These will be longish bullets. Nothing on my mind fits neatly into a single blog post.

• Diet and exercise. I gained at least 15 pounds over the last year. My clothes are tight. This is not good. Since the new year, I’ve been trying to eat better, but am struggling. I’ve been traveling a fair amount and eating out, which means fairly calorie-laden food. I did purchase Your Fitness!, a PlayStation “game”/virtual personal trainer. However, I’m having a hard time squeezing in the workouts. I can always find time on the weekends, but during the week, it’s more difficult. I’m going to keep trying, though. I think I’m at a point, though, where I may have to start making a meal for me and a meal for my family. Sigh.
• The Dissertation. I haven’t set an official defense date, but I will soon. I’m revising. I redid the introduction (needs another pass, I think), worked some more on chapter 1 (which I overhauled in the summer), and I’m working on chapter 2 now (about 2/3 done). I’m hoping to finish chapter 2 this weekend and start (and maybe finish) chapter 4. I’m waiting on Chapter 3, but I may start on that before I get feedback. The tentative plan (in my mind) is to get a complete draft off in a couple of weeks, and schedule a defense for early April.
• Life, the universe, and everything. Even though I’m much less scheduled this semester and revisions are less time-consuming that writing, I’m still feeling a bit like I’m not on top of my game. I just feel like lots of loose ends are not being tied up. This is especially true at work, where I feel like there are just too many things going on. I feel pretty lost at sea. But only if I stop and think about it. Mostly, I’m just plugging away, working my way through various tasks. If I start to think about everything I’m trying to accomplish, I start to freak out a little. As I said before, once March gets here, I hope that feeling will diminish.
• The 30,000 foot view. I’ve been trying to do some long-term life planning. Where do I want to be in 5 years? What will be going on with the kids at that point? 10 years? Mr. Geeky and I differ in our thoughts about the long view. I am a Generation X-er. I don’t expect to be in the same job, the same place even, for my entire life. Mr. Geeky has kind of a 1950s perspective on that. You get a job and a home and you settle in. Plus, he has tenure. Though it’s not impossible that he will consider moving to another college. It’s unlikely. I’m struggling a bit with the idea that we are here to stay. On the one hand, I do like having friends and feeling at home in a neighborhood or feeling comfortable in a job. On the other hand, I think about things I’d like to do or would like to try doing. I feel like I have been along for the ride for a long time and now I need to start charting a course. Unfortunately, I have no idea which way to go. At least for now, I think I have a pretty good map. And that’s enough.
• The 5 foot view. My house is full of clutter and laundry and crap. I swear, the day after I send my dissertation off, I’m taking a day off to clean. Sounds crazy, I know, but it’s gotten so bad even I can’t take it.
• Politics. Lately, not on my radar. I feel kind of guilty about this, but hey, I’ve been busy. 2008 will be here soon enough.