7 1/2

Allow me to dispense with preamble and jump right into the prescribed Web 2.0 activity, dear readers.

I found the  7 and 1/2 lifelong learning habits e-presentation to be a bit hokey, but its heart is in the right place; I assume as a graduate student, the concept of lifelong learning is, by this point, innately familiar to me, but I get that that's not the case for every resident of the Charlotte and Mecklenberg County Public Library system area.  Despite my kneejerk condescension at its style and presentation (bad Alex), there are rather large nuggets of truth in there.

I think the biggest tip that I use regularly, and which works well, is the idea of setting a goal.  It really does help to make the final product of whatever you're going for seem more concrete, and thus attainable.  I hate the feeling of battering away at ephemera, and it's always comfortable to work within defined boundaries.  ("This pillar of marble will soon be a naked dude named David" rather than "Well, I'll just start chipping and see what happens.")

I have more difficulty with the tip that involves viewing problems as challenges to be surmounted.  I definitely engage in a period of wallowing whenever my blade is turned--I love a good sulk.  Excellent excuse for procrastination.  On the other hand, the perception of crisis sometimes jump-starts me, so I guess it could go either way.

I think one of these tips that I've completely skipped is the idea of having a toolkit.  I tend to start from scratch on every project or goal.  Maybe I have some mental tools tucked away that pop up without my realizing it, but I could definitely use some more conscious shortcuts, templates, appendices and such.  Maybe by the time I graduate, I'll have developed a set!