Academic New Year's Resolutions

I started this post the same way I started last year's: I can't remember who I got this from. Looking back at my resolutions from last academic new year, I see that most of them still apply.

From last year:
Personal(ish)

• Bring my lunch at least two days a week. This is a common resolution for me, and I'm not particularly good at it, but I'm working on it. [Yep, I still need to do this. I did get better at it, though.]
• Buy super-good but super-pricey coffee at Caribou no more than 3 times a week. Right now I do it at least 5 days a week. I have a little coffee maker in my office and need to use that more often. The trip to Caribou, though, is often more about a quick break, a quick walk, and a quick moment with a few friends. So if I'm heading over, I should get cheaper tea or cheaper coffee as opposed to my beloved vanilla white chocolate mocha or caramel high rise. *sigh* [I got better at this, too. I'm down to 2 days, I think.]
• To stick to more of a schedule, even though I'm only teaching two days a week. [I'm now teaching 3 days a week, but this is a fair reminder, and I'm doing better at this, too.]
• To try to eat better, to eat more salad, to less fried food, drink more water & less soda. [Doing better at this, too. Okay, feeling not so bad about the personal resolutions.]

Teaching

• In some ways, this seems counterintuitive in a section on teaching, but I need more balance in my life. One of the ways I need to achieve that is to streamline my teaching practices. Last year, teaching took over. And it needed to. New job, new program, new curriculum, new classes. But this year, especially this first semester, I'm more familiar with these courses and I need to do a better job putting up some teaching boundaries. Teaching is like goldfish -- it'll grow to the take you put it in. I need to keep this tank just a little bit smaller. Do more with less. Reign in my comments. Teach smart(er). [I hope I'm doing this, but this is always a struggle.]
• Try to stay a little more ahead of the curve than I was last year. I think I can do that this year. But I feel better, more centered, when I can see at least two weeks ahead. Last year I was so frazzled so much of the time that it was hard for me to do. I'm going to try to better this year.
• Organization, organization, organization. This is a constant goal, constant refrain for me. [This year, I'm working the 3 ring binders. This seems to be helping, but not fixing the problem. I'm making progress, though. Again, seem to be doing okay with this category. It's the next category that's tough for me.]

Professional/Research

• Again, organization, organization, organization.
• More specifically, that idea of keeping my teaching in check so that I can do more research and writing. [Doing better, but not better enough.]
• And even MORE specifically, this term I want to finish my article draft on argument and textbooks. [Aw hell, this is STILL what I'm working on. Argh!]
• To that end, I want to make sure I write at least 15 minutes a day. This is advice from Anne from a book about getting your journal article written in 12 weeks. It's good advice. [I'm always finding some new solution to getting the writing done. Lately it's been the pomodoro method or the 200 rule; neither of which get me writing every day. Maybe I need to give up the every day idea. Every other day?]
• I also want to figure out a new research project. I have about four ideas for KSU centered research and a few more text-based ideas I want to get to. [Hmm, I wonder what the four ideas were? I have one clear idea and two fuzzy ideas for next projects.]
• Also, actually get that writing "group" going with Kara. [Did that, fell off, and need to get it back together again]

Overall Trends

Balance, balance, balance
Organization, organization, organization

THIS YEAR

Okay, overall I can see that I'm making some progress in most of these areas. I'm happy about that. So here are my 2010-2011 Academic New Year's Resolutions

• Continue to bring lunch, reduce expensive coffee, drink more water, eat less fried food, and eat more salads. Start walking when the weather cools a bit.
• Keep the binder organizational strategy going. That seems promising.
• Keep up the Friday work meetings at Radina's. We're not "allowed" to do teaching related work there. It's research work only. Even if I'm only there for 2 hours, it's 2 more hours than I was doing last year on a Friday.
• Try to keep that teaching in check. Right now it's going okay, but I don't yet have papers to grade, etc. I'd like to get ahead of the curve THIS WEEKEND, actually. I'm teaching 3 new classes and doing an independent study this semester, so I need realistic expectations for teaching, as much as I love that part of my job.
• Concrete research goals: 1. (Hopefully) revise the book chapter for the edited collection. I say hopefully because it needs to be (at least tentatively) accepted. But at least I got a chapter in by the deadline. 2. Finish and submit the Textbook Argument article. I have about 1/3 of a draft and a clear direction right now. 3. Write embodied / assessment article and send to Pedagogy. I'd like to get those three things done this semester.
• General writing rules: Working toward 200 rule (200 new words a day), but I'm not always going to do that. It works out to 1400 words a week, so it'd be nice if I could imagine that as a goal and get there however I get there. 
• Call my friends and family more often. I haven't talked to my dad in a month.
• Check facebook less often. (I've already deleted lots of the "games" that I used to play on fb. I can't give up Scrabble with my cousins, though. I just can't.)
• Remind myself that I love living in KS, I want to keep this job, and that this job is more important than watching t.v. or reading a fun book. I need balance, yes, but the scales need to tip in favor of work right now. 
• Try to have dinner with Beej at least one night a week.