So now I’m feeling guilty… Some poor folks just knocked on my office door, wanting my help with some methodological question of some sort. I poked my head out, realised at a glance that this visit involved asking me to add something else to my schedule and, before they even had a chance to explain what that might be, burst out: “I’m insanely busy right now!”
The “insane” part registered all too clearly, I’m afraid… One of them positively recoiled, bouncing back to the other side of the hallway. The other bravely stood his ground and asked for an appointment – but with a deference that makes me wince thinking back on it…
I really am, though. Insanely busy… Maybe I need to put a scarier looking ouroboros on my door – something more foreboding to discourage people from venturing too close…
Excuse me, N., I have this weird affinity to spot contrast. :-)
“Okay, I’m reading too many blogs this morning… (I have to kill some time before a meeting…)”
LOL! Yes, but even a very busy schedule requires some time for myself – and blogging, and reading certain blogs, and participating in my reading group, are what I do to go a bit less insane when I’m under pressure. :-)
I’ve had a few people locally suggest that I should drop blogging, or my reading group, in order to take on additional responsibilities (generally responsibilities that would help them!): my response is that these things are non-negotiable – they give me a way to recharge, so I have the energy to do the other things I have to do. I’m currently carrying more than a full-time teaching load, covering various research and administrative responsibilities for projects other than my dissertation – and in theory there’s a dissertation to be written as well: that’s enough work for one person! ;-P (That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it… ;-P)
No need to explain yourself–mucho appreciated though by the ethnographer.
I think I was affected by spontanious empathy as I will be knocking on doors this year, too, when looking for a supervisor and lively remember how both feels–the recoiling and the ground standing. *smile
Oh even I can constrain myself when it comes to students: students searching for supervision or advice have every right to knock on my door! These were other staff!!! (And I still feel guilty, even so… ;-P)
Oh allright. Actually I understood it had been students. I would have gotten you terribly wrong, so now I’m especially glad you laughed and set things right.