All work and no play (or "what I did for my summer vacation")

Quite frankly this summer has been hell. For several weeks I had four projects going at once. And, as is becoming all too familiar lately, I didn't feel I could do any of them justice. (Except perhaps SSDAN - Social Science Data Analysis Network - where I work as a coordinator and was only required to put in 5 hours a week for the summer.)

I need to learn to say "no." I've been practicing.

One cool thing I did was to help recruit "clients" for a project-centered course in my department at the School of Information (SI) . It's a core course on info flow analysis that everyone has to take; I took it last year. While recruiting clients I was able to meet a lot of people in the community and try to convince them to participate. I learned about some cool local places, like special libraries and museums, research companies and non-profits. My appreciation for the area was enhanced, no doubt. People were nice, even when they said no. My classmate Andrea enlisted my help. She did a lot of the lead generation, and I mostly followed up, although toward the end we were pulling ideas from everywhere, scrambling to meet a higher-than-ever need for projects, as a record number of incoming students are enrolled this fall at SI. This work was a lot like sales. The experience has led me to be less afraid of such a role in the future.


Other fun stuff from the summer: Got to go to New York a few times, where I helped an archivist at Democracy Now! coordinate the extensive, detailed cataloging of newscasts. The news organization is located a very cool old firehouse in Soho (see picture --->). Also, night life in NY is so stimulating -- cool, interesting people from all over, plus many friends from my progam and my university to meet up and hang out with. I also have friends from my New Orleans days who have relocated there and in the surrounding areas. Even two kids I used to babysit while growing up in Tennessee have made their home there! They both work in the arts. I had lunch a couple of times with the girl, now a lovely young woman who works for an arts non-profit and studies acupuncture and Chinese medicine! Plus, I met up with a former classmate from high school who is very successful in theatre there. It was very comforting to feel I was surrounded by connections.

Back on the Detroit scence, where I spent most of my summer: the market research internship was not all that I had hoped. I was tasked with making recommendations to improve their job management tools and processes, something I've done througout my career, and did not get as much exposure to market analytics as I had hoped. Plus, everyone works remotely and was incredibly busy, so I didn't get as much face time as I wanted. Ah well, not all endeavors can be dreamy.

The experience did inspire me to seek out more forums to develop my emerging analytic skills, so I am taking the often-avoided, much-feared Economics for Information Professionals course. I spoke with the prof about my reluctance, and she gave me her vote of confidence. Also taking "Information Law," "Design of Complex Websites," and, from the lauded Ross School of Business, "Project Management" and "Decision Support with Spreadsheet Tools." Splendid. So looking forward to these relevant, practical courses, and getting a break from the theoretical discourse they have been pounding us with...

Forgot to mention my high school reunion in Tennessee. What a weird thing to see all those people again, just older. It was about what I'd expected. I had fun with it. My best friend from high school stayed at my mother's with me, so it was fantastic to be able to catch up with her. Also had my own party the day after the reunion for my friends from all the classes, and beyond, including friends from college who have remained in the East Tennessee area. So we had our own little "cool people" reunion; I'd love to continue this tradition every summer.

I guess in all, I had a pretty good summer, despite feeling harried much of the time. I think I'll look back with fond memories on the summer of grad school...It's a good life. I'm ready to get on with it. Bring on the schoolin! I needs me an edumacation...

Also, Roller Derby Rocks! Have been to see a couple of bouts this summer, and I want so badly to be a Detroit Derby Girl!!!! Although I'm not allowed due to no insurance. Probably not a bad policy. My hairdresser, a founding member of DDG, broke her leg in two places. She had no insurance and it cost her a pretty penny, not to mention the pain and incoveninece of having a broken leg... Still, looks like so much fun. And I'm an excellent skater. Or was once.




Speaking of insurance, over 45 million Americans are without health insurance. Today some email was being bantered around among the grad students about where to find cheap health inurance. I suggested they go to Canada, which is only 40 minutes from here. And is coincidentally smaller in population (38 million) than all of the uninsured people in the US!