May 13

A jinx, foreshadowing, and Saturday to-do list

1965

The foam is a jinx! We lost a meet to one of the lowest teams. 'Nuff sed.

1997

The school year ends today for me. Now on to that strange time between classes and summer school, my vacation and the kids’ vacation. Could be great, could be hectic - - changes every year! There are glimpses of the coming summer “leisure”: a day with NO meetings and no appointments. How very tantalizing! I feel the push/pull of laziness and ambition. I had over an hour of exercise today. Kiddo 1 got up and got to the bus by herself! Yay!

Comment 2023

Normally, I wouldn’t do any foreshadowing, but 1997 was year my mother died. Shit is about to get real.

1998

After 14 days of rain and gray skies, it promises to be sunny today and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. What a blessing, at last! The end of the school year (and the beginning of my sabbatical) is on the horizon. Another week and a half and I will be right on the threshold.

So it is time, amidst the clutter and chaos, to explore next year’s path, especially the next step. The first step will be to prepare my office for me or for my guest tenant. But I candy other things as I do that. For example, a final cut letter to Holmes and Meier…and then embarking on my task for summer research at Greenbelt and with the Greenbelt people.

It has also been a good year at school, if not even a great year. I did some really innovative things and feel very much as if I finally moved into “mentor” role. (Even gracefully.)

This I know: I am, first and foremost, a teacher. They can make me administer things, and I enjoy spending hours in the pursuit of truth in reels of microfilm, but deep down inside, I live to teach. It is me and I am it. This year was nearly perfect in the balance between teaching, scholarship, and administration.

So what if winter was a wash? So what if Holmes and Meier ignore me? So what if my kids are shaking the entire house with their movement through adolescence? So what if Suzy is a fat beagle?

The 1997-98 academic year has been marvelous.

2009 (Facebook)

sabbatical must be winding down; I've started waking up and worrying at 2 AM again. Boo.

Comment 2023

I have slept so much better since retiring. Sleeping through the night, except for rambles to the loo. No more anxiety dreams the week before classes began.

2010 (Facebook)

Let the grading begin. Time to slip on the red suede stilettos.

Comment 2023

Facebook friends knew when it was grading time when I changed my profile photo to this;

2023

Running errands on a Saturday. 

Campus to return and pick up movie DVDs

Yarn shop !!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe a bite to eat while they fill my growler with a nice Belgian red at my favorite brewpub.

Visit friend in the hospital

Watch new DVD (and knit)

Draft review of DVD for community newspaper

Drink nice Belgian red

Saturday night movie: Women Talking!

That’s a to do list I can live with.