Friday, September 11, 2009

Let's Talk about Something Else, Shall We? How about My Sabbatical Application?

So I've been trying to work on the monstrosity that is my sabbatical application for the past week or so. I need to finish it in order to then cannibalize it for 3 other applications for smaller institutional awards, and then refine it for some other external support. What is very difficult and annoying about putting all of this together is that I don't feel like I've really had the time to think deeply about my project, so it feels premature to try to pin it down, as such applications make one do. Problematically, I will never have time to think deeply about my project if I don't pin it down which requires deep thinking. You see why this is frustrating.

Also frustrating is hitting that sweet spot somewhere in between sycophancy and authority, while retaining a certain scholarly joie de vivre and at the same time using institutional buzz words like "talent imperative" and "community outreach" and "student-centered," whether they apply to one's topic or not.

And more frustrating than all of this is that I can't keep thinking about it (or even blogging about it) because I have to go revolutionize general education for the next two hours. I am *cranky.*

3 comments:

Susan said...

Good luck! My hunch (having served on committees that did such things) is that internal committees understand the applications that are sort of "I think this is an interesting question and there are these implications, and this is what I'll explore"; outside funders are more interested in "will you finish while you have the money we give you".

And ro revolutionize gen ed...

Janice said...

I'm working on my own sabbatical application. Or avoiding working on the same, I might say. (I have some teaching prep to load up into WebCT before I will allow myself to focus upon this job.)

Even though I've done it twice before, it's always a combination of daunting and exhilarating to put out a proposal for new research, especially when, in my own case, I won't be actually following through on this until January 2011.

Good luck on yours!

Another Damned Medievalist said...

mmmmmm .... sabbatical! I am so looking forward to qualifying for one. In another 2 years!