news arrives

No. Not my news. The newspaper. I knew I was done trying to sleep when I was lying in bed and heard the THUD of the newspaper hitting the screen door. Yesterday felt like a day of giving. I gave away a brand new pair of boots, had a friend over and made my favorite soup and apple pie for her, then as I was getting ready to go to sleep, did one last good deed by brainstorming with another friend about her new research. I enjoy sharing, and find it enriching, and I feel more like myself when I do it. It just took me a while to get back to being open after writing my dissertation. I felt that I was in a cave trying to write and I shut everyone out. It has taken me a full year to re-learn how to socialize and get to a point of enjoying it again. Now, I'm back, and I'm more open to making friends and giving again.

I also wonder how much of this new openness has to do with things ending with the Mad Hatter, and making me more open to forming meaningful relationships in postdoc city. As much as I like to think this isn't true, I think that being in a closer relationship does mean that there is less of you to go around for your other friends.

Today, though, is all about the literature review, and I'm giving 100% of my day to that. Now that I'm caffeinated, I'd better get going on it!

4 comments:

Seeking Solace said...

That is wonderful "news" that you are feeling more open to grow.

Hope you have a good day.

AliceAcademic said...

Thanks for your support. It was a good day, and I hope yours was too!

Notorious Ph.D. said...

I totally get this. I love getting together and talking research (especially Shiny New Project!) with like-minded people. It's one of the sad things about my current position, where I'm only one of two premodernist faculty in my department, and the other doesn't do research.

AliceAcademic said...

Notorious,
You're not going to believe this, but amongst the zillion things we appear to have in common, I think that our Shiny New Projects are at least a little bit related. If you ever want to talk shop, you know where to find me. Seriously.