Time Crisis

It hardly seems possible that we are now 2/3 of the way through the summer break (I'd call it vacation but it isn't--far from it). In a month, I will likely be copying syllabi, setting up Blackboard accounts and dealing with student queries about classes, readings and admittance full courses. It's time to set up a firm schedule for the next few weeks while most of my goals are still within the realm of possibility.

First--the book proposal for book #2. A book proposal involves a prospectus, chapter breakdowns for each chapter, sample chapter and cover letter. I currently have a very long and somewhat dated prospectus that with a bit of tweaking may even constitute the prospectus and the introduction to the book, although some of the chapter summaries are way too short and some of the substance of the book has changed since I wrote this document some time ago. I have 80+ pages of a chapter--which is still unfinished. It will likely get much longer before I cut it to 45 pages or so but I'm not worried about that. Such is the way of writing, at least for me. Realistically, I can do this. I'm hoping to have the chapter in pretty decent form by August 1 (just typed April... wishful thinking!) and then spend a week on the proposal, another few days editing the chapter and have this baby off to the press by August 12.

Project number two is to finish two of the articles (one on polygamy and playgirls, the other on early film stardom) that I was editing and fiddling with at the end of the semester. I hope I can spend three days on one and a week on another and those can be submitted to a couple of journals.

Project three--write the book proposal for book #3 on celebrity. Palgrave sent me a form and this is doable (especially as they really want the book). As the sample chapter is the early film paper I mentioned above, this should be doable--even if it goes down to the wire.

There are three or four other papers I wanted to work on but those will have to be dealt with in the early parts of the semester when time is not so crunched. Once grading starts floating in, forget it.

As for my other goals, I have lost and piled back on the same 5lbs. I've got to tackle my carb-loving nature. Evan and I actually had salad the other night and it was really good--I mixed organic spring greens, a little cilantro, radishes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, walnuts, hot smoked salmon (the stuff that isn't flat but more like a fillet of the fish) with balsamic dressing and it was really filling. If I can eat more like that and have less carbs (I suggested bread with the meal and Evan said we didn't need it), then maybe I can get back into the clothes that are now so tight.

Another goal is to clean up my closets and save some money. This week, not so hot--I bought several items from J. Crew's sale and, while I need them, I haven't seriously tackled the mound of clothing I need to photograph and post here for sale--and sort out the pieces I should turn into rags or donate to charity.

So, I have my schedule. Will I accomplish all of this? Likely not but at this point, there is still a good chance if I buckle down to work. I changed my Thursday acupuncture appointment to earlier in the day and hopefully that will help me get more done.