By now, I should intuitively understand that the open-looking weeks three or four weeks away in my calendar won’t be an oasis of productivity for major projects. Inevitably, Toronto350.org-related obligations, alongside photography and PhD work, will end up eating much of the open space before it is actually reached.
Thankfully, a totally open schedule isn’t necessary to progress on major projects. It can even be an impediment, as it can encourage the worst sort of diversion activity: the not-at-all-urgent project which is presently more appealing than what really needs to get done.
My priority projects for the moment:
- Write the final term paper for my markets and justice course
- Write a substantially longer and more sophisticated PhD research proposal
- Get my wedding photography business fully up and running
In addition to the normal Tuesday planning meeting, I am chairing a Toronto350.org board meeting tonight and must proofread the bylaws. There is also a divestment meeting tomorrow. Additionally, I have been hired to photograph a Canadian foreign policy conference between tonight and Friday, which unfortunately precludes participation in tomorrow’s Graduate Student Colloquium on Canadian Politics and Public Policy. Indeed, I need to get photos of the panellist at tonight’s 6:45pm event, before dashing off to chair the board meeting at 7:00pm.
4/7 board members were unable to attend the meeting, so it was cancelled for lack of quorum.
I did get photos at the conference, however: Canadian Foreign Policy: Traditions and Transitions