Big Changes

September is here. I was thinking the other day about the huge changes my life takes around this time of year. Anyone who is or knows a teacher understands that fall is a big change from summer, but for me, it's even more dramatic. What do I do during the summer? "Nothing" comes to mind. I mean, I've been riding my bike, reading a lot, and sleeping late, but the point is that I don't have any specific things that need to be done at a particular time. It's very freeing. As the new school year rolls around, though, here's what my fall schedule looks like: I'll be teaching full-time (which means over 40 hours a week); plus I'll be directing our school's fall all-school play (which means three or four nights a week for rehearsals); then I'm taking a 3-credit literature class at Minnesota State University Mankato (Monday nights, with homework in between); since I needed 4 credits, I'm also doing an independent study for 1 extra credit with that class (working on writing the beginning few chapters of a novel that's been bouncing around in my head for a few years); and writing an extensive research paper as an alternative to a master's thesis, for an additional two credits. Basically, it means going from doing "nothing" to being busy every waking moment of every day. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I'm looking forward to all of it.