Going on vacation...

I wish. I received the most amusing email from one of my students this weekend. He/she sent me an email telling me about how he/she is going on vacation for a week and needs my lecture notes before he/she leaves. [rolls eyes] Gee, I wish I could take a nice, long vacation during the semester and not have anyone bug me with any responsibilities! I realize that sounds bitter but since when do students just up and go on vacation during the middle of a semester (during a non-calendar holiday!)?

This particular student has been irking me since the beginning of the course, sending me long diatribes about he/she has all these responsibilities and issues at work. I just want to send he/she a nice long list of all the things I accomplish during the week because I know this student's mouth would drop from astonishment. I realize my bitterness stems from the fact that I haven't had a vacation in over two years and am in dire need of one, but still, who the heck does such a thing?!

What amazes me about some students is their lack of time management skills. Okay, so I sucked at time management when I was 18. But I also never asked for an extension. Not once. It's disrespectful to the teacher's schedule. There is a reason for a deadline so meet it. And please please please don't go on vacation during the academic year! End of story.

In other news, my life is insanely hectic. I wake up at 4:30am on MWF to get to school at around 6:30am (I get the best parking spot on campus!), TA from 9-9:50am, hold office hours, go to the writing center, research, do labwork, grade my online course, and then go home around 7-8pm so I can miss rush hour traffic. I get home around 9-10pm, eat, crash, and go to sleep. I am beyond exhausted and it is only week 3 in the quarter. But I'll get through it like I always do. This is my last TA requirement and I need to fulfill it. Plus, I'm working for an awesome prof so it's all good.

As for job stuff, I haven't reallly heard anything. I'm not too upset about it right now because I am really focused on getting other stuff done. One of my articles got forwarded for review, which is a big deal. I finished the first chapter of my dissertation (66 pages and all!) a few weeks ago. I just got invited to an important conference session. I'm editing two pieces for publication. I have three conference papers to write. I have two grant applications due in a month. Jobs will come at some point, just not right now. On top of all this, the spouse has a very important job interview this week that could change our entire financial situation and mean moving back to my hometown. Things are moving in all sorts of weird and exciting directions!

Tomorrow I have a very important talk at a small liberal arts college nearby...so I need to go back to practicing. Fun times!