Tuesday 6 May 2008

My New Resolution

I've made a new resolution for myself (and if I stick to it for ten days my wife has a "surprise" for me - no idea what but it helps strengthen my resolve). It's quite simple: I'm not allowed to check my e-mail or do anything on the Internet until I have completed fours hours of work directly related to whatever project I happen to be working on for my doctorate. That means learning Greek and German don't count, neither does reviewing fascinating books for Chris Tilling.

The postive result is that I get more work done and can go to bed with a with a good conscience. The bad news is that I post less and cannot respond to comments too quickly. I hope those of you out there who hang on to every fresh piece of wisdom emanating from my keyboard will be able to cope with the reduced output. I know it'll be tough, but think of the big picture: one day I'll get my summa cum laude (or whatever it's called), an amazing post at some influential academic institution from where I'll be payed to flood the world with endless profundity and insight, and then everything will be better. It'll be worth the sacrifice. Trust me. In the meantime, I will still endeavour to get something online at least every second day.

2 comments:

Ben Myers said...

Thank God for wives, eh?

Pannenberg's wife used to confine him to his little garden study, and she wouldn't let him emerge until he'd written a certain number of pages. (Ah, so that's how you write a great 3-volume systematic theology...)

Phil Sumpter said...

Fascinating! I almost broke my resolution this morning when I saw your comment - but I held through!

I think the major benefit of a wife, at least for a theology student, is that she constantly drags me back into this world and reminds me how tentative all my construals of God and the world are.