Officially, it starts at 5pm today. But this morning, the parking lot was way less full than usual. (Generally, if I'm not parked by 8am, I wouldn't get a space there and would have to park further away; today, I could probably get there at 9am and find a spot.)
I have two hours of teaching, a couple hours of grading/record keeping, and then, spring break!
What with going to the UK last semester, being on 65% pay sabbatical this coming year, and getting my house painted inside (partly), my budget doesn't support travel this break. I'll keep busy dogsitting my favorite neighbor dog, doing some grading (one big stack, one small stack), reading, putting stuff in my house back together (post painting), and exercising.
My cousin has planned a backpacking adventure for late July, so the exercise thing is urgent. I have about four months to be ready to hike with a pack on for 8 miles in the Sierras. I'm so very excited!
I recently realized that a friend of mine from my Peace Corps days published a memoir (in 2011), ordered it, and it came in the mail yesterday. So right now, I'm going to force myself to grade instead of diving in to see if I'm mentioned. (Ego!)
On other news: I have a certain colleague who really likes to complain. Right now, she's chairing our personnel committee, something I've done (for two years), and complaining about how it's unfair she has to do it this year. Alas, I don't feel much sympathy, since she avoided it for several years, during which time I did it, and someone else did it. It's a thing we pretty much all have to do, so to hear her act as if it's all some grand departmental plan to punish her unfairly just doesn't sit well.
Ah, I was wondering if your sabbatical for next year was a half or whole year.
ReplyDeleteI think it must be really helpful to have a specific goal for exercise -- and the backpacking adventure sounds so cool! I know that I should exercise just because it's good for my health, but I'm finding it hard to get motivated.
I've been really unsuccessful at exercising just to exercise, especially during the winter when it's so darned cold! But I have a real goal now, and spring is coming!
DeleteI never know what to say to colleagues who say "I could never do [that role we've all taken turns doing] because I'm sooooo busy!" As if the rest of us are just sitting around watching soaps and eating bonbons all day.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
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