And after lunch

* Despite a somewhat-upset stomach (it happens to me when I'm stressed), I came home, fixed a cup of tea, ate a little fruit and a piece of bread and some cheese so I guess I'm OK for the rest of the day.

* A few people counseled me to call up the offending office and scream at them until they undo the things but this is how some people don't know me very well: it would be harder and more stressful to me to get that angry with another human being than it is for me to just grumble and change the things myself.

But:

- Both the local AAUP chapter and the Faculty Senate are going to try to deal with the issue of "office overreach" and hopefully they do something

- This tells me for NEXT semester I just copy the previous semester's/year's class I had (set up the way I wanted it) instead of asking for a "new 'blank' course" because the new course won't be "blank." And I'll make a point to say "Don't use the 16-weekly-format because that doesn't work with how I teach" and see what they say.

* But yeah. I'm telling myself I will be happier once I walk into the classroom and start actually doing what is my job: teaching. It's dealing with some of the campus offices that is soul-sucking and discouraging because there are people in them who think I don't know what I want, and they think they know better than I do.

* Bell choir is tonight and I think I need it. I hope Mike is there and is up for a hug because I need that too.

* And yeah, I guess God has a sense of humor about things - I had been waiting and watching for my "birb quilt" to be done, and it was never done (I think it took longer than the 10 weeks quoted, but whatever. I asked for more complex work on it). I came home at lunch to a message from the place - it's done, ready to pick up.

So, even though I wasted my entire morning fighting BlackBoard (and other things: reassuring my student about the "certificate" thing, asking about a hinky-looking e-mail that did, indeed, turn out to be a phishing attempt that might be JUST sophisticated enough to trap a few people on campus), I am going out this afternoon to pick it up.

I'm telling myself "this is the treat you said you needed but didn't feel like there was anything in town that would serve"

I should also deposit the check from the church. I admit I've been slow to do this because (a) part of me feels like I shouldn't take their money but (b) part of me also wonders if people would feel hurt if I DIDN'T accept it, based on what they said when Del refused the checks....it's hard being a person some times, especially if you care about other people's feelings. I suppose the answer is they wouldn't have sent it to me if they didn't want me to have it, and they know I always throw in when money is needed for a disaster-relief offering, or when the choir fund runs a little short, or whatever.