Winter has settled in. It's frigid. It's been really cold for a long while. It snows an inch or two every day. I like it! Hunting season is over--hallelujah! No need to sing, talk loudly, and stomp through all the woods and fields. I can be quiet at long last and observe the animals and experience the silence.
Christmas Open House blog posts coming right up!
My desperate students have oh so limited a time to be desperate. Tomorrow. That's their last chance to whine and complain about their low grades after a semester of doing nothing. Mind you, many students do well! But we have lots of slackers who think I owe them. Huh? Come again?
I want to celebrate! I feel as though I'm beginning another stage of life after tomorrow's class ends. Yes, I'm taking the January-May semester off. But will I go back to the college? Or can Ken and I make ends meet without that (pitiful) income? We pay dearly for that income. It's an hour's commute each way and I make peanuts. The wear and tear on the car, the gas, the meals. How much do I clear? It's oh so minimal.
I think we can make it work. It is obvious to me and to Ken that the wear and tear on me exceeds the little bit of compensation I receive. Truly, if I told you the wage, you would be shocked and would agree that what I've done has been volunteer work. The life of an adjunct (part-time) instructor.
So! I'm very, very excited about beginning this new life. Reading! I'm participating in James Chester's TBR Triple Dog Dare 2014. I'm reading Ivanhoe with Katrina of Pining for the West and others, which relates to a Scottish challenge, whose title I can't remember at the moment! Help. I will post again about it.
Knitting – a cardigan for Isobel
4 hours ago
Hi Judith. I am going to try to do the Ivanhoe read along with you and Katrina. I just downloaded it to my iPad. Looks tough! I love winter too. Long evenings for reading, scrabble and jigsaw puzzles! Enjoy your time off. It does sound rather like it's not worth the effort it takes to work there.
ReplyDeletePeggy Ann,
DeleteI'm so glad you're game for Ivanhoe! I have a Signet mass-market paperback, with small print and no spacing between the lines. I'll have my work cut out for me. I just have to keep remembering that I've known lovers of historical fiction who have liked this book!
Thank you for the inspiration to enjoy this winter and spring. I will make extra sure that I will. There's nothing like flexible time.
Best wishes,
Judith
Judith,
ReplyDeleteI can well believe that your remuneration for teaching has been pitiful in all ways! I hope that you can do without all that wear and tear. I'm hoping to get back to some Christmas reads soon.
Katrina,
DeleteI'm so hoping that the extra time in my home kingdom will pay off in the long run. Ken and I both want my "unemployment" to work out. We've been planning and planning. And I'm looking forward to the adventure of it!
By the way, I will keep you informed!
Not only that, I'm hoping you will begin your new adventure ASAP! Until then, let books and friendship see you through.
And, last but not least, I'm looking forward to any future Christmas-related posts you may have.
Judith