Marie-Hélène Budworth

Summer is here!  And no, I do not have the summer off.  Teaching is only a part of what I do.  In fact, it is supposed to represent just over 1/3 of my commitment to the university.  When I am not teaching, I am either conducting research or supporting the functioning of the university by serving on committees and in administrative positions.  That said, the summer schedule is a little more flexible than at other times of year.  I try to get as much done on my research as possible.  It is easier to write when I have large blocks of uninterrupted time.  This summer, I plan on finalizing two manuscripts on reserch regarding job search among recent university graduates and one piece on modesty and gender.  Admittedly, some of this will be written on docks in Prince Edward County, Bancroft, and Prince Edward Island.

When I am not writing, I will be reading.  I have assembled my reading list for the summer and I am anxious to dig in.  A few of the books I intend to get through are on my e-reader but I also have a number of good old fashioned paper copies (see image).  Yes, there are four cookbooks in this list.  I love to work my way through cookbooks as if they are novels.  I find them inspiring.  Having to cook for a young family is tedious unless I find ways to renew my connection with the craft.  Beyond the cookbooks, there are fiction and non-fiction selections.  Some of the fiction is relevant to my research – written by academics for the general public – and other works are far outside of my area of expertise.

Of all of the books on my list, I am especially looking forward to reading Just Like Family by Kate Hilton.  Kate is a dear friend of mine who’s first book The Whole in the Middle spent some time on the Globe and Mail best seller list.  I hate to brag but I have some pretty awesome friends.

Best wishes to you for both a productive and restful summer.  I’ll plan to drop a line from some Canadian lakeside retreat.