First day things

Well, I did make it (and you too, if you are reading this). 2019 didn’t beat us, though I admit there were days I wondered.

* Years ago, I remember reading in some book on folklore for kids that if you want to do something in the New Year, you should do a little bit of it on New Year’s Day - the example they gave was that if you wanted to write a book, you should at least write a few sentences.  In that spirit, I did a little advanced-biostatistics review, but admit I hit a wall on it. (I have covered 350 pages worth this break; I am not sure how much more energy I have for it right now.

I also knit a little on some socks already and I do want to cast on for something new... I didn’t finish as much as I wanted to but I did finish the Vintage Fairy Lights socks I started l in December of 2018.

* I joked (but there is truth in there) that I am not making resolutions this year because “I don’t need to be better, 2020 needs to be better.” Yes, there are probably things I could have done that I did not, but the vast majority of the big-bads were things that were not my fault and over which I had no control. And it has been Very Much Me in the past to blame myself for things that happened that I didn’t choose and couldn’t control.

* What do I want more of in 2020? More feeling like I am on top of this, more walking into class looking forward to it instead of feeling it’s a thing to get through. Makings more time to explore my home region - last summer was the first time I got up to Caddo, which is less than 20 miles away (never mind that it was underwhelming, I should have checked it out earlier). More trips to go antiquing. More working on quilts. More time with friends, and maybe-if I can hope- a new local-to-me friend to do stuff with. More ideas that excite me, especially research ideas.

Fewer things that I do out of a sense of duty or obligation rather than joy. Fewer losses. Less doubting of myself. Fewer things I do that take my time, don’t benefit me, and that seem to be busywork imposed on us.

* I am hoping when we get a new university president that he (or she) is a good person who does well for the university and doesn’t impose too many weird new rules or treat the position as a way to exert power (several presidents ago, we had someone who basically insisted on a coronation that faculty were expected to cancel classes for, and who imposed some unpleasant rules*, and who wound up leaving under a cloud of questionable financial dealings)

(* An example: they once sent a student worker who was doing PURELY office work - not leading campus tours or the like - home to change into “acceptable university apparel” - she was wearing a sweatshirt from a different university than ours, it was the one her fiancé attended. It was also strongly hinted to faculty that we buy campus logo gear and wear it every Friday. I will say at least that taught me where my limit of  “go along to keep peace” laid, and it stopped short of “on Fridays we wear rah-rah clothes”)

I also hope when (or if...) we get a new minister, they will be a good person and will stay for a while.

* Yes, all of that is a lot to hope but I would like to have at least some of it...