Whining

No, not whining from the kids (actually, Agatha never whines, now that I think of it): whining from me. This work is really cutting into my free time! I have TOO MUCH to do and not enough time to do it, and it gives me a slightly out-of-control feeling that I do not like. For the blog record, here's the state of affairs in mid-September, a couple of weeks into the fall semester:

* I'm teaching the Survey of Western Art to 28 students, three times a week. Their first paper is due Friday, so I'll have 28 of those to grade over the weekend.

* I'm curating a show at the Quilt & Textile Museum downtown, which will open in March. I've never curated a show before. Also I know nothing (but am learning fast!) about Amish quilts. That class meets once per week and I have to find four or five good readings each week, read them, write up study questions, read them again, make slide presentations, and teach the class.

* Henry's in school 5 mornings and 2 afternoons, but Agatha has so far only spent a scattered hour per day with her teachers. So Michael, Mom and I are constantly juggling her. This means that I have very little time in the office beyond my teaching obligations.

* This weekend we're hosting a dinner party on Saturday for two new faculty members, and having a birthday party for Henry on Sunday afternoon. Also Monday morning I have to send special birthday snack to school for 22 children and an array of photos for his birthday ceremony.

* Next weekend we're hosting a fundraiser for the Art Museum at our house. 40 people are paying to come, there will be an art installation of cast plaster body parts in our living room and kitchen, and a dozen figure drawings in the dining room. Also we must provide all the food and drink. Also we did not finish the house projects we were hoping to, so the hallway still has two colors of trim paint, and the doors are off the old cabinet in the kitchen.

* Four days after that our fellowship applications are due. We have to get our provost to write a letter of support, which (we've learned) means we have to fill out many irrelevant forms. Plus write the 10-page essay, 3-page bibliography, and some other things I haven't figured out yet.

* The next weekend we are taking two giant busloads of students on a day-long trip to Washington DC. With our kids. So far we are the only faculty members on the bus.

* The next weekend Michael is gone all weekend for a conference in Brooklyn, and Mom is in Austin. (sigh)

* Two weekends after that, I'm giving a paper at the Art Institute of Chicago, at a conference in honor of my grad school advisor. Many mentors and colleagues will be in the conference and/or the audience. I'm presenting my new work. Which I have not written yet.

* I'm a room parent in both kids' classrooms.

All this stuff is good stuff-- great stuff. I'm swamped with fantastic opportunities in my work, teaching interesting classes, learning new things. The kids are flourishing and loving their school. (We are still having trouble with Henry's behavior, though, which definitely adds to our stress. More on that another day.) I'm just panicked about finding enough time in the day to meet my obligations. I could arrange for more childcare, but not only is that costly, I just don't like to be away from the kids much more than I already am. So this is clearly an internal struggle most of all.

Meanwhile, I've squandered 30 pre-dawn minutes writing this blog post when I could have been responding to students' email requests for me to give feedback on their paper drafts. Back to work, Mama!