On your mark, get set, GO!

The spring semester is in full swing at PhD U and HBCU.

My workload for the PhD is going to be intense. Two courses, an independent study with my advisor (I need to come up with a name for her), and preparing for two conferences with my advisor. Course #1 does not have a lot of deliverables, but a ton of reading. Course #2 has a ton of deliverables and a lot of reading. Advisor and I will be meeting next week to devise a plan for my independent study, which is based on the prep work for our conferences and subsequent paper. At minimum, I want to come up with a way to combine the work in the two courses. One is a topic concentration course and the other is Qualitative Methods II. I think I can make that happen. The independent study is in the wheelhouse of the Topic Concentration course, and my advisor and I will be completing a qualitative study. But, I feel that this may be pushing the envelope too far.

As for HBCU, I am back to teaching the course online for this semester. That is actually a good thing. It save me time, as I do not have to go anywhere. However, I did revamp the course, with fewer deliverables. I have 32 students in the class. That is just too many for any course. I don't want to spend the bulk of my time in grading jail.

I made a promise to myself last week that I wasn't going to make more work for myself, hence the attempt to kill as many birds as possible with the same stone. However, I find myself thinking about cool stuff I could research for my courses or a interesting topic or assessment for my students. I caught myself this morning thinking about an assignment that would be relevant and authentic for my students, but such activity would result in a good amount of prep work and grading. And the students would enjoy...

Stop! Just stop!

I will jot down that idea and set it aside for another semester. I cannot make any more work for myself this semester. I do not want to be burned out or worse, have a flare. I am working out my plan for the semester. Deadlines and commitments..what to leave in, what to leave out.

Time to start running against the wind. 

Tracing Time

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon now you're gonna get older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time.

Changes by David Bowie 

Yesterday was my 48th birthday. I am trying to figure out where all that time went. I mean, how did I get to be 48 years old? 

I am trying wrap my mind around the fact that I am knocking on the door of 50. I was ready for my forties. I had no fears about it. For me, my forties was all about embracing the woman that I have become, particularly in the latter part of my forties. I have reconciled some of my insecutites and continue to battle some that will just not die. But 50 is kind of scaring me a little. Husband will be 50 this October. He is dreading it. 

People say that I don't "look" like a 48 year old woman. Yesterday, I had fun playing "Guess my age" with strangers. No one came close. The guesses ranged between 30 and 35. In fact, I got a discount on my coffee because the guy guessed 30. I don't know what 48 is supposed to feel like either. Everyone within my age group talks about having more aches and pains. I experienced aches and pains since I was 32, but that was because of the RA. Otherwise, I have not noticed any new aches and pains. To be honest, I don't know if they would be any different than RA pain. Oh, I have noticed some changes with my lady parts, but I won't go there. 

In all honestly, even with the RA, I am in the best physical and mental shape of my life. Losing the weight and getting exercise has helped. I take good care of my body, especially my skin. Working on the PhD is keeping me mentally sharp, but even if I was still practicing law, I would find a way to keep my brain sharp and smart. Although, I did have a bit of a memory lapse when Husband was talking about the time we saw Bad Company back in the late 1990's. I honestly have no recollection of it. I texted one of my girlfriends who went to the show with us. She remembers it. No, I wasn't drunk or high. I honestly do not remember it! 

Maybe Bowie was right.