Just a quick update...

I take back every other complaint I have every made about being too busy - because what I am right now is ridiculously busy! Teaching two classes, writing a dissertation, finding a job, and being YW president is a 30-hour-a-day life, I have decided. I simply cannot figure out how to get everything done reasonably well and on time. I used to like that saying about "what doesn't destroy me makes me stronger" - except right now I kind of feel like it might destroy me! ;) (Even if it is all good stuff, somewhere deep down under the stress.)

So quick update on the above:

Teaching: I am really enjoying my two classes this semester, although my crim class is almost deathly silent. I seem to have a very good group of students this time around (although the first exam is just coming up, so I reserve the right to change that!) I would be ecstatic if I just had to teach, but I'm finding it a real challenge to get prepared for crim (which I've never taught before, so it's all from scratch) with everything else going on.

Dissertation: I am officially a doctoral candidate and am right on pace to graduate this summer. This is good, as I really have to graduate this summer, ready or not. I'll be starting to collect data shortly, so everyone can look forward to my pleas for assistance.

Job: I have an interview on March 3rd at Briar Cliff University, which is in Sioux City, IA. Funny enough, that's the home town of my favorite basketball player. Briar Cliff is a small (1100 students), liberal arts college, which is pretty much the type of place I've always wanted to teach. In fact, the only drawback is that it's in Iowa, which isn't exactly driving distance from home. I shopped for appropriate interview clothes yesterday - I hate shopping for clothes, period, but especially when it's for something I won't wear often and that costs more than my usual clothes. I think I did OK, though, and no point in complaining (much) about a necessity, right? I'll be there overnight - dinner the night I arrive, then interviews all day, and I have to get a teaching presentation ready.

YW: They're still there. I still enjoy the girls almost all of the time. I'm still feeling a little fed up with the parts of the calling that involve things other than the actual YW, but I'll survive. They are all traumatized right now that I actually and truly am going to graduate and likely will be moving somewhere else. You can really tell the shift in maturity toward adulthood - my Laurel managed to be excited I had a job interview at a place I'm seriously interested in. The Beehives couldn't get past the fact it would mean I'd be gone - they thought that working with them was so important that I really need to be considering local jobs even though it would mean doing something outside of my field. I mean, who could possibly leave them? ;) Of course, the Laurel is graduating, so I suppose that's a factor.

And the cats are fine - the sink in my master bathroom is still not hooked up to the drain outlet - the weather is cold, but not unbearably so - my house is a disaster, but I do have clean laundry and dishes for the week so I'm doing better than I was!