Tuesday, January 21, 2025

"life is never just one thing"

I didn't see Big A at all today. He'd worked an overnight in Ann Arbor and I left for work an hour before dawn to make it to an 8 am meeting. By the time I got home after a late evening at work, he'd already left for work again. 

But to quote Connie Schultz, "Life is never just one thing;" other than that, it was a lovely day. 

We inducted new members to the English honorary and it's always such a delight to see students dressed up for the occasion and meet their families. I mean... you think you see your students grow in the classroom and love their work and the people they are and then you meet their families and it's a whole new level of understanding how much they're cherished, seeing the wonder their grownups have about these humans they have made in one way or another. It's kind of transcendent. 

Also, somehow I was going to place an order with the catering company and then decided to do it myself and found myself after classes at MacCurdy (the feminist house I advise) borrowing their oven to heat up trays of hors d'oeuvres. And also, I have the best colleagues... ok, the best women colleagues--who seamlessly did everything from setup to clear-up. The whole evening was busy and bright and social and fun--all the stuff I adore. 

And then when I came home I was so tired I couldn't even bear the sound of the loud TV show Nu (who had no school today and has no school tomorrow because of our frigid temps) had on. I just wanted to sit with my arms around my babies for while. Then Nu went to bed, I FaceTimed my sister for her birthday (it's already her birthday in India!), and then snuggled up to read with Max and Huck.

Pic: This treat of lovely words and signature shortbread was waiting for me after my first class today. I did work hard today, but this wasn't about that. It's from a lovely and private colleague in another department and says way more about their wonderfulness than anything it might imply about me.

13 comments:

Nicole said...

I think about this all the time: " it's a whole new level of understanding how much they're cherished" with regards to people who I only know one way (as a student, as an example, or as my old professors or someone I encounter daily but don't really know). I really love that. I love thinking "that person has a whole life" because it never fails to amaze me. I mean, here we all are!
Your evening sounds lovely and also tiring!

Nance said...

Connie Schulz used to write a truly wonderful column in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. I loved it. When I found out she was married to Sen. Sherrod Brown, I almost sent her a letter to tell her that not only was I an admirer of her work, I was in love with her husband!

I'm so glad you were surrounded by Good People all day--bright and caring people who are part of our world still. That helps so much, especially now, and especially when you don't have the touchstone of your husband's presence.

StephLove said...

What a lovely surprise from your colleague.

Jenny said...

Overall it sounds like a wonderful day! But brr... I hope your weather has warmed up by now.

Lisa's Yarns said...

I could not love this post more! It must be really inspiring to be around youth, and maybe it gives you hope for our democracy's future? It's not lost on me, though, that you and your female coworkers are the ones doing the work behind the scenes to put on a celebration like that! But I love that your colleagues give you the warm fuzzies... I would say maybe 5% of the people I work with give me that vibe, but I work in finance...

P is feeling under the weather from a cold so I got extra snuggles with him yesterday. He hasn't wanted me to read to him lately, but I convinced him to let me read a chapter book to him. I mean, it's a spongebob chapter book, but I'll take what I can get! W has been really into having picture books read to him, too. Last night he brought over a stack of ten books! And Paul tends to come and sit by us and listen when I'm reading to him. That's my favorite way to connect with my kids!

Anonymous said...

Daria from NJ. I love how you described student-professor relationship. I see it, too albeit being in high school. My student Ryota, came to me and said, “ you know, I thought about it very hard, and yes, I will take you up on your offer to take honors next year.” I was so happy since he has so much potential.
Also, about life as a whole- yes. As a full time working mom with small kids, I see them for an hour in the morning, and for a few hours at night, then they go to bed. But it’s overall experience that counts.

maya said...

I think about your smelly professor story all the time, Nicole... Yes, humans are so miraculously multi-faceted... I love that we both love that <3

maya said...

Nance--I know of CS through her Sherrod Brown connection, but if you like her writing, I'm going to have to seek it out. Thank you for the tip!

maya said...

Steph--Truly! The shortbread is the highlight of the week; the card is forever.

maya said...

Thank you!

maya said...

Jenny--it is still SO COLD. That was the only part--moving trays of food from the car... brrrrrrrr...

maya said...

Lisa--and I could not love your comment more! 100% Young people give me so much hope. So many of them see through political lies these days... and TikTok has been one of the reasons because many on-the-site videos cut through mainstream media B.S.

And you picked up on how my women colleagues stepped up... I go back and forth on this... Catering isn't part of my job--but I wanted to make it special and it really needed to get done, helping isn't part of their job--but they could see it needed to get done. Ultimately, we're taking this on ourselves--no one is making us. Probably the way we're socialized? And absolutely about the fuzzy vibe--I LOVE what I do 100% and have never wanted or want to do anything else. I think that's how they get away with paying us so little--because the satisfaction is so high.

I'm sorry about P's cold, but jealous that you have littles burrowing into you with requests for reading stacks of books! I hope P feels better soon!

maya said...

Daria, our experiences are so simliar...
As I get older and my kids are older too, I find my love for students growing too.

my tiny domestic tragedies

Big A seemed a bit better yesterday. But he didn't think so. I think he likes being taken care of. It makes me think of my hero, June Jo...