It's all really tiring, isn't it?

Happy Friday, to all!

This past week  - well, even a few weeks before that, if we're really counting - I've been contemplating my academic work.  Part of it is because I am working on one collaboration with some really awesome folks, and reading proofs for another collab from last summer (that should be published later this year).  However, it's worth noting that all of these academic pursuits are hobbies for me, so it takes time off other hobbies.  They are not things that I can do as part of my regular work (I am not a faculty member). Part of this introspection is because I was updating my Academic CV for a teaching gig I might apply to (another part of the hobby, but this one pays at least), and  I realized that I've done quite a few things in the past couple of years that fit into this particular hobby category, and also fit pretty much in the "life of an academic" category.

So, what's changed? To cut to the chase, Trump, and Musk,... and their demented clown posse that are running the federal government are making things just really tiring. We've got both Musk and Trump running their own little vengeance campaigns, on the public's dime. Meanwhile, enriching their rich benefactors, and throwing democracy down the toilet. As much as I try to avoid the news and focus on the day-to-day, the discourse on social media makes it hard to not pay attention, even with app-limiting timers to avoid doomscrolling.  I have my own social media feeds, and I manage my department's social media presence.  On the professional side, I always hated the stale social media presence of academic departments, the "Hey, we've got an event, so come join us...."once every 3 months. I never really had the courage (or even perhaps talent?) to go "Full Wendy's" (😂), so I stuck with sharing language and linguistics-related news. In return, I followed some awesome linguistics and learned a new thing here or there. Those feeds are now fully in fighting-fascism mode (as one would expect).  In my own feeds, what used to be distance education and EdTech as far as the eye could see has now become more...fighting fascism. Fucking hell man🙄. LinkedIn (LinkedIn of all places!!!) has become the place where people share their academic thoughts (at least as far as EdTech and Distance Education goes), but who's got time for that?🤷‍♂️

All of this is making me ponder what some kind of renewal look like? How do Weekend Academics keep up their energy? What do they focus on (if anything)?  For me, it seems like I've gone from Dissertation, to COVID, to AI, to Donlon Trusk in five years without much of an opportunity for a breather in between 😅, a kind of dystopian chat roulette, if you will. Even if I had a breather, I am pondering the ethical implications of "splurging" on the academic bit when I don't plan on pursuing an academic career (assuming nothing just falls in my lap...) when there are so many other things out there that seem more pressing.  Thoughts? 🤔