So, it's been what, 2 months since I last blogged? Those faithful souls who still (maybe?) check in from time to time, I salute you.
Academic summer
I'd say that Monday officially began my academic summer. Turned in grades Friday, made it through commencement on Sunday (sweating through my regalia). This semester seemed particularly draining. Perhaps it had to do with teaching the winter term and then gearing right back up for the spring term with a week to spare. Perhaps it had to do with dealing with a mentally draining and emotionally exhausting experience with a student who, among many other things, struggled with mental illness. Perhaps it had to do with the stress of awaiting my mid-probationary review results (a performance review at the halfway point to tenure) in light of one of my colleagues
not attaining tenure. (For the record, I passed with "flying colors" according to the Dean. Whew.) Perhaps it also had to do with several instances of figuring out life as a part of a partnership with two working parents and a sick kid. Sick kid = can't go to daycare. Ear infections, Rotavirus (that was a new one), hives, hand foot mouth, pinkeye and just various and sundry fevers, congestion and cough. No joke. We had that humidifier blasting. Stayed wiping everything down with Clorox wipes. The custodians may have had to vacuum up more than their fair share of cracker crumbs in my office and my colleagues may have heard more than their fair share of crying, banging of xylophones and roaring of toy dinosaurs. Little boy is going to have quite the robust immune system.
Anyway. Don't be deceived by the carefree sound of an "academic summer." It's not like, once grades are in, I vegetate until September. Nawl. There are book reviews to write, articles to submit, new courses to prep for. I'm teaching Junior Seminar in the fall, which is kind of a big deal and I want it to be successful. Let's not talk about the bookstore breathing down my neck. "What texts are you using for SPA 450 in the fall?"
I don't knoooowww yettttt.
However, one of the upsides to academia, is definitely having more unstructured time over the summer, and having the chance to travel for "research," heh, heh. No, seriously, it is for research, but in what other profession would I be able to travel to Europe for free with my husband in tow? Which brings me to...
Spain!
So, I'm supposed to be doing archival research for the purposes of "contextualizing" an article I'm planning to submit. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I guess I have to start somewhere. What better way to use my generous travel/supply grant than to plunge into the archives and bring my husband along in the process? P and I have both been to Spain separately back in the day when we studied abroad, but have never been together. I've always wanted to travel internationally with P, and our son is old enough to leave him with grandparents for a while, so we're going for it! We celebrated our 4th anniversary this month and didn't do anything super fancy. So I told P going to Spain together will be our anniversary trip/post-baby moon. Lol. I'm really excited about it. I'll do my work in the morning, but once the archive closes mid-afternoon, we'll have lots of time to ourselves.
I'm looking forward to having café con leche at a cozy café, having all kinds of wonderful tapas, sitting in the plaza in the evenings and soaking up the summer air and maybe going to a Flamenco show or two. I fell in love with Spain and I'm finally getting to go with the one I love.
Buddy
Our little guy is not so little anymore. He's 16 months old this month. Not walking quite yet...he pulls up, can stand unsupported and he can walk pushing his little "puppy walker." I know it's not far off. I've let his curls grow out a little. He's a gorgeous cutie guy, but he's also developing a little will. He says "no"
quite often and sometimes hits at us or throws toys when he doesn't get his way. I was raised old school (i.e. got my butt whooped), but we're not doing that with little bud. Not saying I believe I was abused or anything, but there are definitely more effective methods of discipline. I think the main thing is for us to be in agreement and be consistent. Even though little buddy has shown himself to be a drama king at times, he understands and listens when we tell him "no." When P says "no" firmly, sometimes bud cries. Awww. But it makes me feel like if he cries just by us saying "no," maybe saying "no" will be enough of a deterrent. For now...
