The day after

My triumph for the day yesterday was that I did not stress-eat after the hideous faculty meeting  (words cannot describe how dysfunctional the whole scene was, so I won't even begin to try), though I did deliberately allow myself a rum-and-diet coke later in the evening. Okay, two.

In the clear light of a new day, I feel good about how I handled myself during those two hours of fierce aggression and even vitriol, though most of it was not directed at me, per se, but at the search committee of which I was a part and at some of the other members on it. A fellow search committee member told me last night that I had the "lowest tone and the calmest voice" in the room when I chose to speak, which was certainly true: I kept my cool, spoke only when necessary -- to points rather than gibes -- and so all in all I acquitted myself well.

As for the folks who were acting out departmental and personal dramas of various kinds in public, that's their problem!

So I feel focused today as the semester comes to an end. I need to move through a little grading today at home, hold office hours this afternoon, and evaluate student group presentations in my class tonight.

Yesterday I dressed well and met my protein and nutritional needs. Today I'm going to dress more funkily and creatively (hey, one can do that in a theatre arts/film department during the last week), enjoy that, take care of myself, and be there for myself and students.

Come the end of the semester?  I'm going to take that cruise to Alaska, come home, take care of myself and my family, and devote myself to my own research.  Mine is a 9-month contract (though I'm paid over 12 months for that work):  no campus/administrative work for me this summer.

The rest of it -- the drama, hysteria, and dysfunction?  Others can work can themselves up into a frenzy over it all if they want to.  Knock yourselves out, guys.  But not me -- no, sir!

Comments

[sparkly_jules]

*fireworks* *the electric light parade* *more fireworks* *the key to the city*

Well done, young Padawan.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 18 more days!! Yay!!!!!!!!!

Jules

[*S*]

Sounds like you made it through a horrifically unnecessarily stressful day made even more hellish by immature self-centered colleagues with flying colors. Good on you!