First news: I'm less than 48 hrs from having a draft (minus conclusion) of my book MS. Not a moment too soon, as I have only a couple of weeks in which to organize a cross-country move.
This morning, I find myself in Coffee Shop #1 (pictured), and overcome with a strong sense of nostalgia, both good and bad. Over the year I've spent in Fellowship City, I've explored the coffee shops both near and far, and have found about three favorites, in sequence, plus a few perfectly servicable backups. Coffee Shop #1 is so psuedo-named because it was my first favorite: less than a mile from home, decent coffee & pastry, not-too-loud music, and usually I can get a table. Add a big front window, and you've got a winner. I spent my first couple of months here, working for about 2 ½ hours in the mornings before I went in to the office. I vividly remember sitting at one of the window tables, compiling bibliography by chapter, and sending out e-mails to local people, letting them know I was around. I remember drinking a coffee here and giving myself permission to futz around compiling bibiliography and exploring the town for the first two weeks, rather than jumping right in to one of the chapters. The whole year stretched out ahead of me – who would I meet? What would I get accomplished?
The year between then and now you can read about by going through the archives: I've almost finished the MS, I made some excellent friends (both here in FC, and "here" at GirlScholar), took a fun trip to Chicago, and met that Interesting Development. (I also put on about ten pounds, but we don't need to talk about that while I'm eating my scone.) But here I sit at the other end of it, 48 weeks later, the book MS almost done, no time for another fun trip, friends & ID departed to their respective jobs. And being back here makes me realize what a wonderful year this has been, both professionally and personally.
May I have another?
4 comments:
Whoo hooo! Congrats at being so close to a complete draft! That's a huge, a major, a massive accomplishment. Give yourself a toast with that cup of joe.
Yes, I think you may. In a few years.
Partly because I don't work so well when I'm out in public--I get way too interested in everyone else around me and can't focus on what I'm doing, and then I inevitably need to go to the bathroom and don't know what to do with my computer in the meantime--I didn't settle in to a routine of going to cool places during the day so that I could work there. But I have a fantasy of spending my last week here sort of descending on one place after another and working there until I need to use the bathroom--and then packing up and going somewhere else! As you know, my Real-Life Town is a one-shop stop.
Yes, but it's a one-stop shop where you could turn to the person next to you and say "could you watch this for a moment?"
Still, I hadn't thought of that aspect of living in pop. 1800. The one coffee shop is nice, but it's the only one, and I imagine you've got to fight for a space during the academic year. Hrmmm....
many many congrats about almost finishing the ms - what a big milestone!
And I'm glad this year has been a good one - way to re-charge for the next one, eh??
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