Recommended reading (you know, in all that spare time you have)

Well, this blog has evidently come down with a serious case of blog neglect! To remedy that, let me ease back into posting by sharing some really great reads I've enjoyed over the last few weeks.  Okay, months.

~ Julie Q. at Mental Tesserae isn't technically a student mom--she's a professor of humanities.  But her consistently excellent blog chronicles many of the same challenges and joys that I experience as a doctoral student so I hope you'll enjoy it, too.  Her last two posts were particularly terrific: Don't Mind the Gap addresses the resilience of her family in filling in the open spaces during a challenging semester and Zen and the Art of Art tackles the topic of mindfulness and multi-tasking and the woes of having students compulsively texting in class.

~I'm a fan of Cal Newport's books on school success strategies and his blog, Study Hacks, is just as inspiring and helpful.  He shares strategies for "building a life that is both remarkably accomplished and remarkably enjoyable" as well as weighing in on general thinking/research on motivation, effectiveness, and doing meaningful work.  I consider it a must-read and it has really shaped not only how I approach my academics but how I support my kids in their pursuits, too.  Anyway. My favorite recently was The Grandmaster in the Corner Office, about deliberate practice when studying/learning.

~Sarah's a gal I can identify with; we're the same, but different. She's a doctoral student, LDS mom of 4 living in Texas.  When I read her blog, I feel like I'm not alone in this fantastic juggle. She's smart, she's real, she takes fabulous photos. You'll love her.  Catch her at Unhistoric Acts.

~Finally, The PhD problem, an article in Harvard Magazine about the practice and consequences of contemporary doctoral education.  It's an interesting (if a little demoralizing) examination of why we do what we do (and should we?).  Please discuss.

What are you reading these days?  One way I keep track of articles I like (and to have access no matter which computer I'm on) is by bookmarking them on my Delicious account.  Feel free to check out my bookmarks anytime and if you have a Delicious account, I'd love to check out your list as well.

Happy weekend.