Classes and such

School has begun, and I'm happy about it. I've resolved to walk to and from class this semester. That's Monday afternoons, Tuesday mornings, then again on Tuesday afternoons. Takes about 20 minutes each way. One of the reasons we picked this house was its proximity to campus. When we moved it, we immediately bought bikes, which have sat in the basement ever since. I don't trust Johnson City drivers not to hit me. Plus there's a big hill that's difficult to peddle up if you're as out of shape as I am. Walking is great, though, and my metabolism is picking up pretty quickly because of it. Because I work from my La-Z-Boy, I've been amazingly sedentary for the past year or so.

Speaking of classes, I ought to be doing homework right now. I think I'm gonna have to rearrange my work schedule so I don't work 10 hours on Wednesdays. I can do that on Mondays, but I need more time on Wednesday for the homework assigned on Tuesday that's due on Thursday. I was assigned yesterday to learn and tell a story tomorrow- a story I really don't know and have no idea how to perform. In other academic news, I'm thinking I might reconsider getting an MFA in Directing when I finish this current degree. Now I'm thinking a PhD in Performance Studies might serve me better. What do you think? I'd like to do something on effective visual actor-created imagery in narrative performance as my dissertation. Besides the Performance Studies option, the University of Colorado offers a PhD in research for directors, and that really might be right up my alley. Plus it's in Boulder, and you know I love me some Boulder. But Eric would hate the winters, even as I joyfully made snowmen.

There was some lovely snow on the mountain behind my house today, but I didn't really notice it till it was too dark to take a picture. There may be more snow tomorrow- I'll post a pic if there is.

I went to the Counseling Center on campus yesterday. Since ETSU has a medical school, they have honest-to-gosh psychiatrists who can prescribe my meds for me. I'll still have to see a psychologist in addition to the MD, but the counselor agreed that I really don't need it and once a month is fine just to fulfill the requirement. I should have my meds in 2 weeks, thank goodness. Eric says I'm having mood swings that I don't recognize. All I know is that it's way difficult to get up in the morning, I'm not eating enough, and A Beer After Work has turned into Three Beers After Work. And I know that when that happens, it's a pattern I need to do something about. I know meds are too frequently prescribed for people who don't actually have brain chemistry disorders. But for those of us whose chemistry is out of whack, meds can do wonders. I'm also hoping that when meds manage to bring my stress level down, maybe it'll do something to help my TMJ, which has gone CRAZY. I keep all my tension in my neck, and right now I can barely open my mouth wide enough to eat a sandwich. A Big Mac would be out of the question. And that's not good for a singer. I started taking glucosamine and chondroitin for the TMJ, and it has helped a lot, believe it or not.

Anyway, it's a lovely (if very cold) night here on the front porch. Hope all is well with both of you who see this.