Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Enough is Enough

When this adventure started, we talked about getting the “intruder” out of my head. As time went on, I felt that aliens had inhabited my body and felt alienated from my old self. While those were accurate expressions at the time, they’re not helping me come to terms with my very good life as it is, so I’m in search of new ways to think about these things, to reframe the oddity of my experiences these days. I’m unquestionably different than I used to be, and there are parts of the difference that are for the better. There are other parts that I’m still hoping will change, time and neuroplasticity assisting. Even those aspects, though, can be incorporated into a full and good existence, so that’s my goal. No exact approach has emerged yet, but as looking for it is the first step, that's the mode I'm in. All suggestions welcome.

Meanwhile, it is a glorious fall day here and the leaves on the maple tree outside our window are almost luminous. Our spirits are doubly high as today’s news out of the university means that we’re on a path for a new chapter here, one that can only be better. Hooray!

Both Michael and I have come down with something, likely from our travels over the weekend. Or, maybe we picked it up before the trip, as yesterday’s class was full of students sniffling and sneezing; we’re in that season here. The classrooms I teach in all have hand sanitizer these days, and I carry it with me as well. The students are good-natured about my requirement that they clean their hands after they’ve been negotiating (and shaking hands) at the end of class. Yesterday, I overheard one calling her dad on the way out the door to report I make them do that and telling him she hoped he was happy and would stop worrying.

Since I’m scheduled to do a long-planned presentation today that is to be videotaped as part of the dissemination plan for a funded project, the day is going to require balancing rest and exertion. We’re both feeling under the weather, but not all the way down and no fevers, so probably not the flu. All in all, a pretty good day, made only better by this morning’s news. Cheers to all.

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