Celebrating the end of a FABULOUS day!

With a glass of wine, and eggs with turkey sausage. It's supposed to snow a couple inches tonight, but I don't mind.

What makes today fabulous? Well, many things... but I am definitely a person who takes pride in and from my job.

It is still the beginning of the semester, but I started this one with much apprehension (based on my previous ones here--trying a new approach, which is good, but leads to MORE apprehension...). My schedule is a studio-back-to-back, which means I have to be MORE organized than usual (as in, no making new slide lectures three hours before class time, since there are two stacked classes to be preparing for... for those counting, that's 6 levels of information to have ready every Tuesday and Thursday by 2). I have been meeting typical stubborn head-butting with the Evil Clowns (you know who you are!), and I was receiving silence on a new, collaborative project I wanted to get going for my photo class.

Oh, and if you don't recall from previous posts, I have been sick the last two days, and also had a 20 foot driveway with 1 foot of snow to shovel (and a 50 foot sidewalk, and the 1 foot of snow on the car was harder to get off than I thought). Lots of obstacles. 

But these are what make us stronger, right?

So today was great for the following:

1. While I started shoveling later than I should (I was sure it would send me into a coughing fit that would kick me out of remission), I got it done fairly quickly and was only a little late for office hours. LUCKILY... no one was waiting for me, so I had no guilt. (Unluckily, I saw the evil neighbor moved the corner survey marker... really? After all this time?!)
2. My photo students and I had a great, easy lesson, and they learned some new technical stuff, and we clarified their goals for the semester, and planned our Sunday night-shooting field trip.
3. I received an email from the Evil Clowns and they backed down from one of their stubborn, useless trenches. Eureka! I was able to offer my evening class good and helpful news! Yes, I actually DANCED and did HIGH KICKS from the relief of it. (I was trying to offer an easier solution, but since they hadn't thought of it, they fought it... finally, they conceded it was a good idea... perhaps the Evil Clowns can learn? Learn to love, maybe?)
4. My evening class learned lots of new things... only one computer (well, more than one, but only for one student :( ; she had the same problem on three machines!) wasn't working properly. They were engaged, asked questions, and were excited about their first project.
5. During one of our breaks, I saw one of the first projects in the women's bathroom. It said, "you are beautiful" around the mirror. And I can't believe that corny thing worked on me. I was grinning and smiling at my face, in that frame covered with paper butterflies.
6. I had sent an email last week to someone about collaborating with my class on a project. I stayed in the office till 11PM working on that email. When I got no response, I was really disappointed. Today, I called the department admin and found out who I should talk to instead. I edited my email and sent it to him. Before the end of the day, he replied and said what a great idea he thought it was and how excited he was to help. Yay, we get to move forward on our project!
7. Before I left the office, I wrote a to-do list for tomorrow, so I wouldn't fret about it tonight.
8. I came home and there was no new snow to shovel.
9. Some friends and I are planning a craft night tomorrow, and I am enjoying the idea of planning a coinciding wine-and-chocolate tasting party, as well as classic records on my record player. It gives me a reason to clean (which I need... I've been slacking since returning) and I do love hosting... I get to drag out my weird vintage serving stuff! Yay!
10. I just remembered this, so it should be #1, but I don't want to renumber... I received my FedEx package with my most wild Christmas present: a 1960s multi-color wheel light (for aluminum Christmas trees OR fun parties!). If I had left on time, I would have missed the FexEx guy, and it would have sat on my front porch all day (and probably all day tomorrow too) in the snow... and might have been ruined. But it wasn't! Now, it might have to make it's debut appearance after 40 years at Craft Night!