Summer hiatus

What was I saying the last time I wrote on my blog? That is has been a marathon in May.... well, there was another one in June and then came July and the holidays!!!!! Yay!

I can't even tell you how happy I was about that and how much they were needed. I left for Europe and my brain was like pudding, I desperately needed to take some time away.

In order to explain all the tension, the headeaches and the stress, I have to add there were too many things that went on at the department and I really struggled in what I could write in this blog (or not) that made me take the easiest way out: I thought there were too many unbloggable issues there and I preferred not to talk about them in the heat of the moment.

It's very complicated but to put it in the simplest way: someone didn't play fair and the issue over a permanent contract is right now explosive. There has been a lot of work related to this issue, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of frustration regarding people who are not playing it fair but are simply abusing power (just to give you an example not related to me personally and please tell me this isn't a nightmare!, have you ever heard about someone being hired without an interview because hir is closely related to someone already in? THAT should give you the idea of what is going on) for their own purposes. Anyway, I can't get into greater details but let me be open about what I can express and these are my feelings.

I needed the summer to recharge my mental and physical batteries. I took some time out in July, voluntarily, in order to clean my head. I came back happy, rested and with a clear idea that no matter what will happen in the future I will be open and still happy to whatever the future brings. If I will stay, I will stay, if I will go I will go. But I will still choose to be a happy person and to keep my integrity. I am not ready to sell out.

As for now, I am back and I am trying to put together a schedule for an intense month of August.

There are a couple of projects that came along:

- article asked after a Big Conference. Wow, I am pleased and happy about it. But there is a lot of research and work involved to make this the best possible article on the topic.

- conference prensentation for October: some ideas are already there, some should still be explored

- organization of two events with well known writers: I am excited about it but it requires a lot of administrative work and time

- another smaller conference for the end of October

- I go back and I will teach a 4/3 load this year because the 4th course is still at Toxic U. This will allow me to ask for funding and t put some money aside for the summer.

This week I have still played with time and organization but I will soon get into action. And, by the way, the weather is very very hot down here. It's hard to focus with that. Summer is in full swing and I love it.

Sorry if I disappeared, I will try to be more present. :)