I had a much better Easter break than I anticipated. With my one paper due date pushed back, I actually got to take some time off... but I still feel a little guilty for not finishing my medieval lit paper yet. That's what today is for, right?
So Easter break. Thursday I struggled to find a good topic for my medieval lit paper. I thought I had one awhile back, but when I talked to my professor in office hours, she didn't seem very enthusiastic about it. So I thought a bit more, then came up with one I thought would work. I spent Thursday going here, there, and everywhere looking for a place to write, spending time in the stacks at the library, and reading. But our paper requirements for this class are very specific, and I wasn't sure how to make my new topic work with the paper requirements. Thus, I scrapped all of that work and returned to the drawing board. I thought and thought and read and requested books on Friday, then came up with what I think is a good paper topic that will work with the requirements.
On Saturday, Zan and I attended AwesomeCon here in D.C. We arrived at about 10:40, hoping to catch Jewel Staite's photo-op and maybe Sean Astin's Q&A, but the line was so long (and we had pre-purchased tickets online!) that we didn't end up getting into the venue until about 11:50. At that point, having missed the first two events we wanted, we pretty much just ran for the room with Jewel Staite's Q&A. It was a really fun Q&A, and I kind of felt like my life had been made. I've loved Jewel Staite since Flash Forward on the Disney Channel, and of course everyone loves Kaylee. After her Q&A, Zan and I went to J. August Richard's Q&A. It was pretty inspiring. I think I have a new celebrity crush. He spoke about the process he goes through to create a character, how he auditions, and what he brings creatively to projects. My favorite was when asked what advice he would give to young people, he said, "Love acting for acting. It's not movie premieres and glamour. My favorite part is sitting with a script and going like this [mimes writing copious notes on the pages]." Got me thinking a bit about my own work this year, and if I love academia for academia anymore. I definitely used to, and there are times when it's still amazing. But I feel very burned out this semester-- just bone-tired-- and keeping up that energy is hard. My favorite days so far have been our paleography day and our Special Collections day. There's still nothing quite like sitting in a library with old books trying to decipher them, realizing that all of these people existed once.
Anyway, after the Q&As we were quite hungry (hangry?), so Zan and I got pizza at Wise Guys, then spent a little bit longer in the exhibit hall of AwesomeCon looking at the wares. Plus, we got to see a couple of celebs (Billie Piper! Nicholas Brendon!), but their autograph/photo lines were pretty long (and pretty expensive), and I needed to make it to the library before the circ desk closed. So Saturday evening I spent another hour or so in the library, before walking home across the bridge with eleven books. I think that counts as my daily work-out. Then I spent a few more hours reading from those eleven books, making notes, and writing the first page of my paper.
Then yesterday! Easter! I woke up for an early Church service, then my parents and Zan and I had a nice Easter breakfast at a cafe we like, then I got an Easter basket from my parents. It was "The Artist's Basket" with a little sketch pad and magic pens in addition to candy. Absolutely perfect! Then I tried to nap. Tried and failed, really. I needed to work on my paper, but I didn't. I played a lot of 2048 (I'm addicted) and Zan and I dyed Easter Eggs. Since I didn't get to carve a pumpkin at Halloween this year, I felt justified in taking the time to dye some eggs. We got pizza for dinner and watched Veronica Mars, and then I worked on my paper for thirty or so minutes before Game of Thrones came on. Then again for an hour or so after Game of Thrones. So, I guess I have my work cut out for me today. Paper-time!
Oh, that bone-tired thing: it's totally year three (you might be hitting it a bit early, what with that extra year at UW before this program). Michelle and I talked about this a lot when I hit year three; I was worried I had mono or something, I couldn't explain why or how it was so different, but it REALLY was. Uf, I sympathize.
ReplyDeleteBut there is a kind of clarity that comes. In the midst of the exhaustion (and by the time I was dissertating, I was starting to realize, "hey, wait a minute! I'm not painting!"), I was still passionate about archives ... keep your fingers on the pulse of your own enthusiasm. As you piece together a rewarding future career, this information should be useful! =)