May retrospective

I think the post below sums it up quite nicely. The rest of this month will be spent in the field, doing actual research. Although the past few weeks have been loaded with logistical concerns and practical questions such as "did we remember to buy batteries" and "who brings a ruler" I am probably doing more research this months than any month earlier this year.

So what did I do so far:

• Made final preparations for six weeks field expedition
• Attended a full-day seminar about improvement of working conditions
• Made presentation and work plan for department meeting
• Made admin report (financial reporting for first part of the year)
• Read and commented on draft xx of soon-to-be submitted manuscript
• Searched for additional literature on problem topic on manuscript and read several papers for overview
• Reviewed applications for postdoc position
• Dealt with multiple smaller and larger admin issues in the department
• Attended committee meeting on community-related topic I will be coordinator of
• Wrote recommendations for students applying to grad school*

*Actually this is not really done yet, but on my list for tonight

April retrospective

I suck! That's pretty much the feeling I'm left with after another month of not submitting any publications. It's not that I'm not doing anything. I'm doing more teaching and more admin than any other postdoc at my institution, and this month I have actually spent more time on tasks related to my actual postdoc project (yes, I do have one such, although I almost forget it sometimes). Right now is the prepping-for-the-field time of the year, with activities such as equipment shopping, travel planning, customs arrangements, visa arrangements taking up an unreasonable proportion of time. It is also the time for wrapping up results from last year, figuring out where the potential lies and what we'd better forget about. In between endless logistics and Easter break and unforeseen events threatening to jeopardize the entire field season I've managed to get the following done in April:

• submitted one conference abstract
• transferred and labelled all photos from last years field season in new database
• made new base maps for field area
• figured out the nuts and bolts of new software
• printed satellite images for field area
• made sample list
• made itinerary for this years field expedition
• dealt with various logistics for upcoming field season
• dealt with various logistics for summer teaching
• made arrangements with student for summer research
• written project plan for new project (funded by my first ever independent grant, however small)
• had annual assessment meetings with everybody in department
• had full day meeting with colleague at another university
• had a couple of half-day admin meetings

To me it still screams - "but you still haven't submitted the papers you idiot".