Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2018.  Please!

Despite despair over political stuff, I personally had a good year in 2017.

1.  I spent time in the UK and really enjoyed it.  I especially enjoyed the birding and the British Library, but also lots of smaller trips.
2.  I went to Barcelona, and it was fabulous!  I fell in love with Gaudi's work, and if I could figure out a way to make my house into a Gaudi house, I would.
3.  I wrote up a self-review and got really lovely support from my department and chair.
4.  I wrote up a sabbatical request and got sabbatical (though I deferred it until the coming academic year to go to the UK).
5.  I finished two big summer projects, and some smaller ones, too.
6.  I practiced violin and improved a lot, and passed my Book 3 test.  (But then I didn't practice for four months... and it really, really shows.)
7.  I was a good friend, I think, and a good daughter, sister, and aunt (etc.).
8.  I taught some good courses, including a real challenge (Victorian Lit), and taught well, mostly.
9.  I'm pretty healthy.  (I did have some bad colds, but a cold isn't so bad.)

Disappointments, yes, too.

1.  I didn't bike as much as I'd hoped, or do other outdoor stuff.  (The bad colds were part of that.)
2.  I goofed off more than anyone should.


Goals for 2018

1.  Do a good job teaching this semester to have a strong send off for sabbatical.  I'm working on a new senior seminar in earlier British Lit, and I hope I can pull it off well.  (More about that soon.)
2.  Keep focused about the sabbatical project(s).
3.  Get outside and play more.
4.  Practice the violin again.

Looking forward to:

I'm expecting a couple of friends to visit this spring, and I'm happy and excited and looking forward to those visits.  Not many people visit flyover country.

I've started practicing violin again.  I didn't practice for four and a half months, and I feel like I'm starting from the beginning.  I'm not, though.  I've gotten through the first several Suzuki Book 1 pieces again, and am doing scales and broken thirds again.  I'm focusing on trying to keep my left hand relaxed and my bowing strong.

I have a lesson at the end of the week, and I'm sure Strings will be able to focus my re-learning in some helpful ways.  I hope it doesn't take me longer than the 4 months I was away to regain what I'd learned before!

Sabbatical!!!