It’s a bitter-cold winter night. Winter has come to stay. As much as winter gets old, especially toward
the end of January, I love some things about it. This morning, despite the roads being slick,
the dusting of white snow on the landscape (overtop the ice) was
beautiful. The woods behind our house
look like a magic fairyland. I filled
the birdfeeders and watched the squirrels and birds empty them as I worked at
my desk this morning.
The semester started at University #1 where I am now
classified as temporary full-time. Assuming
the budget isn’t cut, the position will become permanent and it will be
advertised. I have to apply for it, but
other professors there told me that advertising the position is a mere formality.
It’s been kind of weird going back to work full time. Weird how?
(You might ask). For one thing, I
used to work around the clock, but now that I am on campus and sitting at a desk
– almost like being chained to a desk some of the time – so when I come home, I don’t
want to even log onto my computer...but I do because I still have stuff going
on with University #2. I think it’s just
the sheer numbers that make the work different.
I have eight sections of students (compared to three or four sections,
typically), more than 200 students, and three of the classes are classes I’ve
never taught before. It’s pretty
overwhelming, actually. At the same
time, it’s really good to be there. The
people are nice and I’m making new friends.
The pay sucks, but the benefits are fabulous. It’s a state job. Someone also has a state job (although he is
with a different state).
I’m still puttering around with my drum set. I learned a drum fill to go along with the drum
beat I’ve been working on. I’ve attached
a short recording of it. I’m also
working to learn a triplet beat, and paradiddles. I think it’s time to invest in a metronome,
and lessons. Well, lessons will probably
wait until later in the spring or summer.
Lord knows I have little spare time now.
While Erin was home over Christmas, I potted a start off my
Monstera for her. While I was at it, I
repotted my asparagus fern. It had
become root-bound and was looking all sickly, like it wanted to give up. I noticed today that it has put out a bunch of
new arms (or whatever you call those sprouty things that will get leaves –
stems?). That reminds me, Emily also
wants a Monstera. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll cut
one and get it rooting.
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| Asparagus fern is reviving |
Emily moved out into an apartment. I miss her, but I think she is happier being
out on her own so that she can seem more like an adult. Like me, Erin and Emily are heavy into their
classes now. I think they are happy with
their lives. That is my primary wish and
prayer for all my girls.
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| Love these girls |
