August 29: Back to School, Back to Work, Back to Skunks

I will be back in the classroom this afternoon.  I'm experiencing my usual first-day-of-class jitters, even though I've been doing this gig twice as long as my daughter's been alive.  (That's over 20 years, for those of you who are mathematically challenged.)  I always get nervous when I meet a new group of students for the first time.  I think it goes back to my low self-esteem, my need to be liked/loved, and my Catholic angst about not being good enough/smart enough/ holy enough/ whatever enough to do anything.

And I am also back to work, obviously.  I spent last night finishing Mockingjay, finally.  It was a great series of books and definitely teachable.  As a college English professor, I always think about whether I can use a book in class.  My next Good Books course is probably going to center around post-apocalyptic, dystopian books.  (Yes, I'm already planning my next class.)  I found the whole Hunger Games series really satisfying.  The ending had a melancholy that appealed to my darker tastes.  Can't recommend these books enough.

This morning, as I was heading up the street in my car, I saw a skunk cross in front of me.  It waddled into a neighbor's garage.  I know it wasn't a cat.  Too squat.  Too compact.  Tail was too bushy.  Now, I might have said something to this neighbor tonight if I liked him and his family.  I don't.  So, I hope they have a close encounter with their black-and-white visitor today.  Better him than me.  I know that's not a very saintly thing to say, but I'm just being honest.

Saint Marty, keepin' it real.

I don't get no respect!