Same Old Sh*t

I wish there were new exciting things to report but there are none.  Instead there is only the same old sh*t going on plus other hardships as well.

The biggest hardship is that my elderly father-in-law is hospitalized cilurrently with pneumonia.  He has been in the hospital since Sunday.  Currently he seems to be responding well, so we are all hopeful at the moment.  But with hospitals, you never know.  They are scary places that can hurt as well as help. Thoughts and prayers would be great fully accepted.  He is a great guy, and I so hope he recovers well.  

Work is filled with all the continuing hassles.  Sometimes I think about how it used to be really great to work at the U.  But when I do and then compare it to the sh*t that goes on today, it makes me cry. I want to work to get back to a point where the U IS fun again.  But, it is difficult.  I have to complete the tenure of being Chair of the Department, and that means a minimum of one more year.  I am 99% certain that after this year I want to quit as Chair and just be regular faculty again, but we will see.  Teaching students is great, and o always helps me to feel happy, but there is so much other b*llsh*t when you are Chair and even when you are regular faculty these days, that a job at the U is not as wonderful as it once was.  That is very sad.  

To end on a positive note, I just finished my five mile run, and am enjoying a pipe while the dog eats and does her "business".  I look out across the backyard, and the newly exposed dry grass from last season (the snow finally melted away) is covered by a furry, white frost.  The rising sun casts enough light on the frost to make it sparke and twinkle as I look at it.  It is truly beautiful.  Hopefully there will not be any more snow this season and it will get warmer.  It is actually 29 degrees this morning!  Almost above freezing!  

PipeTobacco