August 2019 Reflections

Here are August’s reflections!

Big mood after broadsword class.

disclaimer: these reviews are for my own personal accountability and aren’t really meant to be articulate blog posts. if you are curious about anything I write here, feel free to email me at nichole.lynn.bennett <at> gmail.com

highlights/lessons learned from the past month

• I spend too much time spent in the research/outlining phase of papers before organizing the outline . Why is this? Is this because it is a passive phase that is easier than the uncertainty of creating the paper itself?
• A big part of my overwhelm lies in needing to make choices and select goals.
• It’s been really good to have calls with Lacy because a lot of the encouragement that I give her I also need to hear. It also helps me feel less alone in trying to create my own stuff instead of trying to find where I fit in other people’s structures.
• finished summer fundamental statistics class
• said no to more things that were “should monsters”
• finished MariKon-ing bedroom, bathroom, and hallway and organizing
• turned in the work plan for Climate Change Adaptation through Dramaturgy grant
• started my second year of science communication Ph.D.
• Marc’s birthday! We had Salt Lick, lots of goodies from Paper Route bakery, and friends over.
• taught improv and communication theory to all entering pharmacy students at UT
• took the Texas Stage Combat Intensive
• asked to be Secretary of the Girls Rock Austin Board of Directors
• became Vice President of B. Iden Payne Awards Council
• had enough space in my life that I felt like I could volunteer to watch my friend Michelle’s toddler while she took the Transom Workshop It was really nice!
• had my feelings hurt by the way a group of friends treated me, told them how I felt, and then worked to move on — I am getting better at this.
• my parents visited Austin
• had a party where people came over just to read books, and it was my favorite party every
• reached my goal of reading 100 books this year

theme or emotion that sums up the month: frazzly, overwhelmed, need to select goals

outcome of last month’s goal, projects completed

• proposal to Rita Allen Foundation for graduate STEM study
• workplan submitted for Planet Texas 2050 grant: Climate Change Adaptation Through Dramaturgy

goals (usually just one) for the month ahead

• create rejection spreadsheet for pitches and grants for science communication and make a habit of submitting things
• outline for grad student STEM outreach study organized and sent to collaborators

media enjoyed in the last month

films:

• The Vaccine War

books

• Fuel
• Pickman’s Model
• The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
• The Colour Out of Space
• The Curse of Yig
• The Dunwich Horror
• Cosmicomics

podcasts

• HP Lovecraft Literary Podcast
• Science VS: Vaccines - Are they Safe?
• Science VS: Rise of the Anti-Vaxxers
• Freakonomics: 387. Hello, My Name Is Marijuana Pepsi!