Random week's-end observations

No, it's not really the end of the week, but it's the end of my week in University City, which will, until December, see me there from very early Monday morning until very late Thursday night...
- That constitutes observation #1. I'm tired. I got home at 5:30 (about 6 hours earlier than I will, once classes start) and slunk down in front of the TV, and now am having a nightcappish drink at 7pm. Not exactly how I normally live my life. And I haven't even taught yet! I have to say, I'm apprehensive about four long days in a row - and they will of necessity be long days because of my bizarre all-evening teaching schedule (yes, three nights a week, two of them in a row) - in University City, staying in someone else's home. Especially because I'm always lugging shit around - my neck hurts, too. I don't think this year is going to be easy on the body.

- Really, though, I am so lucky. Going into next week - the first week of teaching - I reflect on the logistics of my year. Last year, my first, I had 130 students, three new preps at a time, and completely alarming first-year students in an Intro to the discipline. This year, I have 50 students, two preps because I teach the same class twice, one class per term that I've taught before, and only third- and fourth-year students. I wonder if I will ever have such a good teaching year again.

- One of my new departmental colleagues pulled me into her office for a nice chat the other day. She is, as is everyone, lovely. She brought up the tenure-track posting the department will have this year, telling me again I'd be well-positioned for it. I did make a wee blunder - I told her I prefer teaching upper-year students, which prompted her to tell me that I'd have to teach the Intro if I were here in the long term. Of course, I said - I would expect to have to teach the Intro wherever I end up. And I mean that - I wouldn't expect to be exempt from that as a junior faculty member. Anyway, anyway, I hope she wasn't put off by that. They keep telling me about this position. I can't help but get my own hopes up. Eee.

- As per my decision to take up another form of dance now that I'm not doing The Activity - a dance form - anymore, I looked into a bunch of options. There are many more choices in Home City, but they don't really work with my schedule, since it would have to be on the weekend and I'm going to be away constantly in the fall. So I was leaning toward the default, adult ballet (ballet not being my first choice) in Uni City on Tuesday nights. I was waffling, though, because of my fatiguing schedule. In my waffling yesterday - just before I was about to leave the office to go and register - I noticed for the first time the directive on the dance school's website that in the teen and adult ballet classes, you must wear a black leotard, pink tights, and pink ballet slippers.

That made my decision for me. No way. And it's not really a question of what I'd be wearing (though I really, really don't relish a leotard), but rather that I can't stand having a uniform dictated like that. For beginner classes, for chrissakes. For adults. I'd rather wait till my schedule opens up and be able to take dance at what is really the best possible place in the country, in Home City, with no sartorial requirements whatsoever. Down with dance fascism!

Off to finish my nightcap and read some blogs. I'm so liking reading blogs these days - all about the first days back, new roles, old roles redefined...