Making myself accountable, again

[menthe_reglisse]

Right, I am in danger of faffing around all day again today. It may be sub-optimal conditions (working at home, which means background noise of children playing, uncomfortable computer etc. set up, cold despite 3 jumpers, leggings under trousers, and blanket wrapped round my legs) but I still have to get this thing done

Comments

[slightlyfoxed]

It's on record. Consider yourself under surveillance. And so forth.
And I find hot water bottles really help. And a hat indoors, but that might make your head itch.

[menthe_reglisse]

Thank you, oh panopticanian gaoler.

Also, hot water bottle! You are a practical genius. Just the thing for my chilly feet.

[julietk]

I find that if you can get the blanket wrapped all the way from top of legs to feet, that helps a lot. (The big leg-muscles generate heat, and it travels under the blanket to the feets.) Scarf also good!

Good luck! In solidarity, I shall record my intention to finish the first draft of the article I'm working on, and start the first draft of the other article I should be working on.

[menthe_reglisse]

Was already doing that, alas. Now, with hot water bottle, have alternately scalded and chilly feet, but that's an improvement.

Thank you for your solidarity. I don't think I'm going to meet my interim lunchtime deadline, but there is still hope for the end-of-working-day one.

[memevector]

Re hot water bottles: My best method is with a single quilt going from my waist over my knees round under my feet and sort of squodged around the front of the chair and up the back of my legs. Then there are two possible positions for the hot water bottle(s): (a) in the quilt somewhere in the vicinity of my feet - could be under my feet or could be over my toes; (b) on my lap. If two bottles can do both :-)

If your feet are getting too hot then I suggest warm socks to moderate the hot water bottle's immediate effect - the quilt should become generally cosy fairly soon.

Our house is actually reasonably warm at the moment, but this method was developed on insomniac late nights / early mornings when all the heating's off!

h.t.h. :-)

[julietk]

I have done the first draft of the first thing, but not anything at all on the second b/c it turns out that it's all at home. But I'm about to go home and do it, so that's OK.

Hope your work is going well!

[menthe_reglisse]

Re-evaluating the feasibility of the tasks is totally part of the process.

I have written 1500 words so far, which I am pleased with. Think I'm going to end the day having drafted the whole thing (which is going to be less than 2,000 words at this stage). Less final than I imagined, but more of it done. I can't do the next stuff til I'm back on campus with access to all my references. But I'll definitely have broken the back of it (there must be a less violent metaphor than than).

Hooray for accountability/potential public shame.

[julietk]

I did the second thing now as well. (And, having looked at the draft, if I can square it with my editor, it might wind up being 2 articles instead of one. Which would be nice.) Hurrah.

Well done on your drafting success!

I am nearly certain that I not only know of but use a phrase which isn't "broken the back of", but now I can't remember it at all. Dammit.

[menthe_reglisse]

Go (went?) you too!

If you remember the phrase, do let me know. I don't like a lot of my common metaphors (also 'like pulling teeth', which is my usual description of the writing process, and 'the bones of the argument' which seems inappropriate for a veggie)