R & R (Research and Relaxation)

This post will be shorter than the previous ones as there have been little things of interest that have happened over the course of this month, simply the work is being done. July does however seem to be a complete one-eighty from the previous month where it felt as if I were doing just enough to “stay afloat” while making some progress.

This month I have gotten to really dive into what it is I am researching as the majority of my time this month has been spent reading article upon article about the topic of carceral firefighting programs. Simultaneously I have been summarizing each article so that I can quickly reference data moving forward as I prepare to give my virtual presentation for a conference at Baylor, and papers thereafter. On the flip side, the LSAT looms ever closer and I would be a liar if I said I felt prepared for this assessment. It has been a challenge trying to balance work, fitness, research, and practice this summer and I am not as far as I would have liked to have been at this point in the summer in my Kaplan LSAT prep book. Regardless, I have always been a firm believer in the idea that when it comes to large moments in your life you will never be fully ready, the trick to finding success, however, is to know when you are ready enough, and I feel given these last few weeks that I can get to a point where I am “ready enough” to take on this assessment and leave with a score I can work with. Outside of research though I have been consistently busy still with work and other things there have been some moments that have offered a modicum of respite, and however brief and fleeting these moments may be I am thankful for them nonetheless as I have been able to fit in some much needed time for rest and relaxation -- full disclosure, I am actually writing this while on a family vacation.

Though I would have preferred to not have any work while vacationing, it is simply a reality I cannot ignore because I cannot afford to be away from my work completely for a full week. As always I again find myself further tuning the very fine balance between work and play, a skill I believe I will have mastered by the time I am finally finished with my schooling.