Here comes the sun!!

Wow, here it is May 11, and I haven't written an entry since April 18! What have I been doing, you ask?

Well, I have been dealing with student crises, managing my own massive class (the big one I mentioned earlier), getting some writing done for school projects and my own research projects, collecting data on my students, traveling all over the place, and trying to finish up countless reports, articles, and so on. But classes are over, and the light is bright at the end-of-the-semester tunnel.

I am emerging from my winter funk, excited by the possibilities of summer. Last summer was very different--I couldn't seem to get started, and as a result, I wound up the summer with very little to show for it.

This summer has a different agenda. I have 2 monographs and a report to a funder to complete, a couple articles to write, and a (successful) plan for sabbatical in 2010-2011 to design and compose. The gf will be traveling a good deal this summer, so I will have days of alone time, which is exciting. (I don't like being alone or without the gf all that much, as a rule, but brief stints alone are helpful to the writing process.) I have NO TRAVEL planned right now, which makes me very happy after my conference-laden year... seriously, no one should ever attend 7 conferences in 8 months. And that didn't count all the personal travel for family gatherings, visits to friends, and other stuff...

I feel hopeful about getting some work accomplished this summer. I even found a little money for a doctoral student who will help me support this work. It feels nice to be hopeful, and even nicer to feel determined and energized.

Congratulations to all of our graduates--I hope you have a chance to celebrate your accomplishment. I am celebrating my accomplishments for this academic year, and the many to come. Here is to the summer!

(I can't embed this, but click on the link below to get "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves. )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmxSL6H2QEg