last day of classes

I didn't realize until supper time that the last day of classes was over. I've been deep in trying to figure out the new curriculum, helping revise a document giving information for advisors. Every time I go over it I find another error in my own material. The person who is preparing the document and I may be the only people who understand the new curriculum.

the end is in sight

It is the last week of classes, and I still feel behind from my trip last week. Miscellaneous frustrations: I can't find a binder I need that I had in my hands a few weeks ago, I had an ultrasound because I'm having some problems from fibroids and it triggered bad memories, dealing with a student who plagiarized...

spring

We had heavy rain last night and then a cold front came through fast. I went out on my bike about 8:30 this morning, hoping to get out before the wind got too bad (it is currently 12 mph gusting to 36). I had a nice ride of a little over two hours, but despite yesterday's rain I got home feeling like my eyes were full of sand. I looked in the mirror and my eyebrows looked like a clogged air filter--they were visibly full of pollen. I guess eyebrows actually do have a function.

Amherst

My daughter wanted to go to Emily Dickinson's house, so we also visited Emily Dickinson's grave. Nearby was the grave of Edward Hitchcock, an early 19th century geologist who was a key supporter of the founding of Mount Holyoke College.

affirmation

I was preparing early this week for a couple of places this weekend and next week where I expect not to get the affirmation I want. The funny thing is that ever since the week has been full of unexpected affirmation from other sources. The coach commented on the progress I am making in my swimming, my doctor said I manage my diabetes better than 99.9% of her patients and the provost looked at what I have accomplished with STS and said "I love you." (The provost is a woman and everyone in the small meeting laughed at her words, but those words seemed to me a gift not from her but from the universe).

I will be out of town through Wednesday so may not post.

award

My daughter, who just turned 12, is receiving an award for citizenship from the governor next week. Each school in the state could select one student to receive the award. My husband says he is going to have to hold his nose to take her picture with Mark Sanford, who proudly said he wants to run South Carolina like Walmart.

memory

I'm teaching a graduate seminar on oral history, and I was wondering how I would feel about discussing issues of memory, whether that would intersect with my personal issues. It has done so less than I expected; the readings I have assigned that deal with memory have led us not in the direction of the reliability of memory but in the direction of how we use shared memory to build community.