I’m back from the retreat and now my summer vacation is officially beginning. I’ll still have plenty of work to do all summer, though. Some things are minor like reports to write and articles to polish off, and other things are more time-consuming, like preparing for a new class in the fall. Most of my working time this summer, though, will go toward preparing to teach and then teaching my first online class, which will run in July. I’m thrilled to be able to teach without having to leave my study and without having to pay for gas and spend the time commuting, although I’m guessing I’ll end up preferring classroom teaching to online teaching.
Now I’m going through the awkward transition time between the busy semester and the more leisurely summer; inevitably I go through a few days or a week where I feel all out of sorts and strange and as though I don’t quite know what to do with myself, before I settle into a pattern of work and leisure that I can maintain for a few months. I always expect to feel nothing but euphoria when I’ve wrapped up the school year, but of course it doesn’t work that way.
I’m tremendously excited about one thing coming up this summer: I’ll be spending a weekend with Emily, and it looks like the two of us will travel to the middle of Pennsylvania somewhere to meet Courtney. Another blogger meet-up! I’m becoming addicted to hanging out with bloggers. I’ll be sure to write up the details.
I’m also hoping to go backpacking or perhaps rent a place in northern New England somewhere to do some hiking and bike riding. I wanted to do such a trip last year, but my illness got in the way, so I’m determined to make it happen this year. I’ve felt a longing lately to do a bit of traveling, or at least to get out of my house more, so although we don’t have money to do much in the way of real traveling, I want to see some of the beautiful local or relatively local places I haven’t yet seen. Perhaps, if I’m lucky, I’ll get to climb Mt. Washington in New Hampshire this year.
And, of course, I’ll be reading. There’s the list I created here with some books to choose from and also the list of nonfiction books I posted here that still looks enticing. There will be the summer library sales to visit and the library itself and of course there are all the books I’ve got unread on my shelves (I just recently added Thomas Bernhard’s novel Frost).
I’ll be racing too; I’ve got races every Tuesday night and races many weekends through July, and I hope to fit in many rides in between all those races. I’d love to do another 130-mile ride like the one I did a few years ago; perhaps I will be able to do it without crying from pain for the last ten miles as I did last time. Sounds like fun, right?
Now I’m off to finish reading Cranford, an utterly charming novel. Then I’ll have the fun of deciding what novel to read next.
Of Books and Bicycles 
Your Summer vacation plans sound wonderful! Isn’t it great to be at the beginning of a nice stretch of time off even though you still have work related projects to take care of! Your meet up with Emily and Courtney sounds great–it’s nice to hang out with bookish people. I have a copy of Cranford, too. Did you see the movie? I’ve heard the it was based on not just this book (or maybe just some stories within the book?). The movie was great, so I’m sure the book must be, to.
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Don’t forget, some summer (before I get you to move to PA) you have to hike Mt. Dorr (your namesake) up in Acadia. It’s much easier than Mt. Washington (I know, because I was able to do it — up and down twice in one day, nonetheless). I completely understand your feelings of being out of sorts as the summer begins (I have similar feelings at the beginning of every vacation), but isn’t it nice to be at the beginning? I’m also very eager to hear how your online course goes, but most of all, I’m eager for your visit.
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Welcome back! Your summer plans sound wonderful especially getting together with Emily and Courtney. Lucky you! I am looking forward to hearing about your experience teaching an online course since I am taking online courses. Does your school use Blackboard?
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I am so excited to see you and Emily – it’s not even very far away. I, too, want to do a bit more local traveling and learn more about the area surrounding where I live.
I hope you find a lovely balance of work and leisure soon, soon –
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Wow. What a great and busy summer you have planned. I hope you will rest up a bit as well. You deserve it! I looked back at your book lists. If you haven’t gotten to Penelope Fitzgerald’s The Bookshop yet, I highly recommend it. And I was much taken by the nonfiction title, Loving Dr. Johnson, and it’s description. Since I’ve just named my auxiliary blog Loving Iris (Murdoch), I think I’d better take a look!
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Your summer plans sound great! The transition from one mode to the next has got to be the hardest part. I am sure in no time you’ll be in the summertime groove. I enjoyed browsing your TBR lists — I’ll have to add a few of your choices to my own list. Especially Mary Brunton’s Discipline. I am big Jane Austen fan and this sounds quite interesting.
I hope we can arrange another blogger meet-up in NYC again soon.
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Congratulations on having reached that wonderful moment when term ends! I know just what you mean about feeling discombobulated by it, though. It used to take me anything up to a month to shake down the accumulated hassles and anxieties of the year and feel relaxed (and rested) enough to enjoy myself. It sounds like you have just the right kind of entertainment planned and I’ll join all the others in wishing I could meet up with more blogging friends too!
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Yeah, it’s fun meeting up with Bloggers!!
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Danielle — I’d really like to see the movie! I can see why they would choose to tell only some of its stories or to pull stories from elsewhere, as it doesn’t have a conventional plot. I’m curious to see how they handled it.
Emily — yes, I’ll definitely have to climb that mountain! And yes, I am enjoying the beginning of this vacation — this time around has been easier than usual, perhaps because I’ve been a bit busier than usual.
Stefanie — that’s a complicated question about Blackboard, because my school was/is using WebCT Vista, but it’s merging with Blackboard, so now it’s something like Vista Blackboard or Blackboard Vista. A hybrid of the two I guess. I’ve used Blackboard in the past though. The new program is similar I think. I’ll be certain to post on it!
Thank you Courtney; so far I’ve been doing quite well with my leisure, although the proof will be in the weeks to come. I hope you get to visit some cool places near you!
TJ — oh, interesting connection with the book/blog name. How can anyone resist a book or a blog that follows the “Loving so-and-so” pattern? And I hope to get to the Fitzgerald soon; thank you for the recommendation.
ZoesMom — I’d love to have another blogger meet-up! I’m intrigued by the Brunton novel too — I’ll have to track down a copy, which I haven’t gotten around to yet.
Litlove — that’s just it — you have to learn how to relax all over again. It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds, is it? So far I’m really enjoying myself, though, and I hope this good mood continues …
Steve — yes, we should all do it more often 🙂
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