distractions

My new plan for this semester includes 3 solid hours of writing/working on my dissertation per day. I go into work for the morning, and then head to my favorite library on campus (the Historical Society Library). Usually I work in either the huge, beautiful room on the second floor, or if that is invaded by noisy undergrads (which it is today), I wander upstairs to my favorite corner of the stacks. It is peaceful and quiet, and despite how old the desk, lamp, and chair is, there is actually an outlet for my laptop. I’ve spent countless hours at this desk.

So just today I was staring off into space (thinking deep dissertation thoughts, of course) and I noticed that the entire bookcase next to me is filled with Maine Historical Society collections and historical volumes. Out of all the 50 states I end up sitting next to Maine, of course.

I only noticed this now. After months of sitting here. Considering that I can usually remember every physical detail of my surroundings*, I can’t believe I never saw them before. I’m floored.

And now I’m distracted from working beyond all will power. I mean, I could look up family history, read about Bath, Maine’s history and go through cemetery records without leaving my chair!

But my dissertation is not on these topics. So I’m going to have to find another corner of the library. This will just not do at all.

* I have no memory for faces (as I’ve said before) but I do remember the oddest details of all the buildings and stores and towns I’ve ever been to. Just the other night I realized I could probably draw a detailed map of all three bookstores I’ve worked in, noting where the sections are. And I could just as easily draw a map of how the Maine Mall was laid out in like 1992. This does come in handy when I have to drive someplace after only seeing a map of it once, but otherwise it would make me less nervous about academic networking if I could remember people’s faces better instead.