ROW80 2013:3 3rd Update

It has been a couple of weeks since my last update, but I have been busy in that time. I've been keeping up with my writing goals and my art goals, as well as plodding away at my research. I picked up the keys to my new office today; it has my name on the door and everything :)

In other big news, I resigned from my contract at my retail job a few weeks ago, so last night was my last night. I am still a casual there so I will get the odd shift every now and then, but since I'm essentially doing more than a full time load at uni already, something had to give.

Anyway, progress:
Creative Goals 

• Write at least 500 words per week: Yes, and have managed closed to 1,000 words in the last two weeks. Most of that was for my main WiP, but there were a few hundred words added to a side project as well.
• Do one painting or drawing each week: I do have a painting in progress, which is almost finished; all it needs is the shadows from the objects on the table and background. I've reached that point of a painting where it's actually turning out quite well and I'm terrified I'll screw it up, so I'm practicing glazing on scrap bits of canvas before I do it to the painting (hoping to finish it this week). This is acrylic on a canvas pad:

I also hit up the local art supply shop when I saw they had a big special on... I couldn't help myself :)

Academic Goals

• Begin research on PhD topic: Have started reading academic articles and jotting down a few notes. Also started doing some reading for my coursework units.
• Teaching stuff: Have started looking over class material since tutorials start next week.
• Research assistant stuff: Not much to do this week (still need to get software on my computer)

Health Goals

• 20 minutes slow exercise-bike riding per day: Yes :) Have also been trying to eat healthier a well, which has mostly gone okay except for today (I had fast food for lunch AND dinner).

I don't think Judgemental Dog approves of my art supply shopping spree: 

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ROW80 2013:3 2nd Update

Not a great deal of progress since last check-in, but I did catch up in the city with some uni friends I hadn't seen for a few years for a night of drunken retro gaming (Super Smash Brothers on Nintendo 64 for the win!), and since it was my first social outing in more than a year (yeah, I don't get out much aside from the odd lunch haha) it was good to have a nice break from anything work/study-related. I spent Saturday afternoon writing so I have already met my weekly quota, and should be able to do more before the next check-in (I know that once uni really gets into motion I will have a lot less time).

Anyway, progress:
Creative Goals 

• Write at least 500 words per week: 700 words of actual novel-writing on Saturday, plus a few hours spent re-reading the WiP and the outline. Even if I wasn't actively adding as many words, I feel like it was helpful to get some more ideas percolating in my brain for when I have another good run at word-slinging.
• Do one painting or drawing each week: I did a few watercolour exercises, but no full paintings.

Academic Goals

• Begin research on PhD topic: Not as such, but I have been trying to refine what my research question is. Basically at this stage all I have is a bunch of semi-related questions, but it's more than I had last week...
• Teaching stuff: NA.
• Research assistant stuff: Not much to do this week.

Health Goals

• 20 minutes slow exercise-bike riding per day: Every day except today. For some reason by the time I got home from work my knee was really sore. I did try doing some exercise but only made it to about five minutes before I had to stop.

Sorry, Judgemental Dog, I'll be good next week :)

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ROW80 2013:3 Goals and 1st Update

Here I am returning to ROW80 after sitting out for the last Round and a half. I know, I know... I crashed and burned back in January and pretty much fell off the face of the earth in ROW80 circles. For the first half of this year, I did very little writing, aside from a few small bursts of intense productivity. Some of that was probably due to increased workload from both jobs, but some was because of the Self Doubt Monster rearing its ugly head. But now I am hoping to change that by starting to write regularly again, even if it's only a small amount. I've written 4,000 words today, probably spurred on by the fact that this is my first full day off in months, but I need to keep that momentum, or at least some of it, if I'm ever going to get this manuscript finished.

So, here are my goals for this round:
Creative Goals 

• Write at least 500 words per week: Yes, this is a pretty small amount; some might say too small. But in light of what will be a much higher work load this year, I'm wary of setting too high a word count in case I can't reach it, which will make me feel all guilty and self-loathy which will probably affect my academic progress in a vicious circle of suckiness. 500 words is probably doable in an hour or two, which shouldn't make me feel too guilty about writing when I should be researching/studying/marking or whatever.
• Do one painting or drawing each week: This is a tentative goal, but I'd like to at least try to re-hone my artistic skills, even if it's just with small sketches.

Academic Goals

• Begin research on PhD topic: I officially started my PhD last Friday. I sort of have a rough idea of what I'm doing for my thesis, but need to refine it and put together background research, as well as clarifying my actual research question. Because I am doing my PhD full time I am expecting my progress in other aspects of life to be be relatively limited due to time/energy constraints.
• Teaching stuff: We finished exam marking earlier this week and the next semester doesn't start til the end of July, so no goals here yet.
• Research assistant stuff: Ongoing work where I'm doing some new graphics for an educational website. Still need to get the necessary software on my computer, though. (actually, need to upgrade computer because this one is on its last legs)

Health Goals

• 20 minutes slow exercise-bike riding per day: My knee is still crap, and it looks like it always will be (at this stage the surgeon has essentially said, "Yes, your knee is buggered, but not quite buggered enough to warrant an operation at this stage"). I'm limited to non-weight-bearing types of exercise but I still need to maintain my fitness somehow. I can at least walk (mostly) normally, though I still have to wear the knee brace and use the walking stick, and slopes give me a lot of grief.

As always, Judgemental Dog will be along for the ride:

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