Spring Break Re-Cap

I've been on Spring Break this past week. Well, to be accurate, it's been 9 days since my last lecture. If anyone ever needed a break, it was me. I was tired - damn tired -when I closed up shop last Wednesday evening. But, before I let myself come to a full stop, I made a list of the things I still needed to accomplish during my break. The list was as follows:

1) Finish book review for h-net
2) Plan summer class
3) Write lectures for returning week
4) Get car washed
5) Get new pants hemmed
6) Grade quizzes

Here's the way the week played out:
Thursday: Recorded attendance and participation for previous week, started thinking about summer class, slipped into 3-hour coma all afternoon.

Friday: Considered taking pants to alterations place - and didn't. Rained all day. Instead, spent the day on some activity that seemed very important at the time, but which I cannot remember right now. I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with the list.

Saturday: Watched "Atonement," did laundry, attended GymDogs meet with Athens friend, then out to dinner with friend and her boyfriend. Nothing crossed off the list.

Sunday: Finished book for book review. Watched the snow. Took pictures of the snow. Emailed friends about the snow. Called friends about the snow. Watched the lights flicker on and off. Remembered that I don't own a flashlight and wondered how much light I'd get from my Yankee candles. Ate dinner at 5PM to make sure that I got a warm dinner. Still nothing crossed off the list.

Monday: Listened to the snow melt. Started book review - first words on paper in months so I had to spend some time remembering how to write. After the ice on the road thawed, made it out to buy a flashlight and batteries. Noticed that the digital camera batteries were running low. Made sure to add camera batteries to shopping list, noting the size to make sure I got the right kind. Came home with wrong size batteries.

Tuesday: Finished book review and put it in the cooler to germinate. Continued to listen to the snow melt.

Wednesday: Started conceptualizing summer class. Got sidetracked by job announcement for full-time position at Adjunct Central College. Prepared materials and dropped in the mail. Not on the original list, but a worthwhile activity nonetheless. Still no camera batteries. Watched "Lost" in real time, rather than catching up the next day.

Thursday: Continued conceptualizing summer class. Still no book list, but developed a plan and framework. Visited College Town Library to look at potential books - and remember how to read. Couldn't find parking on first attempt, so took car to the salon. Car is now white again, for the first time in months. Made progress on the course plan and set it aside - needs to germinate some more. Still stubborn snow on the ground.

Friday: Started writing lecture for Monday and graded one class of quizzes. Visited hairdresser, figured if the car can look better, so can I. Wore sandals without socks - 5 days after 7 inches of snow. Received mail ordered clothes - learned I am smaller than "Small" and that elastic waistbands are NOT a good idea. Cleaned kitchen and bathroom floors, cleaned bathroom. Watched "The Other Boleyn Girl."

Saturday: All snow is gone, but clean-up continues around town. Picked up tax return from accountant, dropped off pants at alterations place, took recycling to center. Returned mail ordered clothes to local store. Considered new strategy to get suitable work clothes, still working on plan. Finished lecture for Monday after dragging feet most of day and graded another class of quizzes. Vacuumed and did 4 loads of laundry. Still no camera batteries. Still undecided about book list for summer class. Watched "Then She Found Me."

Sunday: Finished visuals for Monday lecture, uploaded Monday class materials, grocery shopped - and finally got correct size camera batteries. Revised and uploaded book review. Noticed some green sprigs poking through the yellow winter grass. Considered plan for Wednesday class, but haven't started the lecture.

All in all, I managed to complete some of my initial projects while still finding time to enjoy my break. In all, I've watched 3 movies from start to finish and slept at least 9 hours each night. I think I'm ready to go back to work - I just don't want to.

That's the Breaks

I have a cold sore. It's reached the healing stage, which means it's a bright red spot on my upper lip. It's impossible to miss. I imagine that the astonauts in the Mir Space Station are charting its progress. "Da, it's shrinking, finally." I hate cold sores. I hate them for many reasons. First, it's impossible to hide a cold sore. My friends suggested that I teach in a burka. I actually considered it. I also considered a beekeeper's helmut. Finally, I decided that my students might just stay awake if they were distracted by the second lip sprouting under my nose. Second, cold sores make laughing painful. Contrary to my prickly exterior, I like to laugh. I don't like re-opening a wound every time I laugh. Pisses me off.

And finally, no matter what you do, no matter what you try, a cold sore never quickly goes away. No, it has to cycle through all of the really uncomfortable stages before it finally sings its swan song and disappears. My friend gave me some high-powered, prescription medicine and it seems to be working, but not fast enough. At least I'm on Spring Break this week, so I don't have to hide in the shadows, warning people to "stay away, I'm hideous!" Hopefully, this affliction will be gone by the time I face my students in 8 days.

Eight glorious days. One day more than a week. Yesterday was my first official day of Break and I spent the entire afternoon on the couch, in a coma. A three-hour coma. It was heaven. Then, I slept 9 hours last night. Today, I've actually felt the stress leaving my bones. I have work I need to to over break, but it's not immediately necessary for my current classes. I plan to eat good food, drink good wine, eat good ice cream, and work at a reasonable pace. And, I plan to watch movies. I know this break will be over way too soon, but I'm trying not to think about that. Eight days. Eight whole days.