ramping it up on the writing front

We had the "kickoff meeting" with the publishers today for the textbook project I am working on with a colleague.

It's exciting! My favorite part of a project is looking at the single sheet of paper that outlines with great clarity all the integrated parts that will come together seamlessly just according to the schedule. (Ah, if life imitated my dreams!)

Also, due in part to one of the academic blogs I often read, I've been thinking about a book proposal for my dissertation. I had originally been against the idea (so sick and tired of the topic!) but I am reconsidering, and I wish (oh, how I wish) that I had been more open to this at my defense, as I most certainly would have gotten a bunch of useful advice about how to proceed.

I would want to compare the work I've done on communist heritage tourism with the same phenomenon in other places. I figure I could brush up on my German (already far superior to my Polish language skills) and go to Berlin next summer with my startup money! Then maybe the Czech Republic thereafter; I have to think about that.

It's been good to be away from the dissertation research for 7 months. But looking over some of the text, I am sort of anxious to be back in it. (Which is a gift from the universe; articles MUST be written and submitted this summer!)