one down

OK, I made it through the first full teaching day of the semester. What I usually thought was a day all about me turned out to be a day all about everyone else: scores of students wanting to add into my classes, a few special needs students, two TAs who are (understandably) intimidated to address a group of 150 students, two dogs needing to be walked and fed and played with and loved, nervous job candidate making it through the second day, second job candidate needing picked up at airport, several colleagues wanting the full scoop on candidate two after my rush-hour car trip with her, phone call to little brother in marriage falling apart (yes, wife not letting you see your little kids since before Xmas is not cool; no, sharing apartment with other separated woman is not cool). 15 hours of stress. I need to sleep: tenured colleague/buddy/workout partner picking me up at 7:45am for trip to gym before next job presentation, meeting with TAs, course preparations, dinner with job candidate, and (finally, hopefully, desperately) some TV time with Lost and Alias.