Hello, friends and readers!
I’ve returned from the holidays a little stronger, a little more tired, and ready to spend the rest of my break alternating between resting up/resetting my brain for the new semester and clearing my desk of those projects that have backlogged in my finals-induced ignoring of all things not papers.
At this time of year, it is really easy to be utterly and completely fooled into thinking that you’re in the middle of the deep, dark jungle with no light at the end of your tunnel. This is not really anywhere different than you were last year (because, well, last year you were also in a deep, dark jungle with little light to be seen). You’ve just put a bunch of projects to bed. A new semester is dawning. The cycle of stress and woe threatens to start all over again with little you can do about it.
So it’s important to take time to recognize where you have gone between this jungle and that jungle. In that light, it’s time for a recap. As I cast my mind over the last year, I realize that it’s been an extremely productive one for my professional life. I can only hope that I will do even better this year.
Things I did in 2012:
Created my first acting edition of a show (Measure for Measure) and began dramaturging my first project (I can’t say that I “dramaturged” it yet because the show doesn’t go up until February).
Began to learn to read German.
Completed a year of coursework for my PhD.
Wrote five academic papers (approx. 105 pages of writing).
Gave five in-class presentations ranging in time from twenty to forty five minutes on topics which spanned the breadth from Intellectual Property and the History of Magic to David Garrick, Patent Law, and eighteenth century editions of Shakespeare.
Attended and presented at three academic conferences, including my first ASTR.
Blogged faithfully.
Broke my retirement to play a dream role; one I never though I would have the chance to play.
Lost 26 pounds (maybe not a professional achievement, but darn it one that I’m going to put up here anyway).
TAed my first (and second) class… both in one semester.
Became Chair of the Web Committee for the American Society of Theatre Research’s Graduate Student Caucus.
Successfully got Offensive Shadows up and running and, thereby, am officially a co-host of my own podcast.
Published my first book review; my first piece of “real” academic publishing.
Taught myself to play the ukulele (extremely important for Professors-to-be…. I
Belle playing the uke? Another picture that proves I’m doing it right.
alternate between shame and pride in saying, with utmost truth, that I taught myself to play while avoiding studying my German).
Didn’t move a single time (this is HUGE for me).
Read more books than I care to relate, saw more plays that I dreamed of seeing, and can honestly say that I put blood, sweat, and tears into my degree.
…pretty good for a single year if you ask me.
Here’s looking forward to a new year, more exciting projects, and the next step of the journey.
Happy New Years, faithful reader!
I’ve read four books since the end of the semester, all of my own choosing, and I started on a fifth this morning. None of them have anything to do with theatre, Shakespeare, or my comps list. This, if anything, means “vacation” to me.
me at midnight and expect something witty or wise or funny or some combination of the above… inevitably I come up short (either because I’ve had a few too many glasses of champagne or because I’m tired). Somehow people are aghast and agog that the Shakespeare scholar can’t think of a single set of sage words to ring us into the next year.