Day 4: 9/15/11 - "Hurt"

"You could have it all

My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way..."

-"Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails

There are days where you should just take the hint and go back to bed. Today was one of those days, though it didn't end too badly. Here's the recap:

I woke up with a pounding in my head and a stomach ache (bad omen #1), but I still made myself hit the gym...no excuses allowed. It took me longer than I expected to do my cardio, so of course I was running late, and my headache hadn't let up. I rush back to my apartment and start to pack my lunch and make my breakfast when I discover that my milk has soured (bad omen #2). So on a day where the temperature will be over a hundred, where the apartment is already pushing 90 degrees and where I'm rushed, I have to make oatmeal so that I'll have something to eat. I put the water on to boil, hit the shower (why wait for water to boil?), rush back to the kitchen and pour the oatmeal into the boiling water...and miss...getting some of the oatmeal under the eye. Yuck!!!! The smell of burning oatmeal is not pleasant! (bad omen #3). I gulp down the warm cereal, get dressed, fix the hair, grab the work bag, and head out the door, already 30 minutes behind schedule. Then I see my car...being watered by the sprinkler system at the apartment complex (bad omen #4). Not only is it a waste of water but the water is pour directly over the driver's side door...Yay, a 2nd shower for me!

Best Researcher Activity: I did get to have a little fun today as I had my students play a game to work on their research skills. The only downside? I get to grade...and grade...and grade some more this weekend! It was nice to try my hand at another "learn to do research" game and the students really got into it (could have been the extra points that were on the line!). I'm already thinking about what I can cover next Thursday and how to make it fun. It's startling how I'm finding my return to being a teacher to be the most fulfilling thing I'm doing right now. Even as I struggle with some of my students, I still stay positive and know that it will all work out. I hope I still have even this sliver of optimism as the semester continues.

Elsewhere on the Not Quiet Front: I'm still struggling with the merging of different areas in the library. We have so many things not working right that I'm finding it impossible to see what is working right. I'm hoping to get everything to an even keel soon so that new things, changes, improvement, whatever you want to call it, can start to take place. I just fear I'm going to run out of time...

New Name, Same Old Department: I'm mulling over the sort of "new" department name that we may be using soon. Not sure if I like it (though I don't dislike it). Just mostly wondering if the change is truly necessary and whether anyone , except for us internally, will even care. I'll just have to keep trying "Information Services & Student Engagement" out for a while. Wonder if it will stick?

Scavenger Hunts: I'm planning on having my students do my special "Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt" as a treat some time this semester. Not sure when but I will surprise them - if they earn it! But while I was planning mine, some of my students participated in the LC's Sustainability Scavenger Hunt. I didn't expect them to win, but I was happy they wanted to participate. I get a call at 2:05 from one of my students in a panic. "Where are you? We need help!" I told her to come over to the library - I wanted to see what was going on. Sure enough, they had a list of questions and wanted me to answer them. I refused (you know me, Ms. Goody Two Shoes), but I did show them how to search for information on the University's site. Once I got them going I watched them interact and work together. They started out so frustrated and I thought they would quit, but they surprised me and kept working at a rapid pace and then headed off to finish up what they could.

I finished my next meeting and as I'm heading back downstairs one of my staff members says "There is a group of girls here to see you...I think they are part of the spirit squad or something." Spirit Squad? Why in the world would they be coming to see me. Then it hit me..."Are they wearing the same shirt?" Yes. It's my students...uh oh...they must not have won. I go out to the desk to see what was going on and they are smiling...they actually won the scavenger hunt! Of course, it wasn't that simple and there was some controversy and a strange story that is not meant for here. But I was very proud of them (and they will have the ultimate gratitude of the rest of the class since the prize is a pizza party!). Congrats to the Pretty Runners (yep, that's the name they picked).

Not a bad way to finish up the day, even as I stared balefully at the expensive KIC scanner that we just purchased and that has stopped working...again. Maybe it will rain tomorrow - we definitely need it.