without and within

I guess it was when I walked out of my door this morning that I knew it was going to be a good day. But it wasn't like I said to myself, "Hey. This is going to be a good day." It was just a feeling. The thought was more like this: "I suddenly feel so inexplicably good about life, and it's such a gloomy day. Weird." I like that feeling. Good on the inside despite the outside. Or something like that. But it was like that bleak atmosphere was good, too. Like there is a hope in it.

I got to Faculty Hall a little too early. I never go in to meet with Dr. Morgan until two minutes before the scheduled time, and I was there about fifteen minutes early. Some wise person put a couch--a quite comfortable couch, too-- in the hallway on the seventh floor, so I sat there with my schedule and my telephone (so I could see the time) in my lap, waiting for 12:58 to come. While I was agonizing over the prospect of taking eighteen hours next semester, I hear a "Hello, Cassidy. How are you?" I look up to the one and only Hovie. I tell him that I am fine and that it's good to see him, and as he's getting ready to board the elevator, he remembers that he never congratulated me on having my story in Notations. "What? Thank you. Really? I never heard," I say. So he went back to his office and gathered me up five copies of the journal. We talked for a bit, and he encouraged me to attend the organizational meeting for Notations that is coming up since I'm a "published veteran," he said. I'm glad the power went out yesterday. And I'm glad I was early for my appointment.

The advising appointment went well. I scheduled my interview to be admitted into the College of Education. That's a little scary. But only a little. We talked about English electives, and yes, I can take a creative writing class for one of them. I really want to take creative non-fiction next semester, but it overlaps with my teaching reading course that I must have. I also got my hands on a MAP report. It's more updated than my last one but only barely. It was printed last semester. I would just like to note my 2.66 GPA under the social sciences category. I guess my superfluous Ed credit will boost that a little.

Next semester is scaring the pants off of me. This is what it's looking like right now: On Monday,Wednesday, and Friday, introduction to philosophy at 9:30, advanced composition at 10:30, women's literature at 11:30, and Spanish at 1:30. On Tuesday and Thursday, teaching writing at 2:00. And on Tuesday night, teaching reading at 5:00. Yes. I think I need to work on this a little more.

I heard a dancing leaf outside my door.

Anyone can dance, given enough wind,

A dance from without, but not from within.

I've heard these sounds of dead dancing before.