Friday, March 10, 2017

On the brink of Spring Break

I dreamed I was reading a book called Great Movie Moans Ranked and Rated, and then I woke up disappointed that it didn't exist. (Trust me: I've Googled. Google thinks I'm looking for Great Movie Moana.)

Not much blogging this week because (1) we finally had some gorgeous sunny weather so I took two afternoons off (after a major meeting was cancelled) to spend some time in the woods with the dog and with a friend with binoculars and birds; and (2) I've been working like a maniac (not a moaniac) so I won't have to take grading with me on Spring Break, but last night I finished the last massive pile of papers so all I have to do now is teach three classes this morning and I'm outta here, first for a weekend with the grandkids and then flying to Florida on Monday to visit my dad (for the first time since Mom's funeral last May). 

Florida! Sunshine, old friends, the Raptor Center, nesting egrets, long walks. Also, our college softball team is playing all next week not far from Dad's house, so I hope to see some of my students in action on the field.

But today's classes may be difficult because a student died suddenly yesterday (of natural causes), and while I didn't know him, I'm sure some of my students did. On a campus this small, any tragedy causes trauma and I'm never certain how to handle it in class: moment of silence? Brief writing time to process feelings? Ignore it altogether and focus on the work at hand? (Not sure that's possible.) Fortunately, this kind of thing doesn't happen often.

Not much blogging next week because I'm flying on a cheap no-frills flight and can't take both my camera bag and my computer bag and frankly I'd rather have the camera. Four days away from the computer! That's what I call a vacation.    

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