two versions of my day

Version 1:

• just couldn't drag myself out of bed as early as I had planned, thereby not accomplishing several household tasks before I had to leave for campus
• had to sit for 90 minutes in an Incredibly Boring Faculty Meeting in which an important document was not discussed as had been announced. Instead, we discussed the process by which we would begin discussing said document next semester.
  
• grading, grading, grading
• comments from colleagues suggest they're all glad I'm going to be taking on a certain administrative position next fall -- yet at the same time they make ominous comments about the potential decline in my research productivity. I know they mean well, but it's not helping my attitude.
  

Version 2:

• I actually was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by 3 or 4 of the student projects I graded this afternoon -- students who really took creative risks, who got engaged with the topic and succeeded beyond their previously demonstrated capabilities. There sometimes actually are gems buried amidst all the detritus.
  
• I went to a Bikram class for the first time in three weeks -- it's taken me that long to get over this horrendous virus. I was mostly over it middle of last week, but still too exhausted to even attempt doing a whole class. 3 hours later I'm still high from all the good brain chemicals yoga lets loose in your system.
  
• Just had a great late-night romp in the yard with the dogs, who love the cold weather. The stars are visible for the first time in a long while, which makes me happy.