the Life Academic

Since I started school two weeks ago, things have gotten a little strange. First of all, my phone stopped ringing. Then I realized that I have stopped calling people, this mean explain that...along with the internet being my sole means of communication with the outside world. Second, I am constantly distracted...my waking hours are like trying to watch two TV shows at once. This can be fun unless you're driving a car, then it is hilarious. I have a pretty big place now, 900 square feet which is a lot, nay, too much for one guy, but I spend all of my time here:



In this corner, I am actually sitting there on that stool right now. My God, I just blew my own mind.
So anyway, what is it like for a thirty two year old unmarried-yet-in-a-commited-international-relationship(she lives in Ohio) man who has jumped out of a 7 year teaching English as a second language career and gone back to university?

Bitterly sweet, like on of those nutty granola bars with the sweetened yogurt junk on one side.

Bitter: Bubble gum clacking, cell phone in the middle of class answering, lap top toting, Old Navy poster kids.

Sweet: studying philosophy

Bitter: Major financial losses

Sweet: major tax write off!

Bitter: (a few) starchy professors and poignantly pointless tutorials.

Sweet: I am not teaching the class

I refuse to make any comparative statements on how much school has changed since "back in my day", or to comment on how many new buildings have sprung up on campus, or even to tell my tutorial group that "back in '97 I had a gothic lit course in this very same room, 'cept back then all of the chairs and desks were nailed together in rows with old boards..." and so on.

I am not age consious, I was trying to be...but in every class there are at least several people who are much older than me. On the other hand, there is a much larger number of people who are younger. That's ok, I'll kick their asses on the midterms.