Commenced!

I went to commencement yesterday, the first time I have attended commencement as a faculty member, and the first time I wore my fancy new regalia.

It was a simple, lovely ceremony. Working at SLAC = small graduating class = shorter ceremony. I don't know many of the new graduates very well, so I didn't have to stick around long afterwards for the family meet & greet.

Now my obligations as a faculty member are basically done. I'm getting together with my faculty mentor next week to talk over my first year and next year's review. I'm torn between wanting to take it easy for a week and wanting to start getting the things on my summer list done.

Unfortunately, it already feels like summer. It's been hot, sunny, and humid 'round here. The house a/c unit needs repair, so we're making do with fans. (Unfortunately, my office at work isn't any better.) And the baby tomatoes I planted are wilting in the sun. :( I'm trying to remind myself that the entire garden was an experiment, so it should not be a surprise if not everything flourishes.

Almost summer

I am not counting time as part of "summer" until after commencement this Saturday.

But I find that I am somehow, amazingly, almost done. Classes are over. Most of the grading is accomplished. I am waiting on a few late assignments before I submit grades.

Here, therefore, some summer goals (just the academic ones, there are others regarding yard, social life, etc.):

1) Earn my summer stipend by ordering and reading materials and making plans for my fall course on the Crusades.
2) Look over my old conference papers and prepare an article to submit by the end of the summer.
3) Look at my book manuscript, figure out what revisions it needs, and begin work on them.
4) Make plans for a research trip in the fall.
5) Make plans for my other new courses next year, plus start putting materials together for my review. (My school does a 2nd-year review and another in the 4th year.)

Kalamazoo

I have not that much to report, really. I went, I zooed, I returned. I was a little disappointed by the lack of papers and books for sale that might be pertinent to my research. I gave my paper, which went fine. I had many lovely meals and meetings with many lovely people. I made a couple of contacts I hope to follow up with. I dragged my spouse along, and he claims to have had a good time as well.

And now, if you'll pardon me, I have a week of classes left and a stack of papers to grade.

Almost on my way

Kalamazoo paper is done, and may even not be crap! I also made a handout, and managed to fit it onto front/back of one page. Yee ha! I should be arriving Thursday evening. I'm looking forward to being away for a little while.

So this should be a busy month then

I've got three full weeks of class left. I'm hoping my senior students can hang in there and avoid the plague of senioritis.

I've also got an extremely short turnaround between the end of class and submitting senior grades.

I worked on my Kalamazoo paper yesterday. I'm kind of concerned that it may be crap at this point, but at least it's 75% done crap.

The weekend after Kalamazoo, my in-laws are coming for a visit.