Sunday, August 23, 2009

Summer recap

My summer unpaid-voluntary-leave-of-absence is coming to an end. (Saying "vacation" would make it sound like I got paid, doesn't it?) I can't believe classes start tomorrow. I spent this weekend in coffee houses prepping my courses, but I'm still not emotionally prepared for summer to be over. What did I do with my summer?:

  • Visited a handful of museums in Balboa Park.
  • Went on one trip, a very nice visit to old haunts in Arizona.
  • Read 15 books.
  • Spent a lot of time in meetings with architects designing a new science building for the college.
  • Steadily worked on curriculum for the upcoming academic year.
  • Wrote many letters to state legislators about the budget situation.
  • Visited a Congressional office to discuss NASA and NSF funding and relationship to education.
  • Became a tourist attraction for the evening that I performed the planetarium shows at the R.H. Fleet Center in Balboa Park.
  • Fan-girled all over Comic-Con.
  • Saw a musical.
  • Discovered new beaches.
  • Ate at many new restaurants.
  • Finally found chocolate cream pie.
  • Hosted Greg's folks for a weekend.
  • Participated in Laurie Halse Andersen's "Write For Fifteen Minutes A Day"-challenge.

I make this list because I always feel like I don't accomplish enough over the summer. Looking at this list, there are glaring absences, goals that just didn't get done. Hopefully, I won't wait til next summer!

3 comments:

Greg van Eekhout said...

Gawd, you're lazy. Get a job.

(Okay, I am now fetching you chocolate.)

Judy said...

What a productive summer. My list I fear, if I made it, would not be nearly that long.

My first day is tomorrow, but I've still got a bit more than a week until I have to stand before the kids and do something serious. I DO however need to do some prep. This week too will pass way too quickly.

Dr. Lisa said...

Greg - many thanks for the chocolate and companionship!

Judy - good luck! I spent so much time in meetings this past week that I feel totally unprepared for tomorrow!