Just like finishing a good book, finish a good blog is near impossible. A colleague of mine just shared
...good blog posts, like good college essays, come flowing out... work on the idea in your brain. then let it flow onto the screen... Thanks Jen!
For the last week I have been working on a blog about Defying Gravity aka being able to reach my dreams...but then I was frozen. Before writing that blog, I need to decide what those dreams were, which led me to a totally different discussion. I was talking about my current status, where the people who surround me: colleagues, peers, faculty, and mentors all encourage me and say my potential is limitless. Which is a stark contrast to what I was told in elementary and secondary school. But, that stuff is covered in the upcoming blog, completion date-->TBD.
So dreams and aspirations: I currently have many paths I can take after gradation, a Fulbright Research Grant, a Doctoral Program, move into an Outreach/Student Support services position, travel abroad or work as an educational researcher. I'm applying to a few different fellowship programs, research grants, and the Fulbright Scholarship program (maybe some doc programs too). These program all have personal statements that must accompany them. In thinking about writing them, I should just let the ideas flow. I am confident in my knowledge and mastery of ceratin educational areas: access,equity, educational pipeline, and issues that peratin to first generation students. As reminded earlier, what has worked for me is a piece of paper and pencil. My first drafts are always hand written and the content just "flows" out of my head, and usually these drafts led to great papers, articles, and the such. I just need to remember to simplify, take the time to sit down and write.
Also, I am disappointed with the amount of time I dedicate to reading. Currently on my desk at work, shelf at home, and passenger seat I have some great books half read. At work I have, "The Color of Success: Race and High Achieving Urban Youth" by Gil Conchas and "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell; in my room I have "Contemporary Latin American Social and Political Thought: An anthology" ed. by Ivan Marquez; and in my car I have Critical race counterstories along the chicana/chicano educational pipeline" by Tara Yosso and "Ethnicity matters: Rethinking how black, hispanic, and indian students prepare for and succeed in college" ed. by MaryBenton Lee. All these great books, which I started with such enthusiasm, I just dropped by the wayside. I am sorry to the manuscripts I have undervalued and left unfinished. I promise you all I will read and enjoy the pages that were carefully crafted by your authors. And yes, these are my "reading for enjoyment" books. In the last couple days, I have been nagged to read fictional books and the such, but lack an interest in reading them.
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1 comment:
I really appreciate your honesty here. It's normal to feel bad or guilty about the things we don't have time to do and it's easy to be frustrated when things in life don't "flow." What I liked most about this entry is your awareness of this occasional lack of flow in your reading, in your blog posts, etc. One of the great things about having a blog is to be able to post entries that are honest even though it might be frustrating to acknowledge. The flow will reappear. Great post. Forthcoming, real, and a good read for your fans.
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