A bit overstretched

Between work, the job search, running this site (and BuryCoal), and photography, I am finding myself rather busy these days.

That is the context in which I have been receiving a number of requests to do commercial photographic work. That is exciting and an opportunity to learn new skills. At the same time, it is a possible distraction from activities that are ultimately more important, such as making my own small contribution to the fight against climate change.

As such, I am going to be pretty picky about the projects I undertake. If the work is interesting or serves a group or cause that is worthy of approval, I will consider a potential project more favourably. Otherwise, I will be demanding a rate of pay that corresponds to the scarcity of my free hours.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

4 thoughts on “A bit overstretched”

  1. Some things I should do:

    1) Apply for an Action Canada fellowship

    2) Review “Now or Never”

    3) Review “The Moral Landscape”

    4) Finish and review “Outliers”

    5) Find a job

    6) Finish processing photos from Hamilton

    7) Finish shooting film, then mail it to Neal

    8) Finish letter to new environment minister

    9) Prepare guest lecture

    10) Produce new draft of my low-carbon finance idea

    11) Find some more contributors for BuryCoal

    12) Look into application procedures for doctoral programs next fall

    13) Skate!

    14) Practice studio lighting

    15) Further personalize blog themes

    16) Take a university course

    17) Improve my French

    18) Get driver’s license

    19) Photograph a wedding commercially

    20) File my taxes

    21) Ship my books in Vancouver out east

    22) Add recent posts to climate change index

    23) Read and review “Climate Ethics”

    24) Finish unpacking

    25) Customize 404 error page

    26) Go indoor climbing with Emily

    27) Give books to Erin

    28) Read and review “I am a Strange Loop”

    29) Update C.V.

    30) Frame UBC diploma

    31) Get textbooks from Bloom psychology course

    32) Add audio track to Ignite slides

    33) Read and review “Couple Skills”

    34) Update addresses with everybody

    35) Write a will and a living will

    36) Read Katie’s thesis

    37) Read Gabe’s thesis

    38) Have an annual check up

    39) Research Canada’s environmental petition process

    40) Update personal monthly budget

    41) Get Jordan Peterson’s book

    42) Set up website for low-carbon finance idea

    43) Set up Beaver Barracks reading group

    44) Read Jan 22nd issue of The Economist

    45) Read Jan 15th issue

    46) Re-read “Getting Things Done”

    47) Get a scanner

    48) Clear apartment of clutter

    49) Donate unwanted clothes

    50) Backup GMail

    51) Get bookshel(f/ves)

    52) Write proper response to ‘ethical oil’ idea

    53) Fix various issues with websites in mobile browsers

    54) Have light suit trousers and dark jeans hemmed

    54) Have gash in coat pocket repaired

    55) Get brown dress shoes

    56) Read and review “American Earth”

    57) Get prescription for eyeglasses

    58) Get new orthodics

    59) Fix wonky MS Office installation on iMac

    60) Respond to long-neglected emails

    61) Respond to selected blog posts

    62) Calculate true scientifically ideal weight

    63) Read up on civil disobedience

    64) Pay hydro bill

    65) Photograph ice sculptures at Winterlude

    66) Go through ‘@Pending’ and ‘@Waiting for’ items in GMail

    67) Read and review “Shadows of Consumption”

    68) Get Barbour Beaufort jacket

    69) Get third suit for cold seasons

    70) Reformat space race essay

    71) Deal with strange hosting issues with DreamHost

    72) Buy groceries

    73) Iron dress shirts

    74) Gain access to smart metering web portal

    75) Check for job opportunities at Google.org

    76) Check for job opportunities with the British Columbia and Ontario governments

    77) Store or discard moving boxes

    78) Recharge flash batteries

    79) Read Myles et al. geoengineeering study

    80) Fix Google Calendar issue, re: birthdays

    81) Try a time lapse photography project

    82) Re-read the New Testament

    83) Watch ‘Gasland’

    84) Deal with saved BlogLines items

    85) Catch up on neglected blogs

    86) Get PDF of issues of 2600 magazine

    87) Start photography discussion group

    88) Clean burned popcorn from bottom of large cooking pot

    89) Fix conflict between SSL plugin and wp-comments

    90) Look into whether cheaper cell phone options exist

    91) Research what heroes of mine had done by age 27

    92) Read books that were Christmas gifts

    93) Enter Oxford trees photography competition

    94) Arrange times to speak with friends on Skype

    95) Read 152 mailing list emails, 101 job search emails, 14 emails related to clubs

    96) Sort through business cards people have given me

    97) Finish slideshow of photos taken in New York City this summer

    98) Finish putting together Flickr portfolio

    99) Transfer money to savings account

    100) Get a good night’s sleep

  2. Your list is staggering. However, be having it I expect you will get more done.

    I also hope you are finding time to enjoy the longer hours of daylight.

    Re Item 91 who are your heroes?

  3. Schumpeter
    Too much information
    How to cope with data overload

    GOOGLE “information overload” and you are immediately overloaded with information: more than 7m hits in 0.05 seconds. Some of this information is interesting: for example, that the phrase “information overload” was popularised by Alvin Toffler in 1970. Some of it is mere noise: obscure companies promoting their services and even more obscure bloggers sounding off. The overall impression is at once overwhelming and confusing.

    “Information overload” is one of the biggest irritations in modern life. There are e-mails to answer, virtual friends to pester, YouTube videos to watch and, back in the physical world, meetings to attend, papers to shuffle and spouses to appease. A survey by Reuters once found that two-thirds of managers believe that the data deluge has made their jobs less satisfying or hurt their personal relationships. One-third think that it has damaged their health. Another survey suggests that most managers think most of the information they receive is useless.

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