there are a world of things i ought to be doing, at all times

Even within a rather expanded definition of "ought". For example:
* paperwork for my trip to India,
* my tax,
* writing fiction (including a story i owe someone),
* transcription,
* writing my current chapter, which i said i'd send to my supervisor before i left,
* researching case study #2,
* preparing the talk i'm giving at shenton college in under two weeks,
* sending emails/letters,
* cooking something with red cabbage in it.

But my motivation is at its lowest level, as is my self-confidence, which just makes it all seem terribly difficult (not to mention ill-fated). My people-related-paranoia also seems to be at its zenith, which doesn't help.

On the plus side, cycling a lot means i'm getting lots of sunshine and exercise, which is probably doing a fair bit to keep me functional. And i know, as with all such times, that this is temporary, and once i figure out where i'm going with this chapter and the moon's phase (or whatever mysterious force governs my moods) changes i'll start feeling better.

Also, i bought a heap of books yesterday and spent the evening reading, which is always pleasant. I finished The Golden Compass and Spook Country, both of which were good, and i'm rereading The Diamond Age, which i love.

I'm glad that i'm starting to feel a bit more enthusiastic about the world, because i have ridiculous amounts to do before i leave on the 22nd.

meme ahoy!

This one is from liz. The deal is: "Comment on this post. I will choose seven interests from your profile and you will explain what they mean and why you are interested in them. Post your this along with your answers in your own journal so that others can play along."

I got: adventures, banana yoshimoto, caribbean poetry, distributed proofreaders, making, metaphysics, ubuntu

[i really should update my interests.]

1. Adventures: the thing about adventures is that you have to have some kind of a purpose. Even if it's just "find my way out of this series of underground tunnels that I fell into by mistake", or "take an interesting photo", or "do fieldwork". And then you try to achieve that goal in a hideously impractical way, by for example failing to have a sense of direction, owning a lomograph, or going to India.

2. Banana Yoshimoto: I haven't read any books by her in a while, but I really liked them, especially Kitchen. They are whimsical and sweet and just a little disturbing, as you would expect books written by someone called "banana" to be.

3. Caribbean poetry: another interest that came from spending a lot of time in libraries, avoiding the world (or at least the bits of it with people in it). (I can still find my way to the Caribbean poetry section of the Reid library by memory.) I like reading poems written in the patois, the way the meaning becomes clear once you say it under your breath. I have a tendency to rush through the written word, too impatient, and I like that writing in patois slows me down and makes me consider each word.

4. Distributed proofreaders: I don't proofread as much as I used to, but I still do it now and then. I like feeling useful. Plus I like the pages I stumble onto, of weird old books that I would never have heard of or read otherwise.

5. making: I like to make stuff. Sewing, cooking, fiddling with bicycles, writing, origami, whatever. I guess it's a pleasant alternative to my thesis, often, to make something that can be finished in a few sittings and then has a real concrete existence.

6. metaphysics: I don't know about this one. Possibly I was reading something metaphysical at the time? Sometimes its pleasantly unproductive and circular to ponder the nature of being and all that, but I would recommend picking a more satisfying hobby, such as bagpiping or basilisk-rearing.

7. Ubuntu: I am terribly, terribly enthusiastic about Ubuntu, and I have probably bored all my friends, colleagues, and casual acquaintances about it to the point that I should probably stop going on about it. In summary: a linux-based operating system that is user-friendly (yes! really!), not crippled by DRM, relatively secure, free (as in beer and as in speech). Plus it has a very helpful support community that has helped me with any problems. Executive summary: excellent. Get it now. Ask me if you have any questions.

The end!