Professor Mamas - it's 2008! - Page 2

[rainy32]

Hi!

I'm a mommy to a 3 year old ds and tt in an interdisciplinary social sciences + humanities program. i left my last tt job 1 year before tenure, in order to move our family to a more family-friendly environment and teach in a really innovative program ... so now I'm 2 1/2 years from tenure, and starting to realize I need to publish again!


happy january break to all -- I'm hoping to continue to be as productive
as I was last week!

[rock_dr]

ah, january break. would be nice (*sighs as she watches the daily ski report*).

Ana-Isabel - good luck to you mama! Those are big challenges but it seems like you've done so well with them thus far.

I guess I should do an intro too! I am TT in earth science at a big state university (BS-U?)... just informed I will be nominated for T&P this spring, to go through in 08-09, and feeling great about it! Had a baby last summer and, so far anyway, I'm still fairly productive at work even though I'm spending less time at the office and not sleeping. I think the timing was good, fwiw. I started a faculty moms group last semester and it has been really great to meet other moms across campus.

I also have been looking at another job opportunity. Or rather, trying to figure out if I even want to contact them with questions. I am pretty happy here, but does it hurt to look around? It would potentially be a step 'up' in terms of $$, prestige, and also probably their demands (pubs and grants)... a step down in location and probably dept politics.

[emilysmama]

Greetings, mamas!

I'd like to introduce myself. I'm a full professor in physics at Small Regional State University, and I'm chairperson of my department. It's not as research intensive as most of your institutions, but then, we have to teach 12 contact hours (~4 courses) a semester.

My husband and I got engaged at the end of undergrad, but my husband and I went to graduate schools in completely different parts of the country, and we ended up with jobs in completely different parts of the country. Our original plan was to get married after we found jobs in the same time zone. 11 years after we got engaged, we decided that we weren't anywhere nearer our goal, so we just got married and continued to live in different time zones. 4 years after that, my husband found a tenure track position at a university that is only one hour away from where I work. 2 days after my husband moved here to start his job, BAM, my dd was conceived.

Dd is now almost 4 years old. My husband, who was only in his first year of tt when dd was born, and is going up for tenure next year, has more in common with many of you mamas than I. By the time dd was born, I had already had tenure for four years, and was department chair. All this is just to say that I very much admire all of you mamas who are going through the tenure track and I wish you all well in your careers.

[namaste_mom]

Hi, TT professor in Geology at a big state university. I posted frequently on the last thread. I'm on the same tenure track timing as rock_dr. However, I am thinking about delaying for one year. Not only have I been through pregancy and given birth twice during my non-tenured time but I had to bear the pain of losing my baby daughter, Norah, last November. Today was my first day back really since her death and I was intensely sad but didn't break down or anything. Many of you all did not know that she died but I couldn't bear to login and tell you. Anyway, there it is. How am I supposed to function this semester? I just live day to day and don't seem to have brain functioning capacity. Didn't want to bring down the thread but that is my biggest challenge for the semester.

[rock_dr]

oh no d., I am so so sorry. be gentle with yourself, take the time you need.

[Geofizz]

Oh ((((Delores)))). I'm so, so sorry. : Please be gentle with yourself. Take the time you need, and vent or cry on our shoulders. We're here for you.

[athansor]

I'm so sorry .

[rainy32]

d.

[yogagal]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this thread and area of MDC! Am just about to start a part-time non-tenure track research position in the social sciences next week and am really happy about it. Left a tt job after two years to be SAHM with little one (now 14 months) 8 months ago. His first six months DH (also a tt prof) stayed home with him while he was on research leave and I taught. Was glad to have the SAHM experience but am also looking forward to finding my professional self again. Now if only I can keep my heart from breaking when DS cries after me when I leave him with the babysitter... He'll be in daycare three days a week starting week after next, but for now will be with a friend who has a DD a month younger, but it's been tough already! I feel like I'm betraying him somehow.

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by whittaker

Yes, new threads are so much easier to keep up with, aren't they.

Anybody have any experience being on a research leave but getting inundated with things that simply have to be done now? These are projects that I've been working on for YEARS but suddenly other people are moving on them and this is the worse possible time for me with a book deadline.

I can't simply be rude and tell them to talk to me next quarter, can I?

OK, I've got 3 minutes while dd finishes her breakfast before I need to pack her in the car and get to campus for my advising hours.

Yes, you can and you SHOULD!!! When I was on sabbatical, I had an automated response that went out to everyone: "I am on sabbatical until June 15, 2007. If you have an urgent matter, please contact the main office (insert phone/e-mail)."

Remember, your leave is YOUR LEAVE. People will eat up as much time as you give them.

We are hiring in our department this quarter. One of my colleagues is on sabbatical. She has wisely stayed out of the process. She will meet the candidates, but she won't do any of the work.

Just say "I'll get back to you in April." "No, that will have to wait until April." "That sounds like a great thing to work on in April." Tape those phrases to your mirror, your computer screen and tattoo it on the back of your hand! DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE DESTROY YOUR LEAVE.

[emikey]

Hello, I'm introducing myself too; I was a sometime poster on the old thread, and thanks for starting the new one!

