Friday, June 27, 2014

Grades Are In! What's Next?

So. . .grades are in.  I do have a bunch of end-of-year stuff to do, including my annual report.  I also got too busy and didn't do Committee Report, so I can't forget about that. And then after that:  go up for tenure.  Wow.

We're also, it seems, in the process of buying a house.  But those of you who have bought houses know that the process is so long and arduous and a zillion things can go wrong along the way that it seems courting disaster to even really talk about it as if it's going to happen.  So stressed.  Absurdist Partner and I keep freaking out, even over good things, and wonder what's going on with us, and then one of us reminds the other:  oh yeah, this is one of the most stressful things that can happen to you.  No one ever says, hey I can't wait until I buy a house -- being in escrow (no, not yet) just sounds like so much fun!  In fact, Absurdist Partner had a teacher in school who had a pin that said something like:  Be kind.  I'm in escrow.  I want that pin!  I'd like it on my car also, since I've spent the week driving to Faraway Upscale Suburb of Super Sprawl City for a special camp for Absurdist Child.   

Part of me has been working so long (I taught during summer last year) that I haven't tapped into my deep and abiding laziness. . .yet.  So I'm still in work mode.  It's probably tenure staring me in the face.  But another part of me has already made the shift, the part of me who wanted to give everyone As rather than actually grade -- and wants to get back to writing.  Which is good, because I haven't been writing much this entire year.  I'd love to be really productive this summer, but I think I'll be happy if I can just get back into writing.  Or maybe I should have lower expectations because I have important things to do this summer:

  • Move office
  • Write annual report
  • Write Committee Report
  • Go up for tenure
  • Move
  • Prep fall classes (am really reworking the class with new texts, so this will take time)
  • Research and write paper for Cool Conference 
  • Act as shuttle service for Absurdist Child, who has cool camps he's going to 
  • Get back into writing
Uh yeah.  That's plenty.  Next week none of Absurdist Child's camps are open, so any ideas I have about getting things done in the next week are ridiculous.  So of course the page proofs of a chapter I wrote have just been sent to me!  I should add that to the list.  All my lists and organizational tools are out of date.  I guess that's what I should do.  Then I'm going to read.

I'm reading a lot of your blogs -- in fact, that is part of what gets me through the day lately.  Thank you for writing.  Also my newest obsession:  sudoku. 

2 comments:

undine said...

Take a day or two to relax (even if you're in escrow)!

What Now? said...

I also am not teaching summer school (for the first time in seven years!) and am trying to tap into my deep laziness, which I think is in the same space as a lot of other good things reside, such as creativity. Good luck tapping into yours, while also getting through all of those things on your list!