2005-05-24 - 7:41 a.m.

...you can't take it with you....

Yesterday's final exam brought 1 student whose mother had cancer, 2 students in car accidents, 3 students who came without calculators, and 4 students who came without pencils. (FIVE GOOOLLLLDDDDD RINGS.) It also brought another apology from the irritator, through my half-closed door. I am soo tired of my students.

Unfortunately, it has also brought a sharp pain that I feel everytime I inhale - the pain starts in the right side of my throat and then propogates down into my chest. Breathing feels like I'm inhaling fire, but strangely it does not feel like a cold or flu. The pain is at its worst at the end of the day, when I try to lie down. I somehow suspect that I have abused a muscle group in the stress of this ending semester, although I am loading my body with vitamins and astragalus. Yesterday as I sat on the bus, I thought, this place is not healthy for me.

A second unfortunately is that I have to get on an airplane this afternoon; I am not packed; I am not finished with my preparations for my visit tomorrow; I am in pain; my apartment is a mess; I have a meeting today that I do not wish to attend....I am simply wishing for this week to be OVER.

In other interesting news, a certified letter has arrived from Vancouver yesterday - but it has arrived via DHL which means that they will not deliver it until this afternoon - AFTER I am on the plane...AAAHHHH. So I will not know what it holds until the weekend, unless I call Phlox and let her in on the secret.

In further interesting developments, our new distinguished faculty member has recently discovered what is happening to our department, largely because he guessed the reason for my trips to Canada. We had a coffee and I explained some of the events of the past year. Yesterday, he asked if there were anything that that the college could do to change my mind. He plans to meet with the president to discuss some of the issues in our group. He also started trying to find a position for K to get him here more quickly. I am extremely touched by his efforts, but not at all convinced that he will be successful.

Time to kick myself into gear for the day. Am thinking peaceful thoughts.