It's still alive

Really, I am. Still alive that is.

I could tell you all about how busy I've been with conferences, traveling, family, holiday weekends, writing articles, and correcting student papers, but that just gets old. Instead I thought I would enlighten you with all the important life lessons I have learned in this no-blog-week. Life lessons which should contribute to a more regular blogging presence. And who knows, they might do something for you too, like, oh, make you smile, or who knows, change your life, or maybe just waste five minutes of your time.

1. I will never teach two classes over summer again. Ever. So should I bring this topic back up anytime in the near or far future, feel free to remind me of this statement. It's just far too much work, too much trouble, and really just puts me in a bad mood. And who needs any of those things when the pool is beckoning, friends are begging you to go to Ikea with them, and your family is in town for the first time in 18 monthts?

2. When agreeing to deadlines I will consult my calendar. Next, I will tell the person in charge of the deadline I will think about it and get back to them. And then I will actually sit down and think about my schedule. Because working on a paper five days before it's due while that pool is beckoning, your friends still really want to go to Ikea, your parents are still in town, and you have 50 papers to grade is just NOT a good idea.

3. I will not sign up for two triathlons back to back. It's not a good idea, at all. Because between teaching two classes, writing an article, grading fifty papers, trying to swim in my pool, go to Ikea, and spend time with my parents, I'm now also trying to swim, bike, and run. And of course I can't do it all, and so I end up spending half the summer feeling guilty. And I really don't have time for that.

4. I will not agree to a meeting on a day when I was not planning on going to work. This week I have to make my 90-mile trek to work twice because I was too nice when the search committee I am on had to decide on a follow-up meeting. I will, in the future, only say, "I can't do that day" and keep my mouth shut. I will not feel obligated to come up with alternatives or adjust my schedule. I will let other people figure it out for once.

5. Oh, and for the sake of my heart, I will remember, next time I am in Holland, that all traffic from the right has the right of way unless otherwise indicated. And I will blog about that next, I promise.

Now to finish that article..please excuse me.