Here’s photographic proof of two things. First, we have indeed had some lovely blue-skied days here in New England over the past week. Second, Keene State is a kinder, greener campus that uses energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs in its various indoor and outdoor fixtures. I’d like to think this latter fact makes Al Gore a happier man.
This week marks the end of Spring Semester classes at Keene State College, and it’s also the last week of the present term for SNHU Online. This means I’m running ragged (and not feeling very energy-efficient) tending to end-of-term details for both schools. The challenge of multi-tasking is one fact of an adjunct instructor’s life: if you want to stay financially solvent during the under-employed summer months, you have to work double- or sometimes triple-time during the academic year. As a result, full-time adjuncts teaching a more-than-fulltime courseload at several institutions–i.e. full-time adjuncts like me–typically reach Spring Semester feeling completely spent: there aren’t enough hours to do what we must, let alone what we’d wish.
This means I’ve been spending a lot of time this past week looking at my favorite failing tree, making the usual end-of-term resolutions to work both harder and smarter next year than it feels I’ve done this time around. It will be another week, at least, before I’m done with Spring Semester grading; it will be another week, at least, before I have the time, energy, and mental bandwidth to relax with a book and a lawn-chair under a sunny tree. In the meantime, I secretly wish someone would change my less-than-efficient mental bulbs, leaving me with a Bright Idea to light my way from Now to Then.
Apr 26, 2007 at 7:09 am
You and me both, girl! I’ve been mentally stale for awhile now. Still, your photographs are gorgeous!!
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Apr 26, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Having goals is good. Not meeting every goal is typically human. Thinking you can be more than human is a recipe for dissatisfaction.
Enjoying your failing tree is good. Mentally taking time to change your ‘bulbs’ is better. I speak from experience, because I have patience with everyone’s shortcomings except my own. Something I’m working on.
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Apr 26, 2007 at 10:29 pm
They need to learn to make those energy saving bulbs come in/fit in the shapes/fixtures we’re used to. I’d have replaced more of my bulbs if the damn things fit in my lamps. That one hanging looks a bit silly, no?
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Apr 26, 2007 at 10:29 pm
And glad to hear things will wind down soon for you. Cocktails!
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Apr 27, 2007 at 8:11 am
This lamp looks much better now that they’ve replaced the glass globes over the bulbs themselves. Years ago I tried to switch from incandescent to flourescent bulbs, but back then none of them fit in my lamps. The newer flourescents, though, are more compact, so I’m gradually switching over as my incandescent bulbs burn out.
But yes, I wish someone could just switch out my brain as easily as switching out a light bulb…
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