One might wonder how to structure a day in which your classes are seven hours apart. In general, I have decided that I will come home between classes. Living half a mile from school makes this imminently possible. (I shared this strategy with my dad who asked "they pay you for THAT?") But, being that it was the first day, I had a lot of details to take care of, so I didn't head home until 1-ish. As I was walking down the lane that leads me (the back way) to our house, I hear this voice ask "You done with school already?" I turn to see this man I have never met sitting on his deck and having a smoke. I looked at him quizzically and he said "oh, I saw you heading to school this morning." Let me repeat that I DO NOT KNOW THIS MAN. And yet, he knew I was coming home from school. Either because he actually knows who I am (small town: word travels fast), or because one can only assume that a woman wearing pinstriped pants and a paisley shirt must be going to the University, that HE KNEW. And, the funnier part being, like my father he seemed incredulous that I could be done already.
I also had to decide what I wanted the students to call me. After much debate and discussion, I have settled on "Dr. Amy." I explained to my students that finishing my PhD was one of the most excruciating things I have ever done and, gosh darn it, I earned those letters. And yet, I do not want to go all the way with this power trip. Besides, Dr. Reddinger makes me sound like a Urologist.
I hope (ahem, Georgia) that I have sufficiently narrated the first day. I am sure that I will write more as the week progresses. I also want to give props to all those who commented on my comments. Rhonda had a good laugh when no one responded to that post for a day or two, but then she was equally excited when the responses came rolling in. I think that blogging is a strange beast, but I have really enjoyed the opportunity to write creatively on a pretty regular basis. I strongly recommend that if you want to try this blogging thing, you should start blogging about things that excite you. So, for instance, Tamiko should write about food and Celia and life with Denmark's most famous composer while Georgia might want to blog about cheese and my space (see comments from last post). Certain friends might want to blog about chickens...
Rhonda took these this morning as I headed off:
5 comments:
So your blog is the private space in a small town life? How ironic.
I'm actually procrastinating from working on creative writing now too--a cover letter and resume, how fun.
Congratulations on your first day. Pinstriped pants and a paisely shirt, eh? Besides school, you could have just as easily been heading to Carnaby Street.
sounds like a perfect first day, with benevolent (i hope) surveillance and all. Have you found a gym buddy (not buddy the dog, ok) to replace me? I mean, is there a gym or is the town that small?
also, i think you should try to pass a urologist. there used to be one that had the same name as my father and lived on our street...a ton of people called us asking about the 'doctor', so i think he was doing very good money. just an idea for a second job, really.
On my first day (now 3 years ago!), I took out the daruma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daruma) doll that my cousin gave me for graduation. I took a deep breath, and filled in one eye, and will fill the second eye when I get tenure. Ah, the memories.
Hope you and Rhonda are still standing after this first exciting week. (I am doing yoga and softly singing "happy sabbatical to me" before I get down to work!)
Maybe a phone date sometime soon, too?
--Tamiko
Are you wearing make-up, or are my eyes deceiving me?
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