I'm a tt professor of history at a BSU. I have a 2-year-old who was born just as I was interviewing for this job. I was just logging on now to report on the conversation I had just now with my chair and assoc. chair to tell them that I'm expecting again in July. They could not be happier or more supportive. I will have the fall off, stop the clock for a year, and can teach the following summer instead of the fall so that the new one won't have to go to daycare for a long time! (DH is a schoolteacher and will have the summer). Both of them have kids, some little, and in fact our dept. has over a dozen little kids..... that's why I like this department!

Off topic, but I don't think I work nearly hard enough. I spend way too much time on line, and not revising. When I sit down to work, the first two hours seem to fly by before I get started. I hate it! Any tips or suggestions?

And D., big hugs to you, now and whenever you need them. All of our hearts go out to you.

[kerc]

D. I have been thinking about you all morning. I'm sending healing vibes to your family, may you find peace with Norah's death.

[kerc]

Originally Posted by emikey

Off topic, but I don't think I work nearly hard enough. I spend way too much time on line, and not revising. When I sit down to work, the first two hours seem to fly by before I get started. I hate it! Any tips or suggestions?

Get yourself one of those timers they have for the kitchen. Set a realistic amount of time to do your daily "check in". Set the timer. When it goes off close your browser and (if you have a mac it's easy to do this) disconnect your internet connection.

What about crap you need to do online? One of the moms on the ABD moms list suggested (and I now do) having a notebook to jot down "look up reference on x,y,z" and get a dedicated reference time for the internet. Think of it as the days before the internet when you'd have to make time to make phone calls or library time.

[emikey]

yeah, but it's like, "oh I should check my work email first. and my gmail. and ask moxie. and the nytimes. oh wait, it's 11:00!" I think I need to work first, and not check email at all. It's so hard.

[kerc]

Originally Posted by emikey

yeah, but it's like, "oh I should check my work email first. and my gmail. and ask moxie. and the nytimes. oh wait, it's 11:00!" I think I need to work first, and not check email at all. It's so hard.

I tend to set the timer for personal stuff first. Check my personal emails, read the paper, etc. Give myself 10-15 minutes in the morning to do that. Then as I'm working through the day i do the same thing when I take a break -- give myself 10-15 minutes to just dork around on the internet.

As far as work email -- i get a boat load of it, most of it can reasonably be discarded but I need to check it on a regular basis as there are important tidbits to be gleamed. So I do the same thing -- set a timer and only devote as much time as I have. My work is really compartmentalized because I'm only a part time faculty member, but I think the same system would work.

I also make a rule to get some writing done before email (work email that is). I tend to check work-related email in the second hour of my work day.

[namaste_mom]

CJ and Wendy - thanks but as you know, the BSU system does not give time to grieve a loss. I'm a sinking ship right now.

athansor, rainy32, emikey - thanks

Kristin - I need some healing vibes and so does my family. While your sending healing vibes can you send some that also allow me to be at Peace and accept the loss of Norah. I'm not asking for understanding because I know I will never understand why, but just enough peace to be able to function.

emikey - I spend way to much time on the internet too because it is the only place I can go and feel less isolated. I can find women with a similar loss and talk to them.

I did teach my first class yesterday. I had a mild panic attack but it soon passes. It is a 110 person class so I can easily lose myself in my own ramblings. It definitely wasn't as coherent as I like my classes to be. Lots of thoughts lost in mid-thought.

[rock_dr]

I am terrible about getting distracted on the internet. Right now I'm trying to use my pumping time as the time to check mdc and emails and stuff. Guess that's kind of like a timer, right?

Emikey - great that the dept is supportive! I''ll have to come over and hang out, there is only 1 other faculty in my dept with a little one.

d. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers as well.

[emikey]

I was like that with pumping time too. I rewarded myself for pumping because I did so much and disliked it so much! Especially those early days, finishing my diss. in grad school, and pumping the bathroom stall with a novel (eventually I found a room. Now I have an office). NEVER AGAIN, I tell you.

Rock-Dr., you'd be welcome!! - though seriously, I'm not "out" to anyone but the chairs yet, so don't mention it if you know anyone in my college. With those stats, I can see why you started the moms group! One of the benefits, I suppose, of being in the humanities - lots of women in the dept, and more babies. Most of my colleagues with little kids are women, though not all (and some are 2-colleague couples). When we move buildings I want to set up some toys in the lounge. And the response to my news was, "let's have a kids party for the department and take a big picture of all of them!" I think that's a good sign.

Someone on this thread once mentioned Academic Ladder. Can anybody weigh in with details and experiences about it? Thanks!

And again, D., thoughts and prayers of peace to you.
It also occurs to me that you probably *feel* much more incoherent in front of the class than you actually sound. And, while it's not great, your students are much more likely to blame themselves than you if they don't understand, especially this early in the semester.

[LynnS6]

D - prayers and good vibes to you. Give yourself permission to be a C teacher this quarter - your students will survive. It's time for you to put in the bare minimum.

[LynnS6]

OK, time for my intro -- I'm a tenured associate professor of linguistics, mom to ds 6.5 and dd 3.5.

I'm at a Research 2 school, so there's not so much pressure for publishing, but there is some, especially if I want to be considered for full professor. And considering the fact that we need the extra money, I do! So, after having taken about a 2 1/2 year hiatus from publishing/research, I'm back to doing that on top of the kids, teaching and advising.