Here Goes

Today was my first paid day at PSU, prepping for the classes I'll be teaching in a couple weeks. Not a whole lot to report; there was some paperwork, some "Welcome" speeches, and we met a slew of people that it will take weeks to learn the names of, anyway. My favorite moment involved the discussion about trying to create low-paper-use classrooms this year, proceeded by the distribution of about 10 documents, all of which were also available "on-line" in case we lost them.

Some things about work never seem to change.

It's a little too early to tell how I feel about it all, but so far, so good. I haven't had a job in almost nine months, and haven't really interacted in large crowds like that since classes ended in Spring Term, so it's a little weird. While I was milling around today, I managed to sort out my bus pass for the term, and re-connected with other people who will also be teaching, all of whom I met in the Spring.

The biggest change is the morning routine. I haven't had to get up early for any particular reason in a while, and I forgot how quickly the morning can slip away from you when you have to be somewhere before noon. I need to get back into the habit of waking up at 6 AM again, but I have a feeling I'll be fighting that one for the first couple of weeks, at least.

I do find it fairly hilarious that, on the first day of my school year, the Fall Weather took hold of Portland again. We've already had the first few portents anyway, so it's not at all surprising that it rained. But the last few days of my summer were so pleasant, it only made sense that it should turn to crap the day its over.

Personally, though, I'm looking forward to Fall & Winter. This Summer has been depressing in a way I had previously thought impossible, punctuated with extreme poverty, loneliness, and an endless string of watched DVDs that ultimately left me unfulfilled, and empty. After three months of that, any change is a welcome one.