My gift to you: one grad student to another (or alternately, one parent to another or one busy person to another...) on this day that I had planned to catch up on my dissertation work (as if there is ever such a thing as "catching up" on your dissertation) but instead received the "pick up your sick child from school" call shortly after I had booted up my office computer; From me to me: in case I ever think there are things more important than feeding soup to and cuddling with an ill four year old; For all of us when we feel "busy busy busy": just look at ourselves reflected in the mirror of this children's song:
"We're very very busy
and we've got a lot to do
and we haven't got a minute
to explain it all to you
for on Sunday Monday Tuesday
there are people we must see
and on Wednesday Thursday Friday
we're as busy as can be
with our most important meetings
and our most important calls
and we have so many things
and we post them on our walls.
Then
we have to hurry to the south
and then we hurry north
and we're talking every minute
as we hurry back and forth
and we have to hurry to the east
and then we hurry west
and we're talking every minute
and we don't have time to rest
and we have to do it faster
or it never will be done
and we have no time for listening
or anything that's fun.
...And
we have to hurry to the left,
and then we hurry right
and we're talking every minute
as we hurry day and night
and we have to have our lunches
though we don't have time to chew
and we have to order
many things in gray and navy blue
but we think supplies are limited
(restrictions may apply)
so we'll call the operators
who are surely standing by...
...Now
we have to hurry far away
and then we hurry near
and we have to hurry everywhere
and be both there and here
and we have to send out messages
by e-mail, phone, and fax
and we're talking every minute
and we really can't relax
and we think there is a reason
to be running neck-and-neck
and it must be quite important
but we don't have time to check...
Yes, we think there is a reason
to be running neck-and-neck
and it must be quite important
(And if not...well, what the heck.)"
"Busy Busy Busy"
by Sandra Boynton and Michael Ford
from "Philadelphia Chickens"
...So
now that my kids are napping
I must try to figure out
why I'm always running neck-and-neck
all over, all about
I know it is important
or at least, it is to me--
or maybe instead of figuring
I'll just sit back and breathe...
Thanks for the congrats! I really enjoy reading your blog--it's always reassuring to know others are balancing motherhood with PhD-land. And, I agree--cuddling with an ill four-year old is the most important thing of all!
My first year, my spouse and I had to share a computer (when one broke down) to write a paper for one of our hardest classes. We traded off, and in the off-writing time, played with our then-2-year old. Somehow playing with the puzzle seemed like much more important work.
Thanks again for the encouragement!
Posted by: Winter in the Cities at February 8, 2005 11:40 PM