End of the Calendar Year

For some strange reason, totally like past years, I find myself mentally drained and unable to perform even the simplest tasks.  So very unsurprising.

Apologizing for Others

The title's not strictly true, but I feel as if I should apologize for the poor teaching by one of our adjuncts.  We (a colleague and I) worked with him over the semester once the student complaints started snowballing.  I put off thinking about it but the first (only?) parental complaint came in, going to the Provost after me.

I want all of our classes to be at least good if not excellent.  This is the third Fall semester in a row where that has not been true.

I could always have spent more time working with the instructor.  That shouldn't be the gauge of my success or failure;  it's not effort that counts here.

Hard to shed the feeling of guilt.

First Saturday in December

Everything is scheduled for the first Saturday of December, because there's nothing else going on that day. Student presentations, Scout camping trip, Messiah sing-a-long, choir concert.

Busy time.  Trying to focus on the things that need to be done, worrying about what remains undone.

Every year about this time the same thing---