Tuesday, August 26, 2008

This week

School is back in session. I've been assigned some new things to do in addition to teaching, which means that, with the learning curve and all, I've been too tired to blog. A couple of observations:
  • I really like talking to students. I know--that's a duh! moment--but why does it feel more revealing to say that than to say something like "I really like being on sabbatical"? Sabbaticals are nice, and I could use one about now, but liking being on sabbatical is a no-brainer. Liking talking to students--well, to read the Chronicle blogs, it's not as much of a no-brainer.
  • "No-brainer" or maybe "no brain" would be a good word for my state after work this week.
  • It's a little like having a new baby, as I remember it. When you have a new baby, as Ianqui and K8grrl and AAOYR and others have mentioned, you barely have time to shower because you're so busy, yet if someone asked you to give an account of what you did during the day, it would be hard to say what exactly happened. People wonder how it could be so hard to find the time to shower, but it just is. The time just goes. So it has been this week.
  • The book I've been dragging around? The book that I'm supposed to be reading in those spare moments? I could save the weight and leave it home for all the workout it has had this week. The only workout has been in my arm muscles.

2 comments:

Professor Zero said...

Ah yes - talking to students! Today I did it for 2.5 office hours. It was massively fun.

It's one of those things one is supposed to feel put upon about. We're supposed to like research and teaching, but not administration or talking to students. But I like these last things, too.

undine said...

It is fun, and even administration can be fun, if you have a way of making things better or more efficient.