2006 Retro-flect (whom am I not to be a sheep too?)
Well, I'll get the bad stuff out of the way first:
Too much health bother, none of it (ultimately) serious but more than I like, from the itching episode early in the year, the three bouts of lurgi sufficient to keep me off work for a week or more at a time, and the 'appointment for additional tests' most recently, which may have come out all clear, but caused horrible worry in the interim. Also, while on the whole (ups and downs) the physio has much ameliorated the hip problem, it hasn't yet gone away entirely.
There has also been work-stuff that has been bothersome in a lowlevel ongoing way, like dissatisfaction with my actual work-space, both the layout (which I think may have more than a little to do with the hip problem) and the fact that even when the air-conditioning vent isn't blasting at me, it always seems just that bit cooler than I like. Quite apart from the 'being volunteered for project with very tight deadline'. Among other things. Including a certain amount of concern about future developments (watch this space...)
Not completing the flensing of the biography ms, and the Silence of My Editor when prodded for some input.
Even though I thought I was relatively down-shifting on academic commitments, I still ended up with some tiresome flurries of cascading deadlines and project pile-ups in the course of the year.
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But there were Good Things too, in quite a number:
Bookshelves!!!! I not only have bookshelves, I have visible floor! and was incited by all this to do quite a bit of additional decluttering, even if there is quite a bit that still needs doing. This has really made a difference to me.
I wrote the monograph! which, not only the satisfaction of completing something, but the gratification and stimulation of venturing into rather different areas, scholastically speaking.
Wiscon!
Frolicking among the H G Wells papers!
My lovely weekend in Chicago!
Crabby Old Bats! and other rl meetings with friends.
And some good work things, like (finally) having an updatable database to work on.
A good year for books, which possibly invidious to enumerate, but including at least 2 outstanding biographies, and the Decca Mitford letters.
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In 2007, oursin resolves to...
Put fifty words a month into my savings account.
Spend more time with my havelock ellis.
Take evening classes in syntax.
Drink four glasses of angel every day.
Go to academia every Sunday.
Buy new spas.