Friday!

Whew! I feel like I just crossed the finish line of a half-marathon...and the other half starts here shortly. Got last semester's evals back (scary - see below), been trying to figure out what research to do (also below), been meeting with professors about what research to do and research we are already doing, teaching, meeting with students for individual "lessons" as part of a homework assignment, and faculty evaluation materials were due today. ACK! my first formal evaluation process - turned in a cv and syllabus and student evals, and then we'll have to meet with the School of Music Director - SCARY! and figures that this is the first year part-time faculty has to submit them, and is also the year I've got the craziest mix of evals and some of the harshest comments ever. At least turns out I'm not the only one. Maybe it's this group of students' general frustrations with all the changes going on in the teacher ed. program. I dunno.

Anywhose, I have that in-person eval to look forward to, but whatever.

And a meeting for data entry Sunday, some application-type materials due Monday, an IRB proposal for Monday/Tuesday-ish (assuming I solidify my research proposal this weekend), another application for a summer research position coming up.

It's all good - just crazy! Had really good, helpful discussions with a number of profs - got some interesting feedback about the music ed. program from students, which totally helps make a case for my research, and have yet another potential research project over the summer with a very cool SES prof (who teaches the qualitative research course I'm in, and I found out I've got totally similar research interests - he's been where I am now, so it could totally help give me some relevant practice and direction...and, I might note, I'd never have met with him and found all this out about his research had I not turned down that other RA position in favor of keeping my course load - funny how things work out!). And another prof. gave me a very nice compliment on my writing when I went to go talk to him about last semester's term paper/research proposal and is totally willing to help if I want to go further with it.

Oh, and I was asked to play viola for the next orchestra concert, which messes with my spring break plans a little, since I was just planning on skipping the concert and going home to WA that Saturday (March 15), but at rehearsal we found out we were totally short-handed in the viola section. I took lessons later in highschool and in college, played in some ensembles, but this'll be my first "real" concert on viola!

Crazy, crazy, crazy - just a whirlwind 'o "stuff" - but overall fantastic! Now time for the gym, and then some wine & chocolate (okay, maybe homework tonight, drinks and dinner tomorrow...) - we'll see how responsible I'm feeling when I get home ;)

Happy Friday, all!