Wow. I managed to stay lazy, not writing a single posting in a few months.
I was not necessarily any busier than before. But I was mentally more restless. I started building my oral exam reading lists — mainly on “History of Childhood and Youth.” My other fields are Modern Japan, Modern Korea, and Imperialism/Colonialism. I have also started brainstorming for my grant proposals with fellow students. That means I am thinking about my question, research, travel plan, teaching plan, and overall academic goal every day. My contemplation happens while I take a bath — a luxury that I got after moving to a studio. I read and make notes in the bath.
Another big agenda for me is writerly writing. I enjoy doing research and writing, and suffer when I re-read and edit my own writing. I can no longer make an excuse for bad writing just because I am a foreigner. The burden should not be imposed on the reader but on me. Fortunately many of my friends are also anxious of improving writing skill, and my professors edit each sentence of my paper (and others’
closely.
I am thinking of using this blog space for writing exercise. While I celebrate the fact that I finally finished taking seminars, I am worried of not writing regularly. I need some space for practice so that I can experiment tips and tools that many “how-to” books recommend.