So do you ever idealize a certain situation when it looms out in the future? I had thought about my first day of TAing on and off all summer. What would I wear, what would I say, how would things go were questions I had pondered.
So yesterday morning, even though I got up a little late, I was pretty calm and collected. Anna wanted me to take her picture for the 2nd Day of School and I obliged because she was looking like a cutie patootie. She's way into posing for the camera right now which explains this little hunched down, knee bent, funny expression picture... super models watch out - a three year old redhead will soon be stealing your runway!
Anyway, we headed out on the interstate and traffic was awful but I kept my cool. About 15 minutes into the drive, Anna begins to complain that she wants to go home, but I keep both she and myself together, and we get off the interstate eventually and head toward campus. About one block shy of the RCA Dome, which ~ 2 miles from our epicenter of the campus, Anna's complaints intensify and she eventually throws up all over herself in the backseat - WHOA, I totally did not see that one coming.
Now for those of you who know me well, I do not do well with vomit (I even gag looking at the word). Brian and I had a pre-marital agreement that he would handle cleaning such bodily fluids and I would assist with the pulling of teeth if we were to have children. He's made good on his promise so far, knowing that if he didn't clean it up, I would end up getting sick and he'd be cleaning up both of us. And my day will eventually come with the whole teeth thing. All of this is beside the point, I did my best to blot her off and turned the Bravada around and made the 30 minute trek home to Greenwood. Praise God traffic wasn't too bad as most folks were headed into the city instead of out of it.
Once we got home, I got both Anna and the car cleaned up and began to do damage control. My TAship doesn't really start until the afternoon, so the morning was clear to be home with her but I wasn't sure what I would do when I needed to leave. Luckily, B's very gracious boss, the wonderful Mr. Jack Smart, volunteered to cover a case for Brian @ 1 PM so he could come home and be with Anna. So, he zipped in @ 12:50 and I zipped out. I made it to campus and had a successful day - it really felt comfortable to me, even though the conduct of the students (which I could do a whole other post about) is far from my undergrad experience. Anyway, I met with Bob, aka Dr. Barrows, for a few minutes after class (he kept them the entire time the first day, I bet they didn't care for that too much) and then got in the car, fought rush hour traffic and made my way back to Greenwood. B and I chatted for a few minutes and then hopped back in the car and went to night court (cue the sitcom music here).
So all of this to say, not in a million years would I have envisioned yesterday to go the way it did. However, flexibility is the name of the game when God puts children in your care. He provided a way for everything to work out and in many ways it was a perfect day - stomach bug and all!
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4 comments:
I just thought it was hilarious because at 3:44, they all pretty much got up and left - no dismissal or anything. AND, he had them fill out little 3x5 cards with some info on them, one of the questions being "Why are you taking this class?" Let's just say one of them had a rather graphic illustration on the back of it.
You're a Family Guy viewer, huh?
Believe it or not, I very rarely use the wonderful digital camera my parents bought for me the Christmas before Anna was born. I was pretty much obliging her on Wednesday AM since she was dying to take pictures. It cracks me up since as soon as I take it (sometimes before it's even finished), she's coming over to see it on the viewer. In her mind, digital photography is all that exists. Bit of a paradigm shift compared to the flash bulbs on my old Fisher Price camera.
I guess it is similar to a polaroid - whole lot better quality though. It's funny to hear her rattle off website addresses though - that is definitely a shift.
There's about 120 students so once one of them starts zipping up a bag, they all split. But then again, Dr. Barrows did keep them the full hour and fifteen minutes on the pass out the syllabus day. But the graphic illustration... I mean, c'mon.
I totally agree with you Erich there is a lack of respect for the professor when students just get up and leave. Brian and a colleague of his noted this in law school (which I would think would be a bit more "grown up" in student attitudes, but I guess not).
Last night when Brian and I were discussing it, he was vibing with the consumerism of it all. He said, "Education (specifically college education) is the only area in life where people don't want to get their money's worth."
I was pretty appalled and noted to Bob after class that I could not have imagined in a million years as a freshman student getting up and leaving before being dismissed @ AC (unless I was sick or had to leave for some significant purpose). He said, "This is going to be an eye-opening experience for you."
As a side note, I hated it that he mentioned I would be doing all of the grading for the course to the class.... they are all going to HATE me now.
I'd say she has a future as a model. You can't teach that kind of grace.
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