Gillian Polack's Blog, page 222
November 18, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-18T14:06:00
For a few days I skipped reading (because the words were swimming backstroke) and the books piled up. They're all fascinating books: some for Aurealis, some for dissertation, one for review. If I can read four books today and three tomorrow I'll be just fine. I will be able to return two books to the library and extract two more.
It's 2 pm. Four books to read... Maybe I ought to start.
It's 2 pm. Four books to read... Maybe I ought to start.
November 17, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-17T18:34:00
I've just realised that my memory for the stuff that is in books, works far better for the printed page than the electronic page. This means that the way a page is shaped plays a particular role in helping me remember. It also means that I need to be careful what books I read as e-versions and why.
gillpolack @ 2011-11-17T15:15:00
Much cancellation of things today and tomorrow. I have a lurgie to shake off, it seems. I should have worked that one out when I went to bed at an unholy hour yesterday, after a nap in the afternoon.
What I want to know is why small things go wrong around me when I'm unwell. What I also want to know is where my concentration went (though time out means I've realised I have a small plot hole near the end of my novel and can strategise about fixing it).
What I want to know is why small things go wrong around me when I'm unwell. What I also want to know is where my concentration went (though time out means I've realised I have a small plot hole near the end of my novel and can strategise about fixing it).
November 15, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-16T08:52:00
I need to be very efficient today. If I'm not, I won't get lunch until 3 pm. This is the kind of day it is. Lots of stuff to do. A tendency for things to go wrong (three computer programs have been glitchy so far, for instance). And I'm recovering from a mild but drawn-out stomach malaise (very effective method for weightloss, not so good for maintaining my wondrous record of actually finishing what I start).
I wanted to say "If something actually happens today, I'll blog again" but I'll only blog again if there's something more to say than "I taught; I progressed through my list; I think I know what I'm doing with Ch 2 of my dissertation (maybe); I've successfully endured the weatherchange." If that's all I have to say, you've already heard it.
The big development for Ch 2 was that I worked out how to be my own case study. It's not only OK in my new field, it's actually essential for the dissertation, but I have great trouble with being my own case study, so it takes a long time to say "I can write about these amazing research things concerning other people in a different project - right now I must write about me."
I also have to add more about Feutchtwangler and White because I still have that annoying tendency to assume that people have read all the key writings in their own field*. This gives me an excuse to revisit White from my new vantange point of someone with brand new theories (albeit ones that will have to be written about *after* the dissertation, unless I find more time in my day and work on it alongside - hah!) and that's going to be fun. The evil side of Gillian can look at White's views and Tosh's views and develop an intellectual collision.
And now you know why I don't write about this side of things very often. I am exceptionally fond of a particular kind of explosion. And yet I am a gentle person.
*Which doesn't seem nearly as preposterous to me as it did when I did my first doctorate - not only are fields of knowledge strange and unmanageable, but the more one learns, the more fallible is one's memory - one can have written 30 pages of factual analysis of Medieval society and completely forget all the substance, as I discovered yesterday. I wanted to email Katrin saying "We need to do all that research again, from scratch, for this text is unreliable." And yet it wasn't. It was my recent memory that was unreliable. Every 3 years I announce this on my blog, too, as if it was something new. One day I'll learn to trust my own work...
I wanted to say "If something actually happens today, I'll blog again" but I'll only blog again if there's something more to say than "I taught; I progressed through my list; I think I know what I'm doing with Ch 2 of my dissertation (maybe); I've successfully endured the weatherchange." If that's all I have to say, you've already heard it.
The big development for Ch 2 was that I worked out how to be my own case study. It's not only OK in my new field, it's actually essential for the dissertation, but I have great trouble with being my own case study, so it takes a long time to say "I can write about these amazing research things concerning other people in a different project - right now I must write about me."
I also have to add more about Feutchtwangler and White because I still have that annoying tendency to assume that people have read all the key writings in their own field*. This gives me an excuse to revisit White from my new vantange point of someone with brand new theories (albeit ones that will have to be written about *after* the dissertation, unless I find more time in my day and work on it alongside - hah!) and that's going to be fun. The evil side of Gillian can look at White's views and Tosh's views and develop an intellectual collision.
And now you know why I don't write about this side of things very often. I am exceptionally fond of a particular kind of explosion. And yet I am a gentle person.
*Which doesn't seem nearly as preposterous to me as it did when I did my first doctorate - not only are fields of knowledge strange and unmanageable, but the more one learns, the more fallible is one's memory - one can have written 30 pages of factual analysis of Medieval society and completely forget all the substance, as I discovered yesterday. I wanted to email Katrin saying "We need to do all that research again, from scratch, for this text is unreliable." And yet it wasn't. It was my recent memory that was unreliable. Every 3 years I announce this on my blog, too, as if it was something new. One day I'll learn to trust my own work...
gillpolack @ 2011-11-15T11:26:00
I have not one but two work experience students in early December. Both are year 11, and very clued into things. Two very impressive young people. The only lack in their make up is them wanting work experience with me, but that could be due to the ACT being not-very-big.
One wants to be a journalist, and will experience a cross-section of writerly/editorish activities (though nothing journalistic - I explained that it was the wrong time of year for that). Her activities will range, but right now I have planned interviewing, reading for sense, copy-editing and proof-reading (which is one reason why I need to have Secret Jewish Women's Business revised by then - the other reason is that there is someone who wants to see it and early to mid December is the best time).
