Moto perpetuo

This quarter has been almost more than I could bear. Honestly, as I look back, I wonder how I've managed.
It all began when some students whom I am supervising decided that they weren't going to teach an online course at another university. They decided not to do it on the morning the class began. Guess who got caught holding the bag and is teaching it now? I was beside myself for about 10 minutes, before I realized that if I didn't get with it, I'd be behind. So far, so good.
But that is only the beginning. A couple months ago I was asked to write two chapters for a book that is coming out of Andrews University Press. It is about social issues and the way the church can respond to them. I chose two topics that I have some clinical interest in: female circumcision, and prostitution. The goal was to have them written by the end of December. However, it was soon apparent that I wouldn't have time to get to it during December, even though I only took 2 days off during Christmas break (which was no break at all).
You guessed it: I got an extension from the editor until January 31st. One chapter was co-authored, so I cranked out the changes and got it sent in right away. The other chapter though, had one week in which it had to be written. I wrote from 6:30 Sunday morning until 4:45 a.m. on Monday morning. I hope not to do that again anytime soon. I'm sure that I'll have to revise some of it after the editor reads it. Then I spoke Wednesday evening at the church for an hour and a half, about relationships and longevity. I was so exhausted that all inhibition slipped away and I acted like a wind up clown. People were roaring with laughter and shouting out answers to me as we went along. I think it went okay but I didn't recognize myself in my delivery. I think it was that I was just so very tired.
Today I hosted Medical Family Therapy Grand Rounds, and provided breakfast for everyone who attended. Then I had a conference with my research team at another university before taking a student to lunch so we could talk about a paper she's written and plan another one that we're co-authoring. Then I rushed home to clean up and cook for our company tonight.
On Wednesday I will address the university body at our weekly chapel. Do I know what I'm going to say? No. So I will have to work on that this week.
On top of all of this, I have been really having a hard time teaching one of my classes about health and illness in families. Why? Because three clinical psychology doctoral students sit in the class and they stare at me unflinchingly through the entire 3 hour course. I've never had anything like it! They rarely write any notes, and they don't look bored or engaged. It is disconcerting, and has put me in knots. So I've had trouble trying to do the mind over matter thing and just teach as if they aren't staring at me. (The learning culture is quite different in their department. We tend to be warm and personable and they are more remote and formal. I'm just not used to it). So I've put all kinds of extra time into developing lectures that might move them to respond more. I'm not convinced that I have figured it out, but at this point I'm planning just to teach and they can take it or leave it (I hear through the grapevine that they like it, so that is a relief).
Oh, and did I mention that my computer is trying to crash? The university ordered a new one for me, but in the meantime I'm enduring bouts of pinkish coloration, a jiggly screen, blotchy black blobs, and wavy wrinkles zipping across the screen. I've been using a loaner computer from the department but I quickly found that I can't access wireless with it. My documents are on my crashing computer, so I have to keep that one nearby. Then, in order to show slides for class I have had to use Sam's computer. So off I go to school with three computers in tow. Ridiculous.
With all of this going on I feel like I'm ready to drift into a coma. Is it any wonder that I am thrilled to welcome the Sabbath to our home? I thank God that I've been able to keep up with all of this. Thankfully, it won't be for much longer.