I guess I've got lots more to say today.

Grading for the day is done. I'm glad that I forced myself to do that, because as experience has taught me, who the hell knows what tomorrow is going to throw at me.

I even read a grad student's comp exam, too, which I did promise to have read by 4pm today anyway.

My office is hot, and it's making me want to sleep actually.

I'm trying to come up with some sort of plan of attack for what needs to get done and by when.

By my annual review, which I think is about in the next month, I need to get one article out, just out, and the second one needs to be drafted. That one needs to be out by the end of next quarter, and the third one needs to be drafted.

I feel stupidly optimistic about them. I have ideas. I have a conference paper. I know what I need to do to get it done, and I know what I can accomplish in the time I have. So tonight I need to get what I need to be working on organized so that when I wake up in the morning, I can get right to it.

Sometimes, and this is stupid I think, I feel like if I had a better computer, I'd accomplish more. But damn, I certainly don't have $2500 to drop on the computer that I want. And really, is it going to make me research and write better? Maybe after I get tenure and I have job security, then I'll splurge on a new computer. All I need to do is clean this one up. And my desktop. But it does make me feel deficient or something to have a computer that's four years old. Egads. In computer life, it's ancient. The other one is five years old and my previous laptop which is still kicking somewhat is 8 years old. That's just nuts man.

Anyway, there's stuff to be done. There's time to do it. It will get done. The one article will be written and sent out within the next four weeks, at the latest.

I'm sort of on autopilot from here on out for the quarter, so even though I'm very burned out and just sort of done, the benefit is being in the homestretch.

I think one thing that I need to do for myself is sit down one day and really articulate what it is I want and what I need to do to achieve these things.

Immediately, I will settle for a good dinner and some time alone with the hubs tonight and a good workout tomorrow morning.

I haven't talked about my workouts in a while I don't think. I wish I could drag my ass out of bed for the 5 am class one day a week so I could get in 4 days of CF, but right now it's 3 days CF, 2 days of running, so that's good. I've also moved up to the competitor's workouts. I did sign up for a competition, and I did feel like I was in a major rut with my working out, and the move up to the competitor's level is what I needed. I still have to modify some stuff and often scale the weights (but seriously, the guy I work out with often has to scale his weights, too, and he's a young, strong 20 year old). And most of the women have to scale the weights, too. It's tough. But I needed that extra push, and it's been good for me. I'm finally starting to feel better about myself in that arena again. Now if I really could just actually get that baby weight off, that would be so nice. I just have some nice clothes that I like and I'd like to wear again.

Well, it's almost time for me to go get the Magpie from daycare. My favorite part of the day--when I get to pick her up and spend the afternoon with her. I'll have to post a picture. That face of hers. God I love that kid.