Monday already?

I'm not ready for it to be Monday. Especially a Monday that starts off with a migraine and a clogged toilet. Seriously, what did I do to deserve this?

As usual, I have no time for a real post. I have to prep for my class this afternoon (yes, I'm a slacker) and grade papers for tomorrow. Because of the migraine, my eyes are killing me, so the last thing I want to do is look at a computer screen or read papers.

Had an OK weekend. Had yummy Thai food on Saturday, spent time with my parents on Sunday, started the new Stephen King novel...good times.

Back to work...

That's why we build a wall...

I've been sitting here for about fifteen minutes, munching on cashews and peanuts, staring at this blank box, wondering what to write. I'm not sure I have anything to say today. When my students say that same thing in response to a write assignment, I suggest that they freewrite or brainstorm (clusters are my favorite). Maybe I should do the same.

Maybe the problem isn't that I have nothing to say, but rather I don't know what to say. My little brain has been very active all week, thoughts mixing and twisting with the tide as I teach, eat, watch tv, grade, etc. There's a lot going on. I just don't know what to say about it.

Our trip to Ithaca last weekend to see Ani was a good time. She just blows me away every time I see her. We had second row seats -- I don't know how I got so lucky. I'm not so sure I belong at concerts anymore, though. I get so easily annoyed by the people dancing and singing around me. I didn't pay to hear the drunk girl in the "Ani for President" shirt sing painfully off-key in my ear. It just pissed me off. I guess I'm just getting old.

Anais Mitchell opened for Ani. It was my first time seeing/hearing her, and I just fell in love with her voice. When she stepped onstage, I realized that she was the girl I almost ran over while trying to make an illegal right turn on red in front of the theater before the show.

Since one of her songs has been in my head all week, I'll leave you with this...

I feel...

Well, today didn't turn out (so far) like I expected it to. Which is good and bad.

My advisor woke me up at 8am (yes, I'm slacker). She called to cancel our appointment for this afternoon. We're having some weather (ice, rain) and she wasn't going to campus today. This was a good thing. I wasn't prepared or in the mood to meet today.

The bad thing is that due to the weather Chad and I decided not to leave for Ithaca tonight. From what I can tell, the roads we were due to travel are pretty crappy. And I don't feel like dying. So as much as I was looking forward to chilling in Ithaca tonight, I think we made the right choice. We'll get up early (always difficult for us) and hit the road.

I haven't done anything productive at all today. I've just been putting cd's on my iPod (currently The Sundays, whom I haven't listened to in years). I really should take advantage of this found time to get caught up on my Plath reading...and grading...and prepping...

You know...life is weird. There are moments I want to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I have everything (well, almost...I still need to get published) I ever wanted. I'm teaching where I always wanted to, working with folks that I admire. Every time the Dept Chair calls me his colleague, or tells people that I'm a "phenomenal professor" (which I suspect he does only when I'm around), it makes me giggle. I mean, I used to be his student. And now I'm a colleague.

I just wish I could get rid of that little voice who wonders if I truly deserve all of this.

OK. I'm going to get to work. Title of the new poem I'm working on: "Mourning Bacon."

Am I that old?

My Comp II class is reading "Greasy Lake" by T.C. Boyle for Wednesday. Part of their journal assignment is to listen to Bruce Springsteen's "Spirit in the Night" and compare it to the story.

At the end of class today, one student asked me who Bruce Springsteen was. And I laughed. Then, I heard a chorus of "Yeah, who is that?" from several other students. I stopped laughing when I realized they were serious.

How can they not know who Bruce Springsteen is?

Can I go back to bed now?

I've had a nasty cold for the past week or so. The first few days were bearable -- just a very sore throat and head congestion. The sore throat is gone, and the congestion is now in my chest. And it hurts like hell, especially when I cough. I just want to go back to bed.

Thankfully, I only have to teach one class today. We're going over two stories ("A Rose for Emily" by Faulkner and "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Gilman) that always generate a lot of discussion, so hopefully I'll just have to guide them to make sure they hit all of the important stuff. I can endure an hour and twenty minutes.

[I just saw a commercial on NBC -- they're bringing Knight Rider back??]

I still can't rest when I come home, though. I have to stop at the grocery store after school. When I come home, I have to prep for tomorrow (two different classes), and make dinner (new falafel recipe). Ugh.

Had an OK weekend. Went to our friend's annual Burns Supper on Saturday. Within 15 minutes of arriving, I wanted to leave because I was surrounded by women who were either pregnant or just had a baby. While I was happy for (most of) them, it just drove me insane. We've been trying to decide for a while (years) when it would be a good time to have a baby. It seems that everyone else just does it without much thought. I know I'm generalizing here, and I'm sure they do think about it, but...fuck. Why is it so difficult for us to just do it?

Ugh. I'd better get back to work...

But I'm not ready yet!

Today is my first day back at school. I only have one class (2-3:20pm), so it's not that bad. But I'm not ready to go back! I want another week to lounge around in my sweatpants & comfy Pufnstuf t shirt.

I really should just take a shower and go to campus now so that I have time to make copies and such. Yup, that's what I should do.

More later...

All is quiet...

Had a quiet New Year's Eve. I spent the day trying to finish 8 novels so that I could meet my goal of 50 books for the year (I fell short by 6). When the husband came home, we ate too much and watched tv (mostly the South Park marathon). Even though we stocked up at the liquor store, we each only had 1 drink. I just wasn't in the mood.

So, of course I've made the obligatory resolutions for 2008...

1. Read at least 60 books by midnight on 12/31/08. (Feel free to comment with suggestions)
2. Graduate in May with my M.A.
3. Grade assignments within 2 days of receipt.
4. Have a spine, and stick to my policies (especially late policy) on syllabus.
5. Write (or revise) every day.
6. Submit poems for publication at least once a month.
7. Spend less time on the computer or watching tv.
8. Spend less!
9. Be more positive (this will be difficult)
10. Lose weight (is there anyone who doesn't have this on their list?)

I think that's enough to work on. Husband and I also made a list together that mainly deals with our new eating habits. We eat out too often (I'm too lazy to cook when he gets home late), and we want to move toward a more vegetarian (or maybe pescetarian) lifestyle.

Off to watch The Biggest Loser...