlier, conservative statements in essays were made because she felt she had to make them in order to sell books.



View all my reviews

Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is such a wonderfully weird, little book. It's set during some future dystopia, and the nature of that dystopia is never very clearly spelled out. Information is parceled out randomly during the course of the narrative and as it would naturally come up; lots is left very ambiguous, but it's clear that climate change is the major factor fueling this dystopia. Most of the characters are physically displaced from their home countries. I think the search for home and identity comprises the core theme of the book. Despite what seems like such a heavy setting and heavy theme, this is such a kind book, uplifting and hopeful. I didn't like one character very much; I thought he wasn't very nice to his mother, for example. And then the end of the book made me reevaluate my opinion, which was very nicely done by the author.



View all my reviews

Women against cruelty: Protection of animals in nineteenth-century Britain by Diana Donald

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is very well-written and impeccably researched. Highly recommend if you are interested in attitudes about animals and animal rights during this time period, attitudes toward women's advocacy for animals, and attitudes toward animal cruelty during this time period in Britain.



View all my reviews

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Can I give this twelve stars? LOL

I can't remember the last time I stayed up way past my bedtime reading a book. I literally couldn't put this down even though I knew I was going to pay for it the next day.

This book is just sweet. It's sweet and kind and wonderful. Reading it made me happy. I knew from the beginning it was going to end well if not the exact shape that happy ending would take; that's telegraphed pretty hard and not a secret from a reader who is at all familiar with this genre. But I enjoyed every single page that took me to that happy ending. I started tearing up when I had about a fourth of the novel left and cried some happy tears from then until the ending.

I can't recommend this novel highly enough.



View all my reviews

Comments

[nyctanthes]

I thought about going back to work a few days ago and nearly burst into tears. *sigh*

I'm so sorry. I want two weeks of no work of any kind for you!

:: hugs ::

[lunabee34]

Me, too. :(

Thank you, my friend.

[author_by_night]

*Hugs*

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

[princessofgeeks]

Thanks for the reviews and good luck with your paper! HUGS

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

I hope you find something to like!

I finished the paper yesterday afternoon. Just need to read over it today and make sure there's no typos. :) Whew!

[goss]

*hugs*

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

[sheafrotherdon]

I know that 'almost bursting into tears' place. Can you take some time for yourself once the conference is done? I'm remembering what my coach said about the places where we know we're in overwhelm and fatigue, and we keep pushing through, but the trick is to retreat/retrench/seek out what will refill our cup. It always feels undoable, but the alternative isn't regaining our energy and creativity, but getting more and more overwhelmed.

I'm sending you heaps and heaps of love.

[lunabee34]

No, because I am a fucking idiot.

I have to write a graduate class for deployment in a little over three weeks. It's the first time this graduate class will have ever been taught in an entirely new program that's being launched this fall, so it has to be good.

I should have started working on this in May. But I was so tired and I just didn't.

The class will be fine. I know what I want to do and have already thought about it. I will start working on it Monday.

But you're right. I need to retreat. I just can't.

[executrix]

I honestly don't think "paper not written because of critical health needs in the family" can reasonably be defined as procrastination.

I think attendees cannot tell the difference between a sublime paper and a "good enough paper" by analogy with the "good enough mother." In fact, a paper ruthlessly limited to only the highest of high points could be more interesting than one with more filigree.

[lunabee34]

Ah, but see, I should have written it before the health crisis. That's where the procrastination comes in.

I am actually not worried about the quality of the paper; I think it's good. Perhaps that says terrible things about the state of my ego LOL but whatever. I finished it yesterday, and I'm satisfied with it, so hurray.

*hugs and hugs*

[spikedluv]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the TJ Klune book!

I agree that dealing with Other Stuff is not the same as procrastinating. I'm glad the paper writing is going well and that your presentation kicks all kinds of butt.

*hugs*

[lunabee34]

Maybe not, but if I hadn't procrastinated before the Other Stuff then i would have been better off.

Almost presentation time! <3

[makamu]

Like everybody else, I don't think dealing with critical life stuff is not proceastinating. I wish you a lot of time to genuinely relax and recharge soon! *hugs*

[lunabee34]

Thank you so much, my friend.

*hugs hugs*

[gloss]

I'm so sorry life is coming at you so hard! Glad that Josh is better, though.

<3333

[lunabee34]

Thank you thank you.

And, oh, me too. I was so worried about him.

[annofowlshire]

Having to reprioritize in the face of a family emergency is not procrastinating.

I'm sorry you haven't been able to get that break you need, though ♥

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune This has been on my list for some time, I'll move it higher.

[lunabee34]

I should have already been working on stuff before the life crap happened, though. :(

The book is so good. It's just sweet. I needed that.

[independence1776]

*hugs*

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

[china_shop]

I read a different TJ Klune book, and it didn't really work for me for structural reasons, but now I want to try Cerulean Sea! <3

I hope things get easier. *hugs and hugs*

[lunabee34]

Thank you. *hugs*

This one is a straightforward, chronologically told narrative. So no structural shenanigans. :)

[timespirt]

"HUGS"

You need to take time for yourself. The summer is almost over and it will be school time before you know it.

[lunabee34]

I know. I just don't see where I can. :(

*hugs*

*delurking*

[sulien]

What executrix said, there’s no way this was procrastination.

” I thought about going back to work a few days ago and nearly burst into tears.”

Oh yeah, that sucks beyond the telling of it (been there). I’m sending tons of positive, supportive thoughts your way.

Re: *delurking*

[lunabee34]

Hi, hi! <3

Thank you so much. All positive energy and thoughts always welcome.

[umadoshi]

*hugshugs*

[lunabee34]

*clings*

[amejisuto]

Sending you good vibes so that you'll get your paper finished. I'm so sorry this summer was a tough one. I'm glad Josh is better though, but I'll send you some healing vibes tomorrow morning!

Love you, my dear!

[lunabee34]

Thank you so much, my friend. I am very satisfied with my paper. Your vibes are working!!!

[thistleingrey]

Glad you have the paper in satisfactory shape (+1, significant life stuff isn't procrastination at all), and sending strength. Been there re: work x brink of tears.

[lunabee34]

Thank you thank you!

<3

*hugs*

[wendelah1]

I am glad your husband is well.

[lunabee34]

Thank you.

*hugs*

<3