Today is the first real day of my summer vacation. On Saturday, I had to travel to Jacksonville, a small town in East Texas, to celebrate my niece's graduation from high school. I really wasn't in the mood for a celebration, so it wasn't like the beginning of summer at all. Yesterday, during the drive home, I was angry with myself for being so pessimistic of late (losing out on the Academic Associate job really has me down); maybe I've been that pessimistic for the whole school year. I used to be more of an optimist, but I can hardly even muster enthusiasm for any thing of late. However, I am quietly excited about the fiction writing workshop that I will start on Monday.
I truly hate the thought of teaching for another year (I feel pretty desperate about it and that scares me), but I must admit that I haven't done much to prevent that from happening. So I have to work this summer to get myself in a position to have some choices next year. I have decided that I can get up every morning and go for a walk at 7:00a.m. (yes, I know it's summer, but any later will be too hot), then come back shower and work on my master's thesis for at least an hour. How embarrassing to have still not finished this after all these years!--yes, too many years to admit. I haven't talked about working on this because in the past all I have done is talk. IF I can acquire these two habits, I think my summer will be both enjoyable and productive. Of course, I will also be reading as much as possible. I have, as usual, a huge stack of "To Read" books. I just finished Margaret Atwood's Surfacing on Saturday (I'm going to have to read some lit. crit. about this novel because I'm not sure I got it) and am now reading Jonathan Franzen's How to be Alone, a book of essays. I plan to start another novel today, perhaps Jumpher Lahiri's The Namesake. I wish I could find a job where I would be paid to read books--that would be my paradise.
Okay, now I need to do some housekeeping, which I have been putting off until summer began and today is the day. Later.
1 comment:
I like the way this new attitude sounds!! You sound much more upbeat and positive about your summer. That is great. But damn, girl! 7am... a walk! That is so early! But I support you and well done on this Masters... that will be the best part of all. I could see you working in Higher Ed. Well done, you.
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