Entering the December Season of Tranquil Lights by the Tree and a Dog Who Seems to Chill with the Season Like I Do

For those of us in literacy who present at national conferences, only to return to the hectic nature of turkey opportunities, I always welcome the addition of lights and evenings (that are much darker, much sooner) on Mt. Pleasant. For the past week I've enjoyed evenings with Chitunga, Alyssa, and Karal, and soon after the departures, it will be me, the dog, and the tree. I need such peace in my life as last classes are taught, end-of-the-semester, frenzied meetings are the norm, and all those projects come in for grading. 

I know others enjoy similar traditions.

I will be teaching the last YA Literature class tonight and will follow with the last Explorations class later this week. I know the close-to-the-end return home for many, brought them back to the reality that so much is due rather quickly. The organized and planned have worked on this to relieve the stress. Those who are last minute, have a trickier time contending with the stress of it all. As a student, I was not a fan of such stress so I paced myself accordingly. I realize as a teacher, though, that is not the norm as procrastination and the road to good intentions are much more common.

I am thinking of all laboring to get in the work at this time of the year and my fellow academics biting their nails that the turn-around for grades comes quickly. 

This is why we need our lights, holiday music, a good bottle of bourbon, and the ability to inhale/exhale, because this too shall pass.

There are times I wish I had it as easy as Karal. She lives a very embattled life, indeed. 

First Ever Selection Show Sunday in Support of the Fairfield University Women's Volleyball MAAC Championship Team.

I was honored to be asked, as faculty liaison, to attend the NCAA tournament selection show as teams learned their placements across the nation. I had my fingers crossed for Louisville, Kentucky (or even Lexington), but they were selected to play the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on Friday. I looked up flights to the city (and to Chitunga in Iowa) and feel I'm better off watching the tournament at home. If it was at either Kentucky site, I'd find a way to make it happen. Both Louisville and Kentucky are ranked high once again this year, and it would have been great to have a weekend of volleyball and to see ol' friends.

I'm still confused by how they determine the cities that will host the first couple of rounds. I was lost because we were in the Pitt regional, but this excluded the Kentucky teams (even if it's not that far away). I guess there was never a chance to be selected for the bluegrass, so the Stags get Minneapolis. Humorous to me is to stand with the coaches as the teams were selected...I love hearing inside commentary. Also wonderful to see the excitement when the location was selected and three girls on the team cheered because it was close to their homes.

I'm thankful, though, because I have all the channels necessary now to watch the games, which is one of the reasons I jumped onto streaming services for the winter months.

For those wondering, the temperatures in the northeast have dropped and the gray, rainy days make it somewhat miserable to be motivated to do anything. It's cold, and I know I'm slowly being pushed off my front porch where I like to live my academic life. The girls, however, had to practice after the selections were announced.

Yesterday was spent writing. I have two students almost ready to hit submit on publication projects and I'm feeling somewhat ready for the agenda ahead, although the two faculty searches I'm on (plus Academic Council) are taking up most of the week. I am ready for the meeting phases of the semester to come to a close, as they are nuisance and time-consuming. I hate that I've become anti-meeting, but I'm still not sure how much they accomplish. We might all learn from Dr. Robert Nazarian from the Center of Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies. He hosts the most efficient, knowledge-producing gatherings.

Chitunga and I grabbed a late lunch at Dockside and then he came home to fall asleep as I drove to campus for the selection show. That was a new experience and I'm happy for the team. If they win, and St. Thomas wins, perhaps Dr. Yohuru Williams and I have a bet to make...they will play each other in round II.

And look at that. It's December again! Go, Stags! Go!