Went to a time management seminar today, and to be honest it was the best two hours I’ve spent in a long time. I’m a planner by nature, and this was ideal for a seminar which taught you to give yourself a weekly plan, to list your key areas in ‘life’ (for all of these contribute to the Alexander Macleod project), and most importantly, the conviction that I’d stick to it! Perhaps most interesting was the Urgency/Importance matrix:

If it’s important and urgent (a project deadline), then do it.
If it’s urgent but not important (i.e. most uni emails), don’t let this cut into your day, and see to it at a time that suits you.
If it’s important but not urgent, don’t let time pass by and forget about it until the last minute!
If it’s both unimportant and not urgent, then leave it out of the workplace.

Simple – but so, so effective.

My essay is coming along nicely, all the reading done and started writing it up this afternoon. I’ve really enjoyed reading about theories of nationalism, and it just shows how we take things like ‘nation’ and ‘national tradition’ for granted. Could you define a nation if asked to?

I’ve started playing in the windband on Tuesdays, which is nice to keep the old bassoon ticking along. It had been a while, but I’ve finally blown away the cob webs and I’ll be diploma level in no time! Not quite…

I’m presenting my research progress on Thursday and to be honest, really looking forward. I finally know my research direction, questions, context, and so have hit a turning point. Let’s just hope my supervisor agrees, as he’ll be facilitating the presentations!

Talk soon, Alex x