As I approach the first week of classes, the pace has picked up on campus quite noticeably in several ways. I’m getting about four emails a day from people trying to schedule meetings I am supposed to attend, my department mailbox has received a flurry of paper about various events, and students are already asking me for syllabi, though classes don’t start for another week.

I’m excited though, because this term I teaching a composition class entirely online and themed around online community and participation; I think it will be really cool! Also, my grad class will be fun–I’m finally teaching one I’ve taught before–so I can incorporate things that have worked well before and drop those that didn’t. –It’s nice to finally get to a “second draft.” I kind of wish I could teach two sections–it’s been over-enrolled by almost half again several times since last spring.

And, the books I shipped via ground transport from the Netherlands have finally arrived, and seem to have survived their journey intact. –I was starting to wonder what I could possibly do fro here if they didn’t show up. The box of cocoa powder leaked a bit, so now the books all smell chocolatey. Which, if I was going to choose a scent, isn’t bad at all…