RBoC: Semester Imminent Edition

Sorry, I've been so sporadic with the blogging and not really posting much substance. While I was traveling, I didn't have much time to blog and since getting home, I am just trying to get something done before all of the students invade Small College Town again.

• I didn't finish that paper I started back in May. I am not going to finish it before my dossier is submitted, either. Nothing actually leaves my department until October, so I will be sure it is in review by then, but the distractions of summer got the best of me again. I was so productive in May when D was still in school- even when MM arrived, but by July things just started to fall apart. It's OK, though.
• I set up up my GIGANTIC (I will take a picture today) new office computer yesterday. I still need to go install all the software today. We do have a tech person to do all of this, but since I know how to do it myself and I don't want to wait for him to return from being out of town, I just went ahead. The CPU box weighed 70 pounds! I also got a 24" monitor. I couldn't afford to get a second one and I planned to keep one of my old CRTs, but there are NO drivers available for Vista, so I will have to go to a single monitor until our grant money comes in (my U bought the computer because of the grant, since we had to trim our budget)
• I did a lot of cleaning projects this summer. I cleaned out every closet in the house (guest room, our room, D's room, hall closet, pantry) and yesterday donated a ton of stuff to the Vietnam Veterans. We also cleared a lot of stuff out of our basement. We've been in this house for four years, which is the longest I've lived in the same house/apartment since high school! We still had a lot of baby stuff for D and I will still be making a trip or two to Goodwill to get rid of the rest. I used to think we might have another baby at some point, but now it doesn't really seem desirable (D is almost 8). I've also been trying to jazz up the house with some minor decorating (new curtains, throw pillows, finally replacing my college stereo cabinet from 1990!) Summer just seems like the time to do these things!

All of our crap!

New curtains (JC Penney) & throw pillows (Meijer)

• I am avoiding thinking too much about classes until I absolutely have to. I have to finish revising my dossier and get some research things organized before classes start in two weeks, so I will wait until the last minute to get syllabi in order. After classes start, I can get back to that paper that I meant to finish over the summer.

I'll post some more photos later of the monstrous tower.