Research problems

This year I am on "research leave" from my academic position. That means that I have no teaching responsibilities and no administrative responsibilities. I am free to devote all of my time to research work. That is great. And that is terrible. I got off to a bad start when I got pulled into writing a big grant proposal that was due in September. My dream of a slow summer was lost. Then I agreed to write two book chapters. My thought was that these would get me back into the literature, would be relatively easy to do, and would give me some minimum product to show for the leave. I forgot that I don't really like to write all that much....a bad thing for an academic to admit. I like analyzing information, but they whole writing it up part takes a lot more effort. So, I finished one chapter, I'm behind on the second, and then what did I do? Agree to write a third!!! AFTER I had come to the realization that I didn't want to write the first two. Am I stupid or what??? Chapter #1 was on health and mortality. Chapter #2 is on health behaviors. Chapter #3 is on adult obesity. All in areas in which I know a lot and have already written. In the meantime, I have not devoted nearly as much time as I would have liked to my own original research. Not because I've run out of ideas, but because I waste so much time on this other writing. Of course, what do I do instead? Write this blog entry....Okay, back to smoking and health.....

The bane of my existence

A few years ago I agreed to take on the role of secretary/treasurer for a professional organization. A good friend and mentor of mine had done this for many years and was anxious to unload the job. She assured me that it would be fairly straightforward. It is not. It is a constant source of irritation and annoyance for me. The organization publishes a journal, but we are 2 years behind. We manage our own subscriptions, so I get all the checks, claims, complaints, etc. I cannot keep track of it all. The mail is still often sent to her, which she forwards to me in bulk packages, months later. I can never keep up. I hate the job. I regret the day I ever agreed to do it. I want to quit. I need to find someone as naive as I was. But first, in all good conscience, I need to get the current situation under control. Hopefully we will find a new publisher who will take over all of the subscription management. I can only hope.