The refrigerator gave up the ghost on Sunday. Today it is finally emptied out, although the mess is not completely gone. A few things in a cooler. Should I toss, or are they still cold enough today? Things on the countertops. Should be emptied and tossed. I won’t have a new fridge until the middle of next week. One step at a time. I can get through this.

Projects were originally due today for my class. I gave everyone an extension to Saturday at midnight, since I know I won’t look at them before then. Even with weekly due dates for progress on the projects, some students are far behind. This frustrates me a lot. They will be miserable trying to get finished up. Some ask, “can you look things over tomorrow?” Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, I don’t have a lot of time tomorrow. I will try to look quickly for you if I have time, but that is all I can do.

I’ll be glad when this is all over. Days like today I wonder why I do projects, especially a long project. It would be easier not to, but the learning experience of doing is profound. And there you have it.

Good things today:

• Lunch with my Goldwater Scholar and a friend of his who I taught a few semesters ago.
• A visit from a friend who was in my building.
• The Honor Council Banquet and heading out there with two colleagues.
• Being able to give a positive report on a student who had many troubles last semester.
• Some students doing some real thinking and interesting work on projects.
• I looked awesome and professional in my Hepburn pants, wrinkle free shirt, and jacket today.
• The ballot on instructional titles passed the tenure track faculty. I could be an instructional assistant professor next semester.