Two things that make it a little bit better:

1. a former student (who will be a grad student this coming fall; cool) stopped by my office to talk and he reminded me again that one of my classes was a "life-changing experience" for him.

2. when I went home at lunch, I found I have three ripe tomatoes - including a nice big fat heart-shaped one, wish I remembered what variety. Tonight, I am going to make bruschetta, the single best food in the whole wide world, for dinner. And I even have a wedge of real Parmesan cheese to shave on the top of it.

yeah, I know, I can't stay away even ONE day. I'm hooked on spewing out my whole life for everyone to see