Reflection

For some reason, I don't want to sleep.  So, I started reading my old blog posts.  I did it because I was looking for a picture from my road trip up the coast and then I just got sucked in.  It might also be that this week was so intense at school.  It's our first week of Intersession and after two luxurious days of grading, we started working on our Strategic Plan.  That is, what do we want to be as an organization and are we going in the right direction?  After we figured all that out (just kidding), a group of us started to plan New Student Orientation for next fall and it did start off well.  It's all better now, but I was worried there for a little while.  Emotions are running high right now.  With Everest starting up, I think we're all unsure of how to feel about it.  We all put a lot of work and energy into helping it happen and all we want is for it to be a success and now a few of our teachers are going there.  In so many ways, it feels like Everest will be part of our school, but in so many ways, it's going to be totally separate.  We are losing three amazing faculty to Everest, which is so fantastic for Everest, but sad for us.  A lot of this emotion came to a boiling point this week, when we all started to see the reality of the future.  They are still our colleagues, but in a different way.  I am bummed about losing them as people I see every day.  That's my reflection on my week.

Now to the blog.  I'm not sure what's happened in the past 18 months, but I noticed some changes.  I'm writting much longer posts now than at the beginning.  I was much funnier back then.  And I seemed to be enjoying life a bit more and getting out into the world.  Not that my life is devoid of enjoyment now, but that was a clear theme back in the early days.  

So, I'm going to try to channel back to that person in the second half of 2007.  I don't know how successful I'll be, but I'm going to try.  I'm going to attempt to recommit myself to my intentions.

From my first post: I intend this to be the place where you all can come to find updates on me and life on the west coast. 

And from August of 2007: One of the original intentions of this blog was to inform you all about life on the west coast and to try to convince you to come visit. 

I don't think I've successfully convinced anyone to come visit.  I've seen my sister and my dad (when he was here on business), but that's basically it.  I know that I have no long-term plan and many of you keep thinking I'm just going to move back to the East Coast soon.  If I knew the plan, I'd tell you.  In the meantime, California is pretty great.  And I need friends to explore it with.  I just got a new tent (finally!) and the only place I can think of to sleep in it is my back yard.  That's pathetic.

Onward!