A good day

1.) I managed to pull together 80% of a course reader in a matter of hours. I'll probably regret that speed over the coming weeks, but I'm glad it's almost done. On the docket: architecture, neighborhoods, streets and highways, public spaces, food. I even managed to work in a Puritan, which makes me officially old school American Studies. (Yes, Jeff, it is your distant uncle, and he's giving childrearing advice.)

2.) My students were hilarious today. They did final group presentations based on interviews with collectors. The collected objects and collectors they chose to investigate? Piercings, tattoos, and sex toys.

After a lively class, my students tried very, very hard to get me to go have margaritas with them. Tempting, but I am not stupid. (I'm thinking the course evaluations they filled out today will be nice?)

3.) I found out my second session summer class, which now has more than 30 students, qualifies for a reader. And I happen to have a really cool, hardworking friend who's looking for work. And she specializes in the area in which I've chosen to focus the course. Huzzah!

4.) I may have found employment for winter quarter. If it comes through, it will be another 100-person class with two TAs, and with it I'll qualify for benefits. Woohoo! Plus, the department decided to hire me at a higher step than they usually do for lecturers. Score.

Now if only the dissertation fairies would visit. . .