Lunch with two of my favorite former students today. That was enjoyable! Happy Valentine’s Day.

Project 1 is due today. Office hours went from after class (3:35 pm) to 6 pm, at which point it was time for me to be done. I returned home with a headache. A few minor crises this evening, one solved by “just put that in your document and resubmit it”. One, “yes, your partner requested an extension to Monday and that applies to you too.” One “my connection with the Calclab isn’t working!” at 10:30 pm, which I think I am not going to answer until tomorrow. At the earliest.

My students are learning many things. Not always what I intended to teach them. Many lessons are being learned about math and writing and the real world and all of its awesome complexity.

Writing is hard, and because it is hard, it is often left to the last minute, which doesn’t make it any easier. We want to sound smart and important, but good writing often consists of making things simple and straightforward. It is hard to write something smart, to spend time and effort and energy on it, and then decide that it has to go because it isn’t simple or straightforward.

I am grateful for the opportunity to teach. I am grateful for those who try to learn from me. I am grateful for having a job that I care about and students who care to learn and try.

I am grateful for my special someone, who is not at home today. I am grateful for salads that he makes. I am grateful to have someone who cares about me. I am grateful for the help around the house and with the yard work. I am grateful that I can help out by taking his class when he is gone. I am grateful that he supports my teaching and my mission. I am grateful that he is patient with my many imperfections.