RBOC: Back to school (& blogging) edition

• Today is move-in day at Small College Town U, so I am staying away from campus (as I've done all week, anyway!) D and I usually go shopping on move-in day, but since her tummy is not feeling quite right, we are going tomorrow instead- plus it's supposed to rain off and on all day.
• I feel pretty ready for classes, but need to get research organized. I am VERY excited and optimistic about my new RA for this year. I had met her back in February before offering her the position and thought she would be good. I saw her again this week and am still feeling good about my choice. I only wish I had more than one year of funding left on this grant. She can switch to a teaching assistantship next year if needed (unless I magically get some more money before then). The worst part is that I essentially wasted last year's money on the useless RA (at least s/he is out of my hair now!)
• So I mentioned classes- I've got three of them this semester for the first time since 2006. I've had course releases the last two years (and my first two years here, too) and really enjoyed that! Now I am back to my full load of 3-2 and my 3-course semester HAS to be taught over all five days. I've got labs for my Big Freshmen Course and I can't squeeze everything into just MWF- unless I wanted to teach one of my classes as a once-a-week class. None of my classes are really suited for that, so I am stuck with every day. I will be done at noon every day (other than the day I have all those labs), so that's some consolation.
• D starts next Tuesday and she is also pretty much ready. We don't know which of her friends will be in her class this year- just the ones that won't be! She is not doing girl scouts this year, because our troop leader quit- mainly because of a mother of a girl NOT in our troop making things difficult- such a bummer. She is still doing riding lessons and piano. She did a children's theater workshop last week and LOVED it, so I'll be on the look out for more of those activities for her. I can't believe she'll be in 4th grade (and turning 10 in less than two months!)
• I am hoping to really get myself in gear in this year. I spent way too much time being lazy after tenure, then wallowing in self-pity after the miscarriage (it's been 16 months now) and need to just get back to my life. I am exercising regularly again, and am thinking I might go back on weight watchers (AFTER my birthday in a couple of weeks). I need to lose weight and I don't think exercise alone is going to do it. I think it should fit in well with my plans to be more disciplined about work and everything else. Ugh- I hate dieting, though...
• I would like to be blogging more frequently, too- I'm sure I'll have plenty of things to blog about with my teaching load this semester!