Finals week and life lessons

Asking to do work to bring up your score after the final is like putting on makeup after the party.

We make a link in school between doing work and getting points that enable one to pass a class, but maybe I need to remember how to emphasize that doing good work is the important thing, not just making an effort. Putting in the time is extraordinarily important, but in the end we’re measured on results, rather than effort.

In any long-term project it’s better to focus on effort in the short term, because results don’t emerge for so long. But it doesn’t make the results irrelevant. They are still the point in many cases.

Interesting to meditate on as I spend a research-focused two weeks after grading a lot of finals.

Germany

I got some beer & honey organic shampoo. Smells nice. Seems a good way to start the day.

I am so jetlagged it is ridiculous. Up at 3 am, back to “sleep” 5-7 am. Then yoga & exercise and soon to work. An espresso will start things off right but I might need an afternoon nap. I know people say that naps are counterproductive but 5 hrs sleep kills me and migraines are not conducive to mathematical genius.

I can’t manage trash here. I understand that all trash needs to be sorted into blue, yellow, and black bins — but where are these bins?!

Lots of chocolate shops here. Delightful.