Realistic ETA

Yes, accurate planning is such an important element. SafiaK, you mentioned on the phone the other day that you are a fast reader. I, however, am not. Which sucks for me when I'm trying to get a lot done. Also, like you, Amstr, I go more slowly at the beginning of a project (or thread) than after I've really got into the thick of things. For example, the week before last, I was reading a general context book on the c18. And I was really reading the thing, and it took me forever. That's what I love about articles. So quick. I've got several books that I need to read in the near future, and they are all going to take me forever. I don't know how I'll do it. In reading blogs by some other scholars, I've seen several references to skimming, etc. I'm not at that point yet where I can just skim books in my area (except for initial skimming just to see if it's relevant).

You might be interested in the blog of "The Adventures of Notorious Ph.D., Girl Scholar." She started her blog at the beginning of her fellowship year (last year). I read just a few of the early postings, and she addresses how she manages time, gets through sources, etc. Her most recent post is about how to make the most of a fellowship year. There are some other blogs I like that are from academics. You can find some links on my other blog.

Snippets from last week:

• Read several articles, mostly on some c18 philosophers. Found some good leads and other references.
• Read several chapters in Certain Lively Episodes (which I just found for about four bucks used on Amazon, which is great because I think I might need to own that one).
• Read Force of Nature; or, the Lucky Disappointment and Lasselia; or, the Self-Abandoned by Eliza Haywood (EH)

To Do this Week:

• A couple of novellas by EH
• Read some of Ros Ballaster's Seductive Forms: Women's Amatory Fiction from 1684-1740 (at least the introduction and EH chapters, maybe more)
• Read another chapter or two of Certain Lively Episodes
• Print and finish Shaftbury's Moralists
• Then, I should probably go back to Michael Prince (I had to stop because I needed some Shaftsbury background before I could continue), but I really want to try Michael McKeon again to see if I can get what he's all about.

Not sure that's "accurate," but I thinking I'm still learning what's accurate and what's not. But I'd like to get a lot done this week since the hubby is going out of town Fri-Sun, and then my mom (helpful daycare provider on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons) will be out of town early next week. So this week needs to be productive. Between now and the UK trip, I'm going to lose a number of work days to various events, holidays, visitors, etc. Its amazing how selfish I want to be when I'm really digging into my own research.