first days

I love the first day of every month, every year, every school year. All kinds of things. I like beginnings. And I like that there is a new month listed on my Blogger archives.

Speaking of firsts, I have officially finished my first week of working in the computer labs. It seems like I've been labbing it up for at least a month, but it has been interesting. I come in contact with all sorts of people. The irate who cuss me because they have to create an account and pay five cents per printed page. The paranoid who cover the screen every time I walk by to make sure I'm not reading their personal letters. The helpless who make me do everything for them. And then there are the friendly who don't cause any problems and thank me when they leave. Sometimes there are combinations of such folks. This morning I had a paranoid, helpless, and friendly person all in one. And on Monday I made friends with a guy from Kenya who was very helpless, but very friendly. He asked me if I could help him with computers since he's already taking too many credits to add a computer course (like CSC helps anyone...), so he's going to come by on Fridays and I'll see what I can't do for him.

I faced the stark reality last night that this semester really is going to take some work. I have that realization every semester, and it scares the pants off of me. It felt just wonderful to arrive at my night class to realize I had done both of my homework assignments incorrectly and failed to read the chapter in the book. And just a few minutes ago, I opened up my Spanish online workbook to be reminded that all of it is in Spanish. Directions, questions, and I guess my answers should be, too, huh? Great. After all that talk of studying this summer, I never did it. But I have a feeling that nothing would have quite prepared me for Jaspanglish. Those are just a few of the challenges I'll be facing this semester.

Okay, y'all. I'm really trying to come up with something halfway interesting for you. Any ounce of creativity I might've had in the past has fled. I don't know what to write any more. I don't even have any pictures to show you. (That doesn't include the forty million shots of John Mayer.) I need to start taking some again. I guess I just haven't gotten into the swing of things yet. I love first days and beginnings, but they aren't always easy.