June 6, 2023

Rumination on my interview and teaching, disposal repair, dog went to the groomers.

Daily Diary, Day 1008: Don't ask me how the zoom interview went, because I have no idea of how to judge this sort of thing. In fact, I'm not entirely sure it isn't simply going to be transcribed to be in print rather than used as a video.

What it did was remind me of the energy it takes to "perform," even for fifteen minutes. Hard to believe I performed as a professor for three hours a day, day after day, for decades.

I always got that shot of adrenaline, whether the class had 15 or 200 students in it, trying to carry the audience's interest through with my own energy, while internally editing because, even if I had given a certain lecture thousands of time, the time I had always varied. Some days it was the announcements I had to make at the beginning of class, sometimes it was a student asking questions, sometimes it was finding myself getting carried away with an historical tidbit, but in every case, suddenly I would realize I needed to drop something else (or speak faster- smile) to make sure I got all the main points made before the class bell rang. Getting further and further behind during the semester wasn't an option, not if I wanted the students to be prepared for the next essay (or if I wanted to make it to the Civil War in the first semester or to the Civil Rights movement and the War in Vietnam in the second half.) There were colleagues who were known for simply throwing up their hands and saying if they made it to WWI by the end of the year they were doing good!

Anyhow, I found the 10-15 minutes I spoke in the interview fun, but exhausting. In some ways, the actual work shop, although 3 hours, may be easier because I should have time to break up with questions, and I will prepare a handout that people can find afterwards with all the resources, with links, that I mention (or don't mention if I run out of time!)

Anyway, much calmer day, today. The repair person who came to replace the disposal was a chatty man who had come from Ukraine some 40 years ago, and I learned all about his wife, his 3 kids, his grandkids, and how the current war was particularly hard on his wife, who lost relatives to the Nazis in WWII.

But disposal all fixed, and I actually got some writing done, and I already have written over 700 words today. My husband walked the dog when the repair person first arrived, then sat outside with Leeza, then took her to the groomers for a nice bath. He walked her to and from the groomers, and that, plus all the other walks, and excitement of being groomed, tuckered them both out!

Photo below is of Leeza when she first got back and now, when she is sound asleep! The bow is compliments of the groomer who has been doing this job in that location for 40 years!