Glimmers #1 - Dissertation Writing Desk Tour
Observing hope in everyday moments and activities
This newsletter will be the first in a series I am calling Glimmers, a collection of reflections on places where I observe hope in the world.
After I got mad on November 7th, I got down to business. Right now, that means finishing my dissertation so I can move to the next chapter in my career and continue building the world I believe in. As it stands, I will be defending my dissertation in March, which means sending my complete draft to readers by December 15th.
I do most of my writing at my desk in the department, which I love. I have created a space full of objects that bring me joy and make writing (and work in general) more fun.
Over the last 5 years, I’ve written countless lines of code, about 300 pages of journal articles, and read a whole Zotero library’s worth of papers on exoplanet dynamics and astrophysics. Creating a space that brings me joy in which to do that has been an important source of inspiration, especially for the days I absolutely did not feel like working on research.
Inspired by the desk tours done by Olivia Muenter (who also wrote a great book I just finished), I decided to dedicate this post to a dissertation writing desk tour, my glimmer this week.
Every day, when I sit down to work, I check my Moleskine planner and assess my to-dos for the day. I also use Motion and Notion to organize my life, but nothing beats pen and paper.
I’ve learned not to open my email first thing, or my whole morning will spiral, so instead, I focus on what I call my “Today’s Task”—the one big thing where if I finish it, I will feel happy about the day’s progress. To get into the deep work zone, I put on my noise-canceling AirPods Max , turn on focus music (either this playlist or from the Superhuman app), and set my Pomodoro timer. My phone goes away on the charger with the Forest app on to prevent distractions.
My decor is cultivated as a collection of things that bring me joy and inspiration. I have my Passion Roadmap (a rather exhaustive list of goals), a few quotes that resonate, a drawing given to me by a kid in the audience at one of my talks, a wooden rocket my grandpa and I made together, and some favorite Handsome Dan stickers.
On the desk, I have my Cup of Ambition, a squeezy octopus, and my favorite dragon and dino, gifts which spark an incredible amount of joy. Last weekend, on a trip to Papersource, I really leaned into the advice of
to embrace your selfish/self-preservation era and purchased the most perfect Gingerbread Steggi to join this family—my new favorite holiday decor.From a practical perspective, my desk is set up for health as much as possible. Graduate school has taken away my 20/20 vision, so I use these reading glasses, which make me feel old but also fancy (as does this lip gloss). I also use my Logitech keyboard and mouse to prevent carpal tunnel. My walking pad and desk sit-to-stand converter allow me to get up and move while reading, managing my inbox, or in meetings (camera off if I’m on the treadmill).
This little corner is my haven in New Haven. I love working here with the sun streaming in or the rain pouring down because I am surrounded by a space I built with intention to bring out energy and engagement, even on the days I feel like tapping out.
I invite you to look for glimmers in your life this week and when you find them, pause, reflect, maybe write them down or share them here. Glimmers are there, every day.
With you in hope,
Emma
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