Before I hit the road

It was a good week overall. There wasn't too much attitude, and I think I may have changed a few minds for the moment. Next week will be exciting, as we are beginning the actual meat and bones of what this semester is supposed to be doing.

Friends are great, and I cherish, cherish, cherish long interstate catch-ups. Because I am back to being the transit me, I can appreciate how difficult maintaining friendships can be with so much distance between us all. Roads may bring us physically closer, but thanks to fiber optics and all those other brilliant things, we just aren't that far apart in spirit.

The weekend has nothing in it just yet. The week is almost down for the count. Mountains of papers are my view, and seas of grading are at my feet.

I am so grateful for all of it.

Mission statement

It's different now. After an hour long heart to heart with my friend Julie yesterday, I thought it might be time to get in touch with what this means here.

Here it goes.

The first time I stood in front of a class I was a student. Sure, I liked to think that I was the real deal. I needed to believe that what I was doing was the same thing that the folks with the offices upstairs were doing. Now I am on my own, now I am accountable in a way that I never was before, now I am stepping into a new era.

The students mean more than they ever did. Without my own papers and classes to get in the way, I am compelled to channel that energy into my students and doing the best job that I can. I am armed with unique experiences, genuine interest, and a newfound selflessness.

I am also emotionally attached to what I do in a way that I just wasn't free to be when I was a teaching student. I hurt when they just don't care about how well they aren't doing. I stress over doing whatever I can to be able to reach as many of them as I can.

This first semester is going to be a study in how I can be emotionally tied to my job without being emotionally irresponsible. That is kinda how I am rolling these days. It is finally time to put my heart on my sleeve and still protect the hell out of it.

Zzzzzz.....

I am fighting it, because I know if I let it take me that it will not let me go. Sleep. I want it so bad, but if I lay my head down for just the briefest of seconds... Rip Van Winkle - peace out.

Not going to make much sense to you

Still getting situated and that seems unreal. Meh. Nothing is real. There, that helps.

Stacks and stacks of stuff to do and getting them done just to spite myself.

Everyone is equal, the good, the bad, the ugly, we all have highs and lows.

"all the flowers don't bloom at the same time." Is that what she said? I wish I could remember because I really liked it and liked that she liked it first.

Lots of coffee philosophy this weekend. Good for the soul.

Did I say too much or not say enough that was meaningful? Second guessing the second guesses takes minutes away.

Bubbles and sunshine

:) It has been an outstanding week. Long weekend in front of me and warm memories behind me. These are the days!

First day

In the middle of the first long day...

It's awesome. That's about all I can say about this amazing thing that I am doing. I really appreciate all the kind words and thoughts of friends and family, and I just want to say that I will do my best to make you proud of my efforts here.

Where am I?

Life moves. It ebbs, it flows, it rushes, and it crawls. From last Thursday to this Thursday, my life, well, my life has become. It is this new and wholly different thing that defies any nature of characterization that I know. Who I was and who I am are dependent upon one another, but that is where the resemblance ends.

Today, I sit in an office belonging to a member of the University of Memphis faculty. It is my office.