Today is ...

the first day of the rest of my life. Of course that's true of EVERY day. No today's significance is that it's the first day of the new semester. It's the one day each semester when I can foster hope that THIS TIME things will be different. The students will be bright, attentive, hard working, and engaged. We'll have wonderful discussions about the intricacies of economic policy and they'll all make A's. It doesn't take long for reality to set in, but for today ... Ah. No, in all honesty, my students are no worse than others -- at any of the 3 institutions of higher education I've toiled at -- I just wish they were better.

Oh well, in another "first day of the semester" tradition, this is the only day of the term the students will see me in a tie. This sort of goes along with the hopes mentioned above. Oh and this semester I'm also sporting a beard. It started at the end of last semester. I stopped shaving in anticipation of a camping trip. The camping trip never happened, but I decided I'd keep the beard a little while. I haven't decided how long, but for now it's hanging around. I've been told it makes me look more professorial. I'm thinking of going pipe shopping this afternoon, and maybe pick up a jacket with patches on the elbows. What do you think?

Actually, this afternoon I have to go to city hall and get a building permit. It turns out the roofing guy can get started today! That's good news, but now I have to deal with the local red tape factory. I can already feel my blood pressure rising. I'm sure I'll have a good story about that tomorrow.