Chicks-n-Scratching

I can’t say that I’m really up for a very involved Thursday Thirteen, as I’ve spent the week cleaning data and prepping variables for statistical analysis for the dissertation. This is definitely necessary, certainly productive, and undoubtedly horrifying. I’m sure you don’t want to hear anything about it (I don’t want to, and I have to do it). So, I present to you thirteen things I could be doing instead of this that would be WAY more fun.

1. Watching TV. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I sat down and watched a show? Between dissertation, Munchkin, writing, and daily life, I’m lucky I have time to eat!

2. Playing with Munchkin.  I could be outside chasing bubbles from the bubble machine. Or painting with washable paints on old sheets (wash and reuse!).

3. Reading.  My TBR pile is growing by leaps and bounds because I have no time to read anything that isn’t dissertation-related right now. And we all want to read “Negative Binomial Regression” by Hilbe, don’t we?

4. Cooking real meals. My poor family. Since I’m in high-productivity mode, they are getting a lot of easy-fix meals like homemade nachos and spaghetti. The vegetables, they are lacking.

5. Exercise. Yes, I know, you don’t believe me. It’s true, though. Before I started to really crack down on the dissertation, I had an exercise program. Now, well… I use our stairs. That counts, right?

6. Cleaning house. Y’all, my house looks like a tornado has been through here. It’s not pretty. Even the cats are starting to complain.

7. Hunting for a day job. I have a few hanging out there in government limbo land (We like you. We’ll call you and offer you a job. Someday.), so I’d like to have some time to fill out some more applications and do some more hunting. It’s never a bad thing to have multiple options, right?

8. Doing my nails. I haven’t had a manicure in… um… well, I don’t know how long. I think it may have been before Munchkin was born. Whoa.

9. Helping Munchkin learn to do stuff she wants to do. She taught herself to read. She was tired of waiting for either GN or I to read to her, so she taught herself. Do you have any idea how much BAD MOM guilt I’m carrying around over that?

10. Spend time with GN. No, really. Did you know you’re supposed to spend time with your SO? Who knew?

11. Listen to and discover new music. I like finding new bands and new stuff. It takes time to hunt it down, though. This is how we turn into our parents – we stop listening to new music. You kids these days! When I was a youngster, we had REAL music!

12. Sleeping. I don’t think I’ve had a full 8 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period more than a handful of times since before Munchkin was born (for those doing the math, she is just over 5 years old). Did you know that research shows that those who are chronically sleep deprived are prone to mental health issues? [I know you're all shocked]

13. Writing! I could be writing fiction. I could be writing Hannah. Or finishing the final edits on Birdmen. Or any of about a zillion other WIPs.

I could be doing ANYTHING else. But, lo, I am stuck dissertating. I know you’re all jealous.

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