Friday Status Post: Feb 8 2019

THE BEST PARAGRAPH I READ THIS WEEK

BIG THINGS ACHIEVED THIS WEEK: I met with my supervisors this week, talking through the way we’ll be handling things as I move into my third year as a post-grad. I’m finally at the point where there’s less research and more writing required, so I’ve been thinking about how to keep my life balanced (and, occasionally, despairing that such a thing may be possible and debating which goals get deferred.

The other big achievement for the week has been thinking really hard about my relationship with my phone, and removing all sorts of apps that have resulted in bad habits. Obviously, this includes social media, but after reading Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism I’m trailing a bunch of other things as well.

For the first time in years there’s no email app on my phone–a change that’s proving useful, as I tend to read an email while seated in front of my computer and prepared to respond, rather than noting somethings come in when my phone pings and forgetting to respond. Similarly, I’ve removed apps governing website maintenance which I primarily used for checking stats out of habit, and my phone’s web browser is pulled into the least convenient place impossible.

STATE OF THE WRITING PROJECTS: The challenge at the moment is focus, and my schedule has largely settled into the point where the bulk of my time is going to the three projects at the top of my to-do list. A scene-by-scene editorial list for the Ghost Story helped me identify a point where the story’s momentum flags, and some possible changes to rectify that, and also gave me a subtext I can bring out a little stronger. Getting back into Warhol Sleeping after a long break is daunting, but I’m devoting an hour chunk of my day to stare at the manuscript and ponder it, which will gradually ease me into the headspace.

CURRENT EARWORM: I’m still listening to Crimson and Clover on repeat this morning, although I’m swapping back-and-forth between youtube and podcasts while I catch up on my usual weekly listening.

CURRENT READING: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, which is proving to be one of those books that is both excellent and complex.

BEST SCREEN MEDIA OF THE WEEK: One of those rare weeks where I’m spoiled in this category, as I’ve watched a whole bunch of things and all of them have been excellent. Russian Doll is probably the best of them, but I’m entirely tempted to suggest that getting into the 2018 run of New Japan Pro Wrestling shows is a lesson in storytelling that I’ve sorely needed.

EMAIL INBOX STATUS: 1 email, from an old friend, that I’ve been meaning to reply to for the better part of a month and therefore has all the added weight. Having a dedicated window where I process the inbox–and not looking at it any other time or getting notifications that things have arrived–is a surprisingly-big-but-effective change.

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO RIGHT NOW? My trusty laptop bag died yesterday, giving up the ghost after outlasting four different laptops and giving me about eight years of use. It’s one of those bags that was good enough for the job that I felt bad about replacing it, but now that I’ve got the chance, I’m really looking forward to going out and buying something that fits my current needs a little better.