The other wants to be a librarian. I kept on saying to her "It doesn't seem right that you have to spend a week sorting my books." There isn't enough time for cataloguing, but she will shelve the fiction and she will develop a system of things Medieval and renaissance and she will learn how to do and to check bibliographies.
It's going to be a fine week for all three of us.
One wants to be a journalist, and will experience a cross-section of writerly/editorish activities (though nothing journalistic - I explained that it was the wrong time of year for that). Her activities will range, but right now I have planned interviewing, reading for sense, copy-editing and proof-reading (which is one reason why I need to have Secret Jewish Women's Business revised by then - the other reason is that there is someone who wants to see it and early to mid December is the best time).
The other wants to be a librarian. I kept on saying to her "It doesn't seem right that you have to spend a week sorting my books." There isn't enough time for cataloguing, but she will shelve the fiction and she will develop a system of things Medieval and renaissance and she will learn how to do and to check bibliographies.
It's going to be a fine week for all three of us.
November 14, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-14T13:43:00
The hot wind* is making me feel under the weather. The blowsy, early-summer weather, obviously. I shall remedy this with two big pots of tea. Two. Starting in a few minutes.
I'm not uncheerful, just uncomfortable. Given that my mood is not conducive even to bad jokes, instead of blogging properly, I'll give you a link to my new BiblioBuffet piece. http://www.bibliobuffet.com/bookish-dreaming/1631-mind-travelling-111311
*I know, it's only 30 degrees outside, so the wind is warm at most, but it still feels like a hot wind and it certainly *acts* like a hot wind. In fact, it's the same wind-pattern we had for the bushfires, sans ashes.
I'm not uncheerful, just uncomfortable. Given that my mood is not conducive even to bad jokes, instead of blogging properly, I'll give you a link to my new BiblioBuffet piece. http://www.bibliobuffet.com/bookish-dreaming/1631-mind-travelling-111311
*I know, it's only 30 degrees outside, so the wind is warm at most, but it still feels like a hot wind and it certainly *acts* like a hot wind. In fact, it's the same wind-pattern we had for the bushfires, sans ashes.
November 13, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-13T11:58:00
I'm tired of being sober and sensible. The obvious response to this state is to get drunk, but at midday on Sunday, alcohol does not tempt me at all. I nearly friended six random people on Facebook instead, but thought better of it. I'm reading a Charlaine Harris Aurora Teagarden book and this afternoon I'm watching some Game of Thrones and hopefully the combination will scare the silliness out of me. That the Aurora Teagarden books are scary, more that pulling them into the Martin universe is terrifying.
And now I'd better to a half hour of actual work, as a means of girding my loins for this venture into fear.
And now I'd better to a half hour of actual work, as a means of girding my loins for this venture into fear.
November 12, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-12T20:31:00
If I write the same amount tomorrow as today, I shall reach my goal with my novel for the weekend. I've already finished my Aurealis reading - if anyone wants me to read more, they will have to send me books! This means that tonight has that set of edits and it has reducing one more pile of work to rubble and that's all it has. And tomorrow afternoon I get some time off for good behaviour.
Thank you Nicole, for hosting the very handy write-a-thon!
One odd thing - I can't think half in Old French in someone else's house. This means that some of dialogue from today may have to be revised.
Thank you Nicole, for hosting the very handy write-a-thon!
One odd thing - I can't think half in Old French in someone else's house. This means that some of dialogue from today may have to be revised.
November 11, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-12T10:45:00
Today is a tad busy. I've sorted out some glitches in my novel and intend to spend the day sorting out more (plus some editing has come up). The novel is at the length where everything has to pull together and make sense, which is why 'sorting out glitches' equals writing. In a perfect world, it will be 90,000 words long by today or tomorrow and I'll finally have made my choices between my possible conclusions. I don't know how it happened, but someone I've done a Fowles and have several equally viable conclusions. I don't want it to be that sort of novel, though. Choices are inevitable. It's nice to know that for the first 200 pages, however, any of these things are perfectly possible.
I'm still madly reading for the Aurealis. Two more books and then I'm done until the post brings more. We're nearing the end, even though the closing date for entries is still a few weeks away. It's been a lot of fun. Once I finish these two books, I should hopefully have heard from my supervisor and will be in that dissertation mode I mentioned the other day. This is why it's so important for the novel to reach 90,000 words and the Aurealis reading to be done.
None of this is very exciting for the rest of the world, but it's great from within myself. I really do have a low boredom threshold.
I'm still madly reading for the Aurealis. Two more books and then I'm done until the post brings more. We're nearing the end, even though the closing date for entries is still a few weeks away. It's been a lot of fun. Once I finish these two books, I should hopefully have heard from my supervisor and will be in that dissertation mode I mentioned the other day. This is why it's so important for the novel to reach 90,000 words and the Aurealis reading to be done.
None of this is very exciting for the rest of the world, but it's great from within myself. I really do have a low boredom threshold.
Anonymous
Someone just reminded me of this post, so I feel it incumbent upon myself to remind everyone else. Just in case you had forgotten to redefine the world to privilege culture a bit differently: http://gillpolack.livejournal.com/477100.html
I'm very happy to include other groups within 'anonymous' - just not for the categories I've already claimed. My mind isn't big enough for multiplicities yet, though I'm working on it.
I'm very happy to include other groups within 'anonymous' - just not for the categories I've already claimed. My mind isn't big enough for multiplicities yet, though I'm working on it.
