Sunday, January 10, 2010

Looking ahead to 2010

2009 brought a lot of changes to my life, and even in January 2009 I could see that it was going to be a big year. I'm not so sure about 2010. I think it's going to be a work hard, play hard kind of year, but I don't expect it to be life-changing the way 2009 was. I don't have particularly detailed goals for this year and nothing earth-shattering, but worth articulating nonetheless.

Academic
Publication- I'd like to get at least one thing published this year, and maybe one or two more submitted.
Presentation- I would like to present something at a conference, maybe just a small one.
Field work- I should have two trips to Ukenzagapia this year, and I'm determined to be more confident in my field work.
Outreach- This year I would like to give some thought to a long view of outreach related to my research. I've got to do more than just think about this stuff myself and talk about it with other ecologists. Maybe I'll work with some of my teacher friends more, develop more information online for a general audience, or partner with another organization. At this point I don't know what it will be, but in December 2010 I'd like to have the ball rolling on something.

Personal
Dancing- Go dancing at least 12 times this year.

Counseling- I plan to keep going to a therapist whenever I'm in Big City, as long as I feel like its helpful. My current therapist will leave at the end of the school year, but hopefully I'll be able to find a new one who is a good match.
Reading- I would like to read more books in 2010. I love reading, but most of my reading for pleasure nowadays is blogs. As much as I do love reading all of these aforementioned blogs (and then some), but I need to read more books.  I'm starting with a biography of Jane Goodall.
Climate action- I want to offset my greenhouse gas emissions for my travel. I've been wanting to do this for ages, but I like to be a well-informed consumer and I've just been overwhelmed each time I tried to do research about the different carbon offset options. I also just need to start offsetting the present rather than make the hurdle higher than it needs to be by saying I'm going to offset the past two years too. I've got to start somewhere, so 2010 it is.

Maybe this will be a year of getting stuff done... or maybe not. We'll see what 2010 actually brings!

1 comment:

penn said...

In grad school, some of my friends did outreach by speaking at schools and libraries. I'm sure there's all sorts of non-profits that would be happy to host you for free (nature centers, senior centers, etc). Also, I wonder if blogging about your research (or science in general) is considered outreach . . .

re: the therapist, maybe ask yours for a recommendation. My first therapist graduated 7 months after I started. I thought maybe I was done, but she gave me the number of someone "just in case." A month later, and I definitely needed it! Turns out the new therapist was even more awesome than the old one. She was a full-time therapist my student therapist admired, and my insurance luckily covered the visits.

and re: the books, I hear you! I want to read more books too. Right now, I'm reading "Conceptual Physics," but that's just studying for the Praxis Middle School Science test (I never took physics).

I like your list of goals. Reminds me that maybe I should start a list too!