At this point, the first summer course I’m teaching is halfway over and the next one starts in just over a week. Just like I knew it would, the summer is flying by.
This is a good thing, though: my days are easily filled by teaching, class prep, trips to the gym, and an unusually early bedtime. Seriously, on that last point: I’ve been getting in bed by 10:30 almost every night. (Usually, left to my own devices, I wouldn’t fall asleep before 4:00 AM.) It has not been easy convincing the dog of the necessity to turn in this early, but otherwise I’ve been shocked with my own ability to adapt to the less-than-ideal schedule necessitated by teaching an 8:00 class.
In related news, I have so far been doing all this ass-busting work without yet seeing a dime of my pay. That’s right, I’ve been getting up at 6:00 AM every single weekday and teaching class and spending my weekends grading papers for absolutely no money. Thanks to the general incompetence and miscommunication among various administrative entities, my paycheck didn’t show up when it was supposed to, and it was looking like my pay distribution for the rest of the summer was going to be all weird and inadequate, too. Since I whined and begged, they finally decided to pay me all in one lump sum for that course, which will improve my life dramatically. Err, except for these next two weeks, during which time I will have no funds for anything other than keeping myself, the dog, and the cat stocked up on our respective kibbles.
When I finally do get paid, I think I am going to buy myself a bike. I gave away my old one when I left Zembla, and after two years here in New Wye I think it’s finally time to replace it. After reading this post over at Bodies in Motivation, I’m feeling inspired to buy one that’s a notch up from the cheapies available at Target or Walmart – but obviously I can’t afford anything too extravagant. I’ll have to do some careful comparison shopping. I’m pretty excited about the prospect of an outdoor sport I can actually participate in here in New Wye. The wind whipping through my hair as I float down the streets will surely have to mitigate the disgusting, dehumanizing, soul-sucking heat and humidity, won’t it? Won’t it? Say that it will.
Raveling Out 
What are you, my alternate universe twin?
For example:
I have been getting up at 5:15 am every day and going to bed at 10 pm.
I started work in May and did not get paid until two days ago.
They paid me for May, June and July in one lump sum.
You will be buying a bike, I just purchased a car.
My days are filled with working, the gym and going to bed early.
If you need bike advice, I can ship some your way.
Wow, we are indeed twins – except that I have to live where I live and you get to live in Europe! At any rate, I am glad I’m not the only one who’s all early-to-bed, early-to-work, and not getting paid! Oh, well, at least we can both hold out for big paydays.