Been Inside Too Long

I'm inside today, working up a lecture on the 1920s for today's class. From what I can see through my windows, it's a gorgeous day outside. Bright sunshine, no clouds, slight breeze. It's been a long summer so I naturally assumed that it was hot and humid, and that the day would be best enjoyed from inside my air-conditioned apartment.

Because I'm highly distractable this morning, I decided to check the local news rather than work on my lecture. I pulled up the newpaper's webpage and noted the temperature: 56 degrees. "Really?" I said to no one in particular, "It's only 56 degrees outside?" I decided to double-check the newpaper's facts. Keep in mind that this is the local paper that originates from the same college town where I am sitting right now. How did I check the newpaper's information? I immediately and without hesitation pulled up weather.com on my computer.

As the page loaded, I smiled as I thought about the absurdity of my situation. "I could just go outside and see what the temperature is," I said aloud. I fear that I have embraced this academic lifestyle a little too tightly, that my stranglehold is finally choking the life out of normal, rational reasoning. "Go outside? Are you out of your mind? There's no desk outside. There's some bright light that's not coming from a bulb or screen - and it burns! Strange flying creatures make sing-song noises. Worst of all, there aren't any bookshelves! There's very little tweed! It's too scary out there!"

The first step in recovery is recognizing that you have a problem. I've now made a solemn vow to move away from my computer, go outside and enjoy this beautiful day. Besides, it's Mountain Day at Mt. Holyoke College and the college has decreed that I must join my sisters in this annual celebration of the great outdoors and ice cream. We'll forget for the moment that I only climbed one mountain in the 4 years that I was actually at Mt. Holyoke. The other years, I went shopping. Hey, at least I wasn't working!

And So It Begins

I'm back! It's been a crazy month, so crazy that blogging seemed completely beyond my capabilities. I've decided to carve out a few minutes this evening to catch up a bit. First, the new job: It's exhausting. I made the mistake of volunteering to teach at the auxiliary campus where all the students want to be bulldogs but don't quite have what it takes. They're junior bulldogs. Second-class bulldogs? Calfdogs? While their official status may be in question, they're attitudes more than make up for it. I have 2 late afternoon classes over there and those people are Dementers (like in Harry Potter). They're sucking my soul, man! Imagine 75 minutes of your life with people who steadfastly refuse to engage in any kind of substantive discussion. One kid told this absolutely disgusting story about killing a pregnant spider and that's what got students' attention. Gotta say that I don't have a lot of stories of historical figures killing pregnant insects. So, I'm screwed.

My other classes on the main campus are much better. Yes, there's the obligatory contingent of "just out of high school" boys who feel the need to turn the classroom into their own personal testosterone playground, but they're tolerable over the Dead Zone at the other campus. Few snips here and there and the boys fall in line. The rest of them are just cute - the overachieving non-traditional students, the young girls who lose their voices when paired with cute boys in class (or vice versa), the students who surprise themselves when they actually care about the correct interpretation of a primary source. Makes my day worthwhile.

BUT - the big news is the house. All is moving forward and barring any last minute problems, I'm scheduled to close on Wednesday. As of 4PM or so, I should be a homeowner. I'm not much for wild shows of emotion - but WOOHOOOO!! [You can't tell, but I'm flailing my arms like Kermit the Frog.] There are moments when I can't believe that I'm actually going to own a house - and stay put for more than 2-3 years. Then there are other moments when I absolutely cannot wait to move in and settle down. Been way too long in coming.

At first I put off packing, thinking it would jinx the whole thing. Then I realized how much stuff I have and how long it will take for all of it to find its way into boxes. So, I'm making progress.

I've established the staging area: flat surface, wrapping paper, bubble wrap, and boxes. Luckily, I have a job where people use lots of paper. Screw the environment, I say - I need boxes!! One of my new colleagues has appointed himself as the official "Box Monitor," collecting empty boxes on days when I'm not on campus. He's a real dear, and I don't say that about many people.

In the past week, the staging area has become increasingly crowded:

Those boxes on the right are full, as are the boxes on the left. As evidence of my efforts, I offer the following:

Note the empty shelves. [Insert oohs and ahs here]. What, not impressed? How about this?

That's an almost empty CD cabinet. The other CDs are just waiting for a half-full box to snuggle into. Forward progress, my friends.

For my friends and family who have helped me move in the past and are already feeling the pangs of moving pains in your backs, let me assure you that I'm hiring movers. Professional movers. They're here for a reason - to move my washing machine and boxes of books. God willing, these things will stay in place for a long while.