August 22: Good News In the Midst of Bad News

Well, yesterday afternoon I wrote about receiving bad news when I was expecting good news.  This afternoon, I'm going to write about receiving good news when I was expecting bad news.

Again, the details are irrelevant.  Suffice to say, I went to an English Department meeting today, and I heard about the contract negotiations with the university administration.  I was expecting bad news.  Really bad news.  Instead, I got a surprise.  The contract sounds good.  I mean, really good.  Better-than-I-could-have-hoped good.  I think it's going to be a really good fall semester, money-wise.  Santa came early.

I know this attitude is uncharacteristically sunny for me.  I wasn't feeling uncharacteristically sunny when I woke up this morning, but this contract stuff has altered my outlook.  Of course, when I checked my e-mail after the department meeting, I found an communication from my sister-in-law about some property taxes coming due on the family camp.  That took some of the wind out of my sails, but my ship isn't sinking.  It's just moving a little more slowly.

Full steam ahead for the S. S. Saint Marty.

Generally, I'm more of a Vlad