Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Back to School

Well... I went back to work yesterday after the first summer off in quite a few years. It was a good summer, and in some ways I'm sad that it's over, but overall I'm glad to be back at work. As I have said so many times, I really do love what I do for a living.

The kids will go back next week, so Keri has then by herself for a few days. She's a wonderful mom-- taking care of 5 kids with differing needs and making differing demands on her every minute. I love her for it.

I've got course web sites to build and a reading schedule to work out for the mythology course. I guess I'd better get to it.

[On a related note (kind of), I went to a store today and the cashier, who knows me from other settings, said, “I’m in your mythology class.” I said, “Great.” She said, “What are we reading first?” I said, “Odyssey.” “The whole thing?!” she said.

I sighed, just a little.]

3 comments:

Patricia Murphy, a resident of said...

Hey Clark,
I went back to work today too. I tried to go back yesterday by noon, but I left NJ late because a tree fell on my mom and dad's garage. So, today was really the first day back. It was filled with our "State of the Campus" address (from our new president) and a whole lot of discussion about $96 million that SUNY is supposed to cut out of this year's budget. Yikes! How come we have to do this in my tenure year?

We don't have students yet, so I spent part of the day meeting with my new writing instructors (part of my job is administrative). That was cool, but the best part of my day was kind of like the moment you had in the store, only it was at a Greek restaurant in Utica. The owner came back with my card and asked if I taught at SUNY. I said yes, and she told me that her son who had tried to take my class last year was going to be back in school because his cancer was in remission. I remembered him and remembered that he had written me to say he hadn't just dropped my class; he'd been very ill. So now he's coming back and wants to take composition from yours truly, and I couldn't be happier.
Small town moments occur in both Idaho and New York, huh? I hope you have a great school year.
Cheers,
Pat
P.S. Check out my blog if you want. It's at http://patricia-murphy.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Hey Pat:

Cool to hear from you again.

And cooler to hear about your student. Very nice that he's getting back to class and that you've connected with him. Teachers don't make a ton of dough (usually), but they do get those very nice personal perks.

More later. I'm swamped.

CD

Unknown said...

Oh. I did check out your blog, by the way. It's a little like having a coffee with you. Very nice. Thanks.