My summer projects
Edited for recalculation
In the iProcrastinate Podcast The Positive Side of Planning, Tim Pychal talks about how planning will not solve procrastination but it can help because it allows you to visualise the project and therefore understand what is needed in order to complete it. But as he says, 'the plan is everything and the plan means nothing.' In other words you still have to do the work.
Which is of course true. I use slightly different vocabulary then he does: I don't even involve the planning in the project itself. Scheduling and planning fall into the 'administration' category. I use my calendar, my agenda, and this blog to manage how I will spend my time. Projects are simply slotted into the spots where they belong. This protects my projects. My academic and housekeeping projects do not involve planning. The plan is already made. Projects end up on my admin to do list before they go on to be projects.
So, let's do some admin!
I have some exciting summer projects and I decided it would be great to plan them out now that my two weeks of intensive Digital Humanities classes are done and my final exam for my film class is out of the way. Now I've got a chunk of Holiday before my next class that I can use to really work.
I've noted start dates for things that haven't started yet, but not for things that are already in full swing.
End Date: Friday August 24th. (Recalculated to account for Date Days and Holidays.)
Books: From Alpha to Omega by Anne H. Groton.
Description: This text was recommended by my Greek Professor. I'm still struggling with the basics of Greek even though I have taken two years of upper level classes 50 Chapters @ 1 per day starting tomorrow. The actual finish date is August 7th, but I'm including buffer time for life and challenging chapters.
End Date: August 25st for re-evaluation
Books: Steadman's Herodotus Book 1
Description: This is supposed to be a habit and not a project, but somehow I still have to write it on my to do list if I want to do it, so it gets counted in the projects. It might become a regular habit now that I'm not quite so busy, or I might have to auto include it on my list every day.
Description: My best friend and I chose Petronius and Herodotus for our summer reading. I'm not including the Herodotus here because I'm not sure we will be proceeding with it. (Best Friend, if you are reading this, I'm happy to keep doing Herodotus if you have time but Petronius is way more fun!)
End Date: August 1st.
Books: Herodotus Book 4
Description: Documenting the places related Scythia in Book 4 of Herodotus. I've set aside a month for this because I know this can become a massive project and I don't want it to be. The sub-project here is to improve my writing and revision skills by writing up descriptions of each place I map in with careful Chicago style formatting and bibliography. I was going to make writing a project in it's own right but it's hard to find podcasts on the subject. Hey, if any of you have a good writing podcast that isn't specificly for novels, send it my way!
Start Date: Already started.
End Date: August 25st (for re-evaluation)
Description: Ok, first of all this is actually a habit. I'm including it here in order to discuss it, but it doesn't take up project time. This blog is part of my Martial Arts Class. At the end of the summer I will do a writing project, to be featured on the blog, on the subject of Hungar. This class is specifically for the summer so this is a good opportunity to re-evaluate both my blogging and my Martial Arts Class. At this point I feel that it is very likely I will continue with both as writing and martial arts bring me joy and stability in my life. But it's important to recommit if that is the case rather then simply assuming that I should keep going
My thoughts on the subject. This seems very ambitious to an outsider. But out of the five projects I'm already doing 3. The Scythia Project and Greek 101 already have the materials prepared. Blogging is listed here, but it is a habit not a project. I'm hoping the same will be said of the '2 Daily language habits' at some point in the next month or so. So that gets me down to 3 actual projects, which seems pretty reasonable. I'll let you know how it goes! And hey, if I fail, that will give me a chance to talk about hard things!
To my readers: To you have summer projects you are excited about? Leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about what others are working on this summer.
In the iProcrastinate Podcast The Positive Side of Planning, Tim Pychal talks about how planning will not solve procrastination but it can help because it allows you to visualise the project and therefore understand what is needed in order to complete it. But as he says, 'the plan is everything and the plan means nothing.' In other words you still have to do the work.
Which is of course true. I use slightly different vocabulary then he does: I don't even involve the planning in the project itself. Scheduling and planning fall into the 'administration' category. I use my calendar, my agenda, and this blog to manage how I will spend my time. Projects are simply slotted into the spots where they belong. This protects my projects. My academic and housekeeping projects do not involve planning. The plan is already made. Projects end up on my admin to do list before they go on to be projects.
So, let's do some admin!
I have some exciting summer projects and I decided it would be great to plan them out now that my two weeks of intensive Digital Humanities classes are done and my final exam for my film class is out of the way. Now I've got a chunk of Holiday before my next class that I can use to really work.
I've noted start dates for things that haven't started yet, but not for things that are already in full swing.
Greek 101
Start Date: Monday June 18thEnd Date: Friday August 24th. (Recalculated to account for Date Days and Holidays.)
Books: From Alpha to Omega by Anne H. Groton.
Description: This text was recommended by my Greek Professor. I'm still struggling with the basics of Greek even though I have taken two years of upper level classes 50 Chapters @ 1 per day starting tomorrow. The actual finish date is August 7th, but I'm including buffer time for life and challenging chapters.
2 Daily Language Habits
Start Date: Already started.End Date: August 25st for re-evaluation
Books: Steadman's Herodotus Book 1
Description: This is supposed to be a habit and not a project, but somehow I still have to write it on my to do list if I want to do it, so it gets counted in the projects. It might become a regular habit now that I'm not quite so busy, or I might have to auto include it on my list every day.
- Every day I learn two new Greek Vocabulary words.
- Each day I read one paragraph of Ancient Greek without translating it.
Latin Summer Reading Project
Text: Steadman's Petronius.
Start Date: Already started.
End Date: August 31stDescription: My best friend and I chose Petronius and Herodotus for our summer reading. I'm not including the Herodotus here because I'm not sure we will be proceeding with it. (Best Friend, if you are reading this, I'm happy to keep doing Herodotus if you have time but Petronius is way more fun!)
The Scythia Project
Start Date: June 24th.End Date: August 1st.
Books: Herodotus Book 4
Description: Documenting the places related Scythia in Book 4 of Herodotus. I've set aside a month for this because I know this can become a massive project and I don't want it to be. The sub-project here is to improve my writing and revision skills by writing up descriptions of each place I map in with careful Chicago style formatting and bibliography. I was going to make writing a project in it's own right but it's hard to find podcasts on the subject. Hey, if any of you have a good writing podcast that isn't specificly for novels, send it my way!
Summer Blogging
Blog Title: The Messy Brain DisfunctionStart Date: Already started.
End Date: August 25st (for re-evaluation)
Description: Ok, first of all this is actually a habit. I'm including it here in order to discuss it, but it doesn't take up project time. This blog is part of my Martial Arts Class. At the end of the summer I will do a writing project, to be featured on the blog, on the subject of Hungar. This class is specifically for the summer so this is a good opportunity to re-evaluate both my blogging and my Martial Arts Class. At this point I feel that it is very likely I will continue with both as writing and martial arts bring me joy and stability in my life. But it's important to recommit if that is the case rather then simply assuming that I should keep going
So that's my list!
I enjoyed writing it. I may go back and add links, but if you are curious about a book please ask.My thoughts on the subject. This seems very ambitious to an outsider. But out of the five projects I'm already doing 3. The Scythia Project and Greek 101 already have the materials prepared. Blogging is listed here, but it is a habit not a project. I'm hoping the same will be said of the '2 Daily language habits' at some point in the next month or so. So that gets me down to 3 actual projects, which seems pretty reasonable. I'll let you know how it goes! And hey, if I fail, that will give me a chance to talk about hard things!
To my readers: To you have summer projects you are excited about? Leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about what others are working on this summer.
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