09/15/2011

 July: we went to colorado and i met nick’s mother.  
August: we went to Iowa and Nick met my family, attended the Fair, and beheld the circus that was the Republican Straw Poll. 

Since then, life is turning into a large academic blur.  I’m teaching again, two sections of Intro to Music.  It’s better than the last time (I know more) and harder (starting over from scratch after previous lectures, etc. were lost in a hard drive crash).  I officially started my PhD and am buried in the 400+ pages of reading for which I am suddenly responsible each week.  

Yes you read that correctly.  

I’m still adjusting a bit, but not ever having to go back to Starbucks (quit just before I went to IA) and getting to spend every day reading and looking up stuff is turning out to be nearly too good to be true.  In spite of my own worst fears, I seem to actually be liked by my professors.  

There was an earthquake, and a hurricane.  And water leakage.  And then my birthday.