It's Only Week Two?

Typically, I really like spring semester better than fall. I think it's because the pace is typically faster right out of the gate (because I'm already in the groove from fall as are the students) and because that week smack in the middle works better for me than 2 days in the middle and three days for Thanksgiving at the end (it actually feels like a break).

That said, I find myself sitting here today feeling like it can't just be week 2 because of all of the stuff I've got going on and that I'm taking on (because I'm a fool).

Things going actively going on:

• I have an R&R that I said I'd get in no later than Feb. 15. I've yet to begin working on it.
• I've got a conference I'm attending the week after that, and I've done nothing for the paper aside from vague thinking.
• I'm back on task with the committee for revising our major, and so I've got stuff to do for that (kind of a lot of stuff actually).
• Did I mention I'm teaching 4 classes, which include 4 different preps and one of them brand spanking new?
• I'm advising my students who wanted to do the reading group, but let's just say that I've not done the reading. Woops.

Now, my trip last weekend was grand and I had an awesome time, but looking over this list, I feel like it might have been wiser to take to my bed for the weekend and rest up. Ah well. Coulda shoulda woulda.

Other irons in the fire:

• Tentative plans to visit FB in March! Huzzah!
  
• Conference proposal for me for summer (which I shouldn't do because it won't be funded, but I really want to go, so there we are). This will later involve writing a paper.
  
• If my reading group students don't crap out, helping them put together something for the above conference.
• Conference paper for spring conference, though seriously: the research will primarily involve watching hours of television and scouring "sources" like Entertainment Weekly. And the conference involves a long weekend with BFF and Friend By Association (FBA) that will take place in New Orleans. I really can't get it up to be anxious over anything in this bullet, for this is the Bullet of Awesomeness.
  
• I appear to have taken on the task of organizing a conference. The conference won't happen until 2011, but yes, I think I'm actually doing this. I might be stupid, but I think it could be really cool. Remind me of this 2 years from now when I'm beating myself up for wanting to do things that are a ton of work and that make one crazy.
• I'm teaching two classes this summer, one a piece of cake (am teaching it this semester, taught it last summer, have taught it every year of my life, etc.) but the other a) a brand new prep where I've only read one of the novels on the syllabus, b) the first grad course I'll be teaching in our MA program, c) on a topic on which I am totally not an expert. Because I am a person with big ideas who doesn't think carefully about execution until it is too late.

So yes. I've got a lot going on. From now until at least June, but really from now until about 2011. Even though technically I don't need to do anything anymore because really, I'm done jumping through hoops, right? Except apparently I have two speeds: idling and 100 MPH. Oh, and I'm also contemplating taking my aunt up on her offer of using her beach house in N. Carolina for a vacation, and, lest we forget, my dad's dying and I'm supposed to go visit him again in the upcoming weeks. AND I'm still on the fitness wagon. And doing well, in spite of busy-ness and travels and such.

I'll say this, I was ready for 2008 to be over because I felt like it was the year filled with things that lingered - nothing was new or exciting or whatever. Well, so far? 2009 is shaping up to be one heck of a different kind of a year. I think this is good, though we shall see.