Orientation = Nap Time

For the most part, this title holds true. I know they had important stuff to say, and that we needed to know this important stuff. I do not see, however, why their preferred method is better than a handout. A handout would have let me sleep in. A handout would not have marched me all over the building to discover that I had to read chapter one of the freshman textbook for composition. In fact, given that I will be teaching freshmen, in a composition course, I really didn't even need a handout to tell me this. Tomorrow's orientation should be more productive, and hopefully, not so repetitive.

I have gotten a few more calls from Tele Check. I'm also keeping a detailed record of their harassment. The next time they call, I will read my log to them, and ask them to finally remove my name from their list, like they have promised to do repeatedly. I will tell them that if they do not, they will be speaking with my attorney. And I will get one. And have her write them a nice letter. Yelling doesn't seem to help this situation. Neither does speaking calmly. Maybe an attorney would. I hope (for my sake, not for those bastards') that this will not be necessary.

I also apologize for my absence lately. I had to take a bit of time to myself.

Last night, I went to bed at ten thirty, so that I could wake up in time to make it to the orientation this morning. At about two in the morning, I gave up and took some of my melatonin. On the plus side, my sleeplessness helped me get through half of Dan Rather's American Dream book. Don't take me for being unpatriotic (for that reason), but it is a terrible book. Absolutely terrible. It would be a quick read, but it is just so distasteful to me. I can't even put my finger exactly on what makes it so unpalatable. It could be his references to himself, as an ideal American. It could be his assumption that he speaks for America, when really, he speaks for Dan Rather. It could be the fact that he feels Lubbock Texas is the home of Texas A&M University. It might be that grammar mistake he makes in the first chapter. There are lots of other things it could be... but I won't bother you with them. To me, this book is only worth reading because I have to know it in order to grade assignments based off of it. Heaven help me when I have to make up these assignments. My lecture will be something like: "Yes, I know you hate the book. I do too. Tough. Write me a five page paper on why we see eye to eye on this piece of crap."

Heh. So my alarm went off this morning in plenty of time for me to get ready and leave for school. My body, however, did not respond to the alarm until much, much later. In fact, my body woke itself up about twenty minutes before the orientation started. I was minorly upset by this, but didn't have time to dwell on it. When I am desperate, it is amazing how much less time it takes me to get ready. I made it to school on time, and made the walk to the building on time as well. I was a little out of breath, but what the hell, I was *on time*. That means a lot to me.

Well, tomorrow is the same thing, only I stay at school longer. So I plan to take that melatonin at no later than nine pm, and we'll see if my body isn't responsive to that alarm.

That's all I got, folks. Sorry. I'm going to go mope a bit, eat dinner, and curse Dan Rather. End.