Settling back in

For the first time since we came back, I got up before noon and was not completely exhausted. I guess I'm finally over the jet lag (that's been lingering for way too long given that it was only five hours time difference). I even might have some leftover energy for doing some work during the next few days. Or at least finally get down to organizing the folders on my laptop, call my sister or my mom, do some laundry or get myself downtown tomorrow to get the tires on my bicycle changed from winter to summer ones (one of the joys of living at 60-something degrees north).

It's been snowing yesterday and today. This is not quite what I had in mind for Easter since I was hoping for some spring-like weather, but it's way better than heavy rain and strong winds we had for the first few days after coming back. Actually the city is really pretty now covered in snow and bathed in spring sunshine and Easter is after all the "sacred"-skiing holiday in this country that is entirely obsessed with the great outdoors. It's just that my work is so outdoorsy that when I'm not doing field work I really do enjoy a fair amount of civilisation, and snow on the streets does go better with hiking boots and goretex jackets than with the spring attire I had in mind.

As for work I'm beginning to get my head around to the idea of doing a bit of thinking and writing during this Easter break. The thought of the unfinished manuscripts is not quite as suffocating now as it was a few days ago. Actually the inspiration seems to be trickling back in and maybe it's not the research part of my job I don't like but all the other crap that comes with it. I have one paper that's almost ready for submission, and I think I will give myself the week after Easter as a deadline to finish it, and not think too much about it right now. Instead I think I should have a look at the mound of new articles I have brought home from work (where said mound has been sitting unread on my desk for weeks .... or months is probably more correct). If I'm really, really good (in the academic goddess sense of good) I should spend some time having a look at much-dreaded--but-yet-promising-for-career-old manuscript and make some decisions about how and if it can be chopped into two manuscripts - and whether that will be the solution of the problems or the beginning of a whole range of new ones.

A taste of Argentina

I apologize for the poor resolution of the pics. I'm not sure what the problem is, as they seem to be OK in my filing system, but change when uploaded to either Flickr or blogger.

Back from the other side of the world

Sorry to have disappeared so abruptly a month ago. I wasn't sure I wanted to announce to the whole wide world that the house was going to be empty for weeks. I have been on something as exclusive in the academic world as a several weeks long vacation. To South America - a continent I have always dreamed about visiting. I have let myself completely forget about half-finished manuscripts, productivity requirements, competition, administrative duties and people management of all sorts for four weeks, and it was amazing. Just letting go of it all for a while, taking in new experiences and thinking about something else for a while was much needed and seriously refreshing. I'm so happy I did this - despite the guilty-feeling for claiming my right to take vacation days at another time of the year when I'm doing fieldwork all summer and the stressing about everything that wouldn't get done if I took time of.

BUT obviously travelling a new continent, experiencing a new culture, crossing spectacular landscapes and enjoying the late summer in the other hemisphere, while winter has barely ended here, was a lot more fun than coming back into the office. Having a lot of free time also allowed for a lot of thinking about serious stuff like life and career and where it is all heading and at the moment I can't say I'm particularly excited about my job and the way it completely dominates my life. Thanks a an extraordinary stroke of luck we booked tickets back home so that they almost coincided with Easter break, when everything is shut down for days, and hopefully a few days at home will leave me with a bit more of perspective.

I will be back with South America pics and stories from the road one of the next days. Thanks for not giving up on me completely. I can see that I have still had a few visitors while I was away. Thanks for stopping by.