Is there any sweeter concept in the academic year than the prospect of summer? While most of the world thinks of lakeshore cottages or resplendent gardens, trips-of-a-lifetime or lazing in a hammock, homo academicus dreams of redemption. This will be the summer I finish start (read) that dissertation, revise that book, tackle those articles, restore work/life balance. By summer’s end, I will be back to myself, albeit a better read, harder working, fully conferenced, widely published and more disciplined version of myself.
I think this is what we mean by wishing each other a “productive” summer.
We at hook&eye respect (and need) this summer pace too, so starting next week we’re going to slow things down a bit. We’ll still be here, every Monday morning, and on other sporadic occasions too. We are still open for guest posts (hey, there’s a self-improvement project for your summer!) and we would love to run one last “This Month in Sexism” column before we all scatter to the four winds Congress. So please send your stories to sexism[at]hookandeye[dot]ca, preferably by May 3rd.
And if you find yourself bemoaning your progress in the doldrums of summer, think back to the old English poem. Sure, summer is part “the seed grows and the meadow blooms,” but the real evidence for the turning seasons is that “the bullock stirs, the stag farts.” Manageable goals, people. Manageable goals.
Hook & Eye 
Heh! I have been away from school for a year and haven't escaped summer self-improvement mode yet. It has been scaled back to cover smaller time periods but the mindset is the same. “This will be the weekend,” I think every Friday evening, “where I finally start reading those books that I wanted to read and didn't have time for, which are piled in a hopeful teetering stack by the bed.” Hasn't happened yet.
Wishing all of you a summer that is productive but not at the expense of relaxation!
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I have resolved (let it be known here publicly!) to take the entire month of July off. I mean really off. No writing article, no proofing manuscripts, no planning my fall courses. I might read a bit, if I feel like it.
It's just that I haven't had a vacation for over a year and I'm going to burn totally out. So this is my self-improvement plan: a July full of daily yoga, long bike rides, elaborate fancy-grain salads to go with fresh-grilled tofu stuff for my family, long walks after supper with my girl and my man, sleeping in, tan lines.
I'm going to be really disappointed if I don't manage to do it.
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@Rebecca: I have a “summer” pile and a “next sabbatical” pile and a “retirement” pile. what's next?: “to read before i die”?? LOL
@Aimee: great last line.
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