Life’s Good.

Academia has its ebbs and flows, and this moment for me is the high.

1. I got my first larg(er) grant! Oh, the research I will do with that money! My writing buddy insisted that I celebrate. She said women do not celebrate their achievements. I listened. I did two things: 1. I went to bed early the day I got the news of the grant. 2. A few days later, I saw Kamasi Washington at History.
2. I submitted a manuscript of the research that drained my time and energy for a long time.
3. I received R & Rs for two manuscripts that I had been waiting for soooo long to get. For one of them, I waited for 10 months to get reviews!
4. I withdrew another manuscript from a publication that was taking a longer time than I anticipated to do the review process (11 months!). I am in the process of repackaging it to submit elsewhere.
5. I submitted a manuscript review on time! I know it is vexing when I wait too long for reviews, and I couldn’t put another scholar through the agony of waiting. I asked for another week to do review manuscript for another journal. I wish I did not have to, but I am a bit behind schedule this week due to #2 above.
6. All my conference travels are done for the academic year, and I do not teach in the summer. All my summer time will be for research and writing – one of my happy places. Sure, I will devote sometime to prepare for my courses, but at this moment, I am going to enjoy my research and writing. I have deadlines for my R & R, anyway.
7. I also think how I feel at the moment has to do with finally feeling settled in Toronto. In July, it will be almost two years since I moved back.
8. Last but not least, around this time every year, I begin feeling excited thinking about the upcoming jazz season in Montreal and Toronto! So much beautiful music to enjoy in warm weather!

I am enjoying this moment a great deal. Experience has taught me it will not last forever. The nature of my job and life in general. A month ago, I was at the low of the ebbs and flows. My frustration about the pace of the review process was boundless. I had been waiting to get peer reviews for 10 months! Sometimes, it is the waiting that gets you down. Other times it is the rejection of your grant applications or submitted manuscripts. Other times, it is other things, and just life.

For now, all is great.