I'm out

Results of the run-off for P&B were in today. Two candidates got enough votes to get in, but there has to be another run off for the third position--and based on what was going on with my candidacy, I've withdrawn my name from consideration. I'm disappointed--and I confess my ego is a little bruised, as it is a bit of a popularity contest (and my numbers went down, not up): I truly do/did like doing the work, though sometimes the stress levels got pretty high. Ah well. There was a moment last week when I considered withdrawing anyway, just as a stress alleviator--and now the stress will be alleviated. One of those times when the universe helps out by making sure the best thing happens, despite what we may think we want. I already am thinking of ways to take it a lot easier next year, committee-wise (I can afford to relax for a year before I start pushing for full); among other things, I hope I can refocus attention on my teaching--and on the large (and wonderful) changes happening in my personal life.

Both classes went pretty well today, and I had productive meetings with two students in my office. One is working very very hard to comprehend The Left Hand of Darkness: he admits that he doesn't read much, so it's a skill he hasn't developed. We worked on strategies to help him--and I suggested (among other things) that he start focusing on what he does understand instead of what he doesn't: the sense of getting it will begin to self-reinforce, instead of feeling confused, which tends to lead to a block against understanding (the brain feels dizzy and can't take in even things that normally would make sense). I hope it helped: the students have proposals for their final papers due at the start of next week, and the ones who have a hard time understanding the novel are going to be facing a brutally difficult task.

The other student who came to my office came in to work on a revision (special circumstance, so he gets a little more time). But I think I mentioned him earlier: he's sharing the novel with friends at work, discussing it there, and having a blast getting his mind blown. He's really grooving on it now: mega-cool.

I probably have more I could say, but it's getting late and since I was too wound up to sleep well last night (got about 4 hours worth) and still feel wired for sound, despite eyelids made of heavy-grit sandpaper, so I need to find ways to unjazz myself. My usual soporifics haven't been working well of late, so I'm not quite sure what I'll try, but here's hoping for success.