Spring Redux

(Patrik enjoying the fruits of other people's labors)

I don’t want to jump the gun on categorizing 2008, but now that we’re almost in the 5th month, seems safe. Redux, second chances, revisit, rehash, renovate, but not recoil, redoubt, respite.

I’m TA’ing Sed/strat again this spring, which was the first class I ever TA’ed and it is the first class I’ve now TA’ed twice. So, this experience and anticipated summer (TA’ing summer field: the second class I ever TA’d) has me revisiting my identically structured but much different 1st year in grad school.

And the end result? WAY better as a 4th year. Despite the angst over my future, it is nice to have a chance to go back and do something again, but from an entirely different perspective. And to get a chance to do things better. So far so good; the quarter is flying by, students seem mostly happy and I’m enjoying the experience a lot more than I did my first year. And after giving my 4th year talk last week, I realized I've passed one more “milestone” to the end. In theory, the next official talk I give to the department will be the defense!

(Instructing squad standing around....)(sed/stratters hard at work on a fluvial section)

But, while TA’ing and the race to the June 1st NSF deadline has kept me busy, this spring has been generally amazing. The weekends feel like late May in Minnesota (really my favorite time of year; have I ever mentioned how much I love spring?) and everyone and everything is out of their winter shells. Our CSA has started delivering strawberries and lemons in addition to the pounds ‘o greens. I spend Thursday mornings out on the Bay, rowing with Linda and taking a sailing class. We saw whales last week! So, here’s to wondering what else the year of the redux has to throw my way.

(Calla cleaning up in a game of suzy sticks)