Food-Free Post

This morning my coworker J and I went to speak to University Seminar instructors. They teach the optional "Intro to College Life" class that has a library component, and we encourage them to come to the library for a session with a librarian. For many first-year students, that visit is only their first or second time in our library, and we count on that opportunity to introduce them to what's here (I sure wish that class was mandatory!). A large percentage of them will never come back with another class to work with a librarian. I went to speak to this group on the same weekend a year ago, though I did it solo last time. So how did the two experiences compare?

• I'm noticeably fatter this year.
• I stayed up just as late last night as a year ago, but it wasn't to work on slides in my office.
• I knew many people in the room this time, and several offered kind praise about my past work.
  
• I'm back in my office blogging after the presentation, nearly at the same minute of the day as last year. To be honest, I haven't listened to that Lyle Lovett cd very much since I got it. Today I'm listening to The Joshua Tree and feeling very "in the groove." (I think I need to get the remastered edition I linked to here. What do you think?)
  
• I don't have all the answers, but I understand the situation much better, having actually taught a few of these classes now. I think we made some improvements in the program last year, but we still need to make the instruction more active and digestible. I'm happy to have someone to partner with this time around.
• Last year, I came back to the office and did some follow-up work, and then probably went home and lazed away the afternoon. I had some work to do back then, but really no understanding of what was coming once school started, and nothing like the long to-do list I have now. This year, I'm already late to a Church/seminary activity that's going to run until 8 or 9 pm, I haven't finished the follow-up work from this morning, and I'm not sure when I'm going to work on the training presentation I have to take to a county school inservice conference next week.
  

Here's one thing that's possibly different. Last year I was new and excited (as excited as I ever get, which maybe isn't much) about working with these instructors and teaching these classes. Now, the bloom is off the rose and I've been around the block once. I've struggled all summer with motivation and interest (yes, I struggle with that every day, but it's been really bad this summer), and I haven't worked nearly as hard as I should have on various projects, including this one. But talking about it with J this week and talking to the instructors this morning, I felt a tiny spark of something like enthusiasm. I wish I could stay here for a few more hours and gently blow on that spark to nurture it into a flame. Instead, it's going to have to fend for itself against the wind while I go off to other activities (for which I have a whole other set of motivation problems!). So, I'm hoping it stays nice and dry for the next several days. If it's raining Monday morning, that little spark doesn't have a chance!