Back to Dailies (Ph.D. Year 2, Spring Update 4)

TL; DR

Missed the CHIPlay deadline, but have a second chance with a deadline this summer. Finished the IRB draft which Rogelio completed and submitted. I’m excited to move away from the crunch I have felt I have been under. So even though I have a lot on my plate, it feels so much more relaxed. Had a bit of a break from teaching, but some students have asked some great questions on their module 1 writeups and I love their engagement. Got a bit of a holiday with my sister’s family, and happy to be back home.

Weekly Update Breakdown

Accomplishments Since Last Update

• Research Writing (SDG theory)
  • Missing the CHIPlay deadline was very disappointing, but I am a trained writer (journalism style) so even though technical writing is a new style to me, I could tell the piece wasn’t ready. I expected Rogelio’s “bad” news, but the good news is that we can still aim for CHIPlay this year (PHEW!) by aiming for their Rapid Communications call for papers which isn’t due until July 16th.
  • I am really enjoying writing this paper. I think it is going to be really great.

• Research (Project CODE Switch)
  • I got to lead two game design meetings using my SDG theory I’ve been working on with Rogelio (see paper above) and out of the meetings came my favorite game pitch that got me really excited for the project and it came from Rogelio. Dr. Rogelio told me afterward that he felt that was his first real game pitch. It was super satisfying to see how the theory we’ve been working on could so positively affect not only our case study project but a fellow game maker as well. It felt really good.

• Teaching
  • Bit of a break from class because of the holiday.
  • Just answering some great questions from students for their first module wrap-up write-up which showed how well, at least some of them, are engaging with the material. It was very satisfying as well.
  • Got ahead on some of the material so we will be two quiz weeks ahead moving forward, even with the ginormous reading assignment (it is long!) that will be the following week’s quiz.
  • It’s not all roses, but Rogelio has been a great support and I got to learn more about the university’s student code which I have never truly appreciated before.

• Dailies
  • Self-Care
    • I was purposefully slack with my centering and other self-care dailies last week because of the CHIPlay deadline and the President’s Day holiday. Want to get back on track with it this week.
    • I also want to add more mindfulness to my day. Just experiencing life without judgment. So I am taking time to enjoy the fragrance of my herbal tea and food (as much as I can remember to) to enjoy the eating process more and just be more mindful. Again, without any judgment.

• Executive
  • I didn’t do my Sunday Meeting last week and I really feel it today because I didn’t appropriately plan all my tasks. Should be okay, but made for a bit of a doozy for my end of the week to-do lists!

Next Week’s Tasks

• Writing (SDG Theory)
  • Back-planning so we hit July 16th CHIPlay due date
  • Go over feedback (once received)
  • Revise, get feedback, repeat.
• Research (Project CODE Switch)
  • Create 1-2 game pitches for Project CODE Switch
  • Leading Project CODE Switch meeting again this week — going over game pitch ideas and next steps
• Teaching
  • Create/Publish Quiz 5 & 6
  • Grade Game Design Snacks
• Dailies
  • Self-Care
    • Was slack last week with Centering dailies because of CHIPlay deadline, want to get back to my centering dailies. They really help my mood and emotional management. Still haven’t figured out what to do in the morning with kiddos to help me achieve that…
  • Achievement
    • Do my Sunday Meeting with planned daily tasks for each achievement focus area (Forgot to do it last week and I really felt it now that it is the end of the week when my tasks weren’t all complete because I hadn’t scheduled appropriately)

Speed Bumps & Obstacles

• Writing (SGD theory)
  • Waiting on feedback before proceeding
• Research
  • I think I need to schedule another supplemental design meeting next week (like we did this week), so we can meet as a team to decide on our game idea moving forward
• Teaching
  • One student is making class a little difficult. I am hoping the informal interventions will resolve the issue because no one really wants it escalated (I hope!). I do know my next steps, now that I am more familiar with the student code, so even if it doesn’t resolve, I know my next steps, but it has caused me some anxiety and has eaten up much of my time.
• Executive
  • gotta remember to do my Sunday meetings. It’s not a habit, so maybe I need an alarm or something?

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Puppy Dogs Are Distracting (Ph.D. Year 2, Spring Update 2)

TL; DR

First student presentation class went well, my TA is killing it (he’s been very great), I feel mostly on top of things, and I really like being Professor Blackburn. Missed the FDG deadline for my first SGD , so retargated to CHIPlay. Doggies are good for emotional wellbeing therapy. Etc. (Read below.)

Weekly Update Breakdown

Accomplishments Since Last Update

• Research Writing (SDG theory)
  • Completed writing the paper from start to end! Phew! I’m so tired! Lots of refining left to do. We’re aiming for CHIPlay. If we miss we’ll find another venue. It’s a lot of work!
  • I have another paper, a lit review, I’ve already started writing and I am targeting IEEE tog. The good thing about that one is that I can submit anytime the paper is ready. It’s good to have a deadline, but it’s nice to have a paper that I don’t have stress about deadlines for too.
• Research (Project CODE)
  • I got to lead the meeting last time! That was fun. We went over “How to Read a Paper,” MDA+GFI and FBS frameworks, and discussed gameplay.
• Teaching
  • First student team presentation went really well.
  • My TA, Joseph Conrad, is killing it. So grateful I got a B.S. English TA. He’s great and keeps up with the class very well.
  • Wrote up Game Design Snacks end of module assignment instructions
  • Feel like I might be on top of things. I maybe spend too much time on the course, but it is fun for me.
• Dailies
  • Self-Care
    • It’s good to have the get the top two done + 1 more and call it good because that was pretty much every day last week.
    • I didn’t stick to my fitness goals as much as I would have liked, but I still did something most days.
  • Achievement
    • I realized that I wasn’t working on my more focus areas (anything other than my top priorities) because I had no set tasks planned for the for the day like I do for the top ones So I finally wrote down tasks to complete
• Executive
  • I remembered about Sunday Meetings! I can’t remember exactly how to do them, but I did sit down and write out my Achievement areas, the top goal(s) I want to accomplish in them, and then the tasks I need to do this week. I already have accomplished more this week on my more goals because of this.

Next Week’s Tasks

• Writing (SDG Theory)
  • Finalize the paper for CHIPlay submission
  • When that is complete, IEEE tog lit review paper 🙂
• Research (Project CODE)
  • Use the SDG theory to start design of our artifact (we need to get cracking!)
• Teaching
  • Create/Publish Quiz 4
  • Post Game Design Snacks Instructions
• Dailies
  • Self-Care
    • Get up at my alarm time and start on self-care right away. (Maybe have the kiddos send me text messages if I’m in my office when they are ready/leaving).
  • Achievement
    • Do my Sunday Meeting and week review with planned daily tasks for each achievement focus area

Speed Bumps & Obstacles

• Research Writing (SGD theory)
  • I don’t know the deadline for CHIPlay.
  • If we miss CHIPlay, what’s next?
• Teaching
  • I think I might be spending a little too much time on teaching tasks, but it is really fun for me. I am enjoying it.
• Executive
  • I don’t recall exactly how to do Sunday Meetings, and Dr. Rogelio mentioned doing a task review, but I don’t remember when/how that is supposed to happen.
• Puppy Dogs
  • Yesterday I spent more time playing with my dog when I needed to be doing other tasks. She’s just so cute and I wanted to make her happy. Then this morning I spent a good two hours shopping for dog food storage, customizable collars, and other doggie items. Was supposed to be doing teaching tasks… That said, when I was really despondent on Tuesday (after missing the FDG deadline) she was a great emotional support to me. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so distracted??