For those folks following along with Egon’s story, in case you don’t check his blog regularly, please pop over there and read my thank-you post from me to you. I’ve sent out cards and photos, but I had a lot more to say!

In other news of gratitude, I have been having quite a bit of fun lately and I owe it to my friends. I’m teaching the mini-semester, which occupies my days, but I’ve also been able to spend a good bit of time with people outside work. I had feared that clamping down on my entertainment budget (to ease the financial hemmorhaging right now) would mean I’d have no social life this summer, but that has hardly been the case.

A few nights ago I went over to my friend JMZ’s house (I always think of his initials as spelling “JAMZ,” which cracks me up every time) to help him get rid of some extra stuff before he moves out. It was one of those parties where you get to pick through people’s things before they make a big Goodwill donation. I came home with a new skillet, a big silly straw hat (pictures soon?), and most of a bottle of red wine we opened but didn’t finish. The best part, however, might have been helping to dispose of old graded final exams — we can’t simply toss or recycle these due to privacy laws, but once they’re over 3 years old we can get rid of them. One could shred and then recycle them, but isn’t it more fun to watch them burn? Of course it is.

I also got to go visit my friend R, have wine and cheese, and meet her little chihuahua. I’ll be house- and dog-sitting for her later this month when she’s on vacation. Her dog is a little wary of new people, but, as you can imagine, we made friends before the evening was over. I want to insist that there is no canine creature who wouldn’t be susceptible to my friendly, dog-loving nature. Especially when I have little bites of cheese as a peace offering.

In TV entertainment news, although my Hulu+ is already canceled and my Netflix subscription ends on the 5th, I still have no shortage of things to watch. My friend CW came over with the first two episodes of True Blood Season 4 last night and we had quite the delightful time watching (and occasionally snarking on) everyone’s favorite Vampires with Fake Southern Accents. (Seriously. The accents on that show will be the DEATH OF ME.) (Yet I still get sucked in.) (HA! See what I did there?) (Sorry.)

I’m feeling especially grateful for my friends right now, not only for helping me out with Egon’s situation, but also just for being around and reaching out to me and making sure I’m doing well. Thanks, y’all.

In other news, I am busily working my way through the summer class and I’ve got a weekend of essay grading starting tomorrow. During the regular semester, I like to keep my work confined to loose business hours: weekdays, 8-5 (or 7-5, or 7-6, or 7-7, as needed). I hate to work weekends and I hate to work after dinner. This extreme hatred motivates me to Get Shit Done no matter what. In the summer, however, all bets are off. Hence: grading weekend. Wish me luck! I might be publishing frantic, caffeinated tweets all day. Feel free to back slowly away.