So what am I doing with my life?

So I get this magazine from time to time called Deutschland. When you are a German professor, the publisher just sends it to you. When I thumbed through it the other night I noticed an article on up-and-coming young German authors. At the top of the list was Daniel Kehlmann and his Vermessung der Welt, the guy I am giving a presentation on next fall. But under his picture there was another one from Thomas von Steinaecker. I looked at the picture and thought, wait a minute, I know that guy. Thomas spent a year at the University of Cincinnati getting his master's degree (it took me three years at BYU). The guy even went to church with me once. At first I was surprised that he was a writer, and then I was happy for him that his first book has landed on the German best-seller list. But then I read that he wrote it at the same time he was finishing up his dissertation.

I barely survived writing my dissertation.

Sometimes I wonder how I manage to accomplish so little and what it is that is keeping me from becoming a writer like I have dreamed of doing since I was old enough to read books. So far it has always been and probably will continue to be "one of these days."

How to spend a summer

Starting in about 2 weeks, I will be on summer vacation. Since the Study Abroad thing didn't work out, it will be the first time in about ten years that I have not either moved or taught a class, or both, during the summer. I have been thinking about how I want to spend it. I am afraid it will be all too easy to either A) waste the whole time, or B) set up so many projects that it feels like I never took any time off at all. Here are some of the things I could do with my time.

1. Write my RMMLA paper.
2. Prepare two previous RMMLA papers on Handke for publication.
3. Fly my plane more.
4. Finish repairs to my Mustang and fly it
5. Loose 10-15 pounds.
6. Ride at least 100 miles a week. (See above)
7. Swim twice or three times a week.
8. If I were to do the above two, why not train for a mini-triathalon?
9. Have my head examined for even thinking about a triathalon.
10. Read more books and less internet.
11. Sleep.
12. Prepare a better and more effective study abroad
13. Compose a viable proposal for getting myself to Germany next summer even if Study Abroad bonks out again.
14. Get a summer construction job to pay for a new garage.
15. Re-tile the basement bathroom.
16. Develop a tenure plan and a plan for the growth of the German Program at UVU.
17. Hang out in my sweats and mock my children as they still have to get up early and go to school. (at least through May).

I could do any or all of these but the best plans seldom all come about. If I were to do all of these, I think my summer would be a lot shorter. I do know that I plan on doing that last one though--at least a couple of mornings.