Random bullets of September

•  First, the stuff you know: the news has been terrible and keeps getting worse. I thought we were a nation of laws and, you know, checks and balances, but All This is terrifying because laws are for the chumps like us that believe in them. We volunteer, and give money, and I canceled Disney (small victory there, as nicoleandmaggie have pointed out), but nothing's enough right now.
• But the old-school-style classes I set up for this year are going well, so that's good news. Lots of short-form writing assignments and lively class discussions make me want to go to class. 
• Side note: Sure, I can read their handwriting. Back in the olden days they wrote a lot (and longer papers, and more papers) in class regularly, and we all survived--even thrived. It goes against the sacred doctrine of multiple revisions for a paper, but have you ever noticed that sometimes their writing on the essay part of an exam is clearer and more direct and insightful than their out-of class work? I've seen this many times & thus don't worry too much about the sacred doctrine any more. 
• The students seem eager to connect, somehow. They chat with me after class, or when we go on our little library trips, or whatever. It's a human connection that (to me) is welcome after the Covid years. 
• The prep work is astonishingly a LOT. Rereading, prepping, grading, writing assignments--why, after all this time, am I surprised at how much time everything takes?
• I am on the road or away from home at least four days out of seven, and it is wearing me down. All those miles are making me tired. 
•  This means that on days I am not in the car (Sunday, maybe, or Monday if there's not a Costco hunting & gathering trip planned), I don't get much research done.  
• This also means that I'm getting a little testy with comments like "hey, I know what would be good! Let's all meet on [day when Undine isn't on campus] for some community building." Yeah, no thanks. 
• I did one of these extra trips early in the semester because I'd been asked to give a small local presentation, but "oops! we ran out of time! sorry" meant that it was a wasted trip. I'm now more careful with my time. 
• Long emails debating things are a complete waste of time. Have a meeting or shut up.  
• The weather is finally cooling off, so I guess that's the good news for now.  

 So, as Ishmael says--"time, strength, cash, and patience." I wish them all for you in October.