Done. Begin!

Hi! I've had the name and the general idea for this new blog for a couple of weeks now. But I haven't managed to actually start writing posts again. Apparently a brilliant series of posts to kick off this new space is not going to happen. So I decided this morning that I just needed to start.

As usual, when I finally get around to writing a post, it's because I'm avoiding doing other things I need to do. This week I am teaching not one (my usual) but three classes, and it's about driven me round the bend.

The longest running one, a Ulysses reading group, was supposed to end tomorrow, but since we got behind--no surprise there--it will go on for another week or two. My original plan was that we would read the first seven episodes during the seven-week class, but on the first day, the group decided unanimously that they wanted to read the whole thing. No small project.

Then I'm co-moderating an adult education class at our church using the DVD series Living the Questions, a collection of theologians discussing progressive Christianity. I've been a little disappointed in the material, but the discussions in our group have been great. That will end this Sunday.

And this past Monday, I started a 4-week class on Jane Eyre, which has always been one of my favorite novels. A great read, plus you get to study the Brontës.

All three classes are test-less, quiz-less, and paper-less, so at least I don't have to do any grading. But I seem to be unable to stop myself from compulsively preparing (over-preparing?) for class.

Until I start feeling overwhelmed, and then my brain shuts down and I sit and read trashy romance novels (or write a blog post) instead of doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

At least they are all three topics that I enjoy, and I'm learning a ton. You always hear that teachers learn more than the students do, but I didn't really believe it until I started teaching. It's true.

So there. One post down, lots to go. I will try to be more interesting next time but I just needed to get the first one done. I will explain the new blog title some other time, but the short version is: it's a line from the end of Dante's Divine Comedy.

Today's post title (Done. Begin!) is a line from Ulysses, episode 11.