Fifteen more to go...

So, I survived my first week teaching 3 classes, and boy are my arms tired. No, seriously. I'm exhausted. It probably doesn't help that I got totally hammered last night when our favorite brunch place held a once-time only event of serving dinner (OMG, was amazing) so I just HAD to try all of the wines that my group ordered. I've been pretty much hungover all day. Not fun. I don't think I'll try it again. Anyway, this semester I'm teaching the same section of the Intro class I taught last semester, a Civil War and Reconstruction class and a Women's history class.

Classes went well so far, although after I had repeated the same first-day-of-class song and dance about how I'll fail their asses if they plagiarize, and how I expect them to bring the reading materials to class every day, yadda, yadda, yadda it got a little old. I suspect that by the time I went through the spiel for the third class, that my heart just wasn't in it. I just couldn't muster up the same enthusiasm for the thing that I had the first time around. Consequently, I think I wasn't sufficiently stern. I know this because yesterday the SAME STUDENT whose phone I answered last semester, got another call from his girlfriend while in class. I couldn't believe it. Clearly he wasn't humiliated enough the last time around. So, the phone rang, he looked sheepish, I made him produce it, I answered it, and his girlfriend (who by now must recognize my voice) quickly hung up. So, I didn't get to talk to her and ask her how her trip to Australia was.

Now -- get this -- I'm in the Cage in the library for the first time since last October. (I think. It may have been even longer.)

I decided that the ONLY way I'm going to write the conference paper I'm presenting at the end of March, and the only way I'm going to finish my dissertation is if I spend every Saturday in the Cage working on my own work. Not teaching, not grading, not lecture writing. But, just doing my work. ME, mine, mine, mine. (ah, the inner toddler returns.) So, despite my hungover state, I hauled my dizzy ass up to the Big University Library and am now here rediscovering my love of the smell of lots of old books. I'm also reveling in the incredible abundance of sources available at this enormous library. They've got everything. No joke. It's great. I am so spoiled by this -- and now, have the best of both worlds in many ways -- the small college teaching experience, but easy access to the wealth of the Big School library. I'm also kind of digging the quaintness of my little Cage. It's so cute and tiny. And, quiet. All other grad students seem to have readily abandoned their cages today.

Anyway, I've actually got some ideas about the paper. I had an AHA moment yesterday about the dissertation, and I'm feeling ok about this work thing. The hangover must be wearing off.

So, expect a Saturday progress report each week on how I did that day in the Cage. It will be my way of keeping myself on track, and of keeping all 2 of my groupies informed. (Hi Mom & Dad...)

Cheers -
SG