Approaching a Summer Research Course with a Sense of Humor...How Else to Condense 15 Weeks Into 4? Phew.

About a month ago I went into a panic, trying to figure out how I would teach 30 individuals in a 4-week course, where it traditionally is taught over 15 weeks with 1/3 the number. I managed to talk the Dean into dividing the enrollment in half (very thankful) and into two courses but still wondered how I might do all that needs to be done in 1/2 the time. It's a pacing quagmire.

But I like puzzles. I like challenges. And I like creative solutions. If the tsunami comes, I have my inflatable toy ready to make a game of it. I learned long ago that the only thing Sisyphus can can control within the frustration of it all is his attitude. I choose sense of humor. Actually, I don't choose it; it is, what it is, and I can't help it.

I procrastinated all the other things on my list yesterday by spending 8 hours arranging the syllabus and website for the June course. I don't think I've ever had preparation done so early. I know, however, because the demands are high, the class can be intense, and we are all on a ZOOM (K'Boom) reality, I need to be proactive to make engagement as lively, whimsical, and worthwhile as possible. Those 4 weeks will fly and I want to keep their frustration to a minimum.

I think I have it all figured out and when I finished at 8 p.m. last night and came downstairs to see what was going on with the boys, Chitunga announced he was going to bed early because he stayed up too late last night and Edem took Glamis for a long walk. So, I decided to pour a bourbon and give in to an evening of mindless television, which was more of Schitt's Creek, season IV. I did too much intellectual sleuthing and problem-solving during the day, so I need to be an idiot for a while at night.

Happy day of rest, world. After a long, long day of cold winds and rain, I'm looking forward to a dry day this morning. The sky is blue. The sun is out. And humans will be humans.

Happy travails.