Sobriquet 49.17

The following post was originally published on 12/17/08.

Having finished transcribing notes and such before noon today, I got to spend the day relaxing a bit, hanging out with a friend, reading, napping, and playing computer games. As far as reading goes, I decided to pick up a copy of William Maxwell's So Long, See You Tomorrow because I want to make sure I keep reading non-dissertation material while I am working on the dissertation. I mean, I worry sometimes that the dissertation takes up too much of my existence and I want, years down the road, to be able to look back on these days and see that I did something other than work on the dissertation. Reading a short novel (like Maxwell's) once in a while lets me feel like I haven't entirely neglected to keep up on my autodidactic pursuits. That, too, is an important lesson learned: one must not become so engrossed in one's academic work so as to resent it later or use it as a scapegoat to take the blame for things left unaccomplished off of oneself. So I read a novel once in a while. And, hopefully, I'll read up on physics, history, and math, as well. Oh, and spend time with friends, too.

For tomorrow: Transcribe or read.