November 7: So Far, So Good

It has been an OK day.  I've been working hard since this morning, without any kind of let-up.  I corrected midterms and quizzes, put together some charts, answered some phones, and read some of the book I'm currently teaching for Good Books--Marya Hornbacher's Madness.

You know, when I chose my theme for this class, mental illness, I wanted to enlighten people, make them more aware of the issues surrounding mental illness in the world.  I didn't really count on the collective darkness of all of these books.  We have, basically, two more books to go, and one of them is Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar.  It's going to be a long haul to the end of the semester.  The last book we're reading is one of my favorites, Mr. Ives' Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos.  I think I've posted about it before.  It's the heartwarming story of a man whose son is gunned down in front of a church on Christmas Eve.  Yeah, these kids are going to be in therapy by the time I'm through with them.

I think I'm doing some good teaching these books, however.  I've had students talk to me about their struggles with depressions and ADHD and addictions.  I even had one kid thank me for making him read An Unquiet Mind by Kay Jamison.  Perhaps, despite the necessarily dark nature of the material, I really am opening some eyes.  That's the best thing, I think, any instructor can hope for.

It's either that, or I'm going to get slammed in my evaluations at the end of the semester.  Maybe I should give out more extra credit.

So, the best Saint Marty can say about today is, "So far, so good."

I need a mug like this