I am moving slow this morning. It seemed like the alarm went off five minutes after my head hit the pillow. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I backed out of the driveway, I saw a sliver of crescent moon, and the morning star frozen above in the inky night sky. Minnesota winters may be inhospitable at times, but on clear cold mornings like this it truly is breathtakingly beautiful.
Driving to work was a struggle, and even now 30 minutes and 2 cups of coffee later, I still feel half asleep. I’m afraid it’s going to be one of those days. A good day to sit in the window and sip hot coffee, and let my thoughts flit about like Chickadees on the branches of the barren trees.
Class last night went well, even though I felt a little rusty. The first night is always the hardest as I get to know the cohort, and try to figure out their learning style. It’s a small group this time around. Just six students and me, in the voluminous classroom. I feel like taking them to a Starbucks, and holding class there, but I don’t think the Barista would appreciate the PowerPoint slides, and videos.
Thankfully they are six engaged, and eager students, from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. Two of my students are Somali immigrants, which adds a whole new perspective to the global issues we are covering. I can tell I am going to learn a lot this time through, probably more than the students will. Teaching adult learners is so energizing, and fun. They bring such experience to the class, and are so dedicated and eager to dive into the topics. I really do hope to someday turn this into the day job, and leave the soul sucking corporate world far behind me. Until that time though, I will have to be content with these night classes to feed my passion.
So forgive my yawning this morning interwebz. It’s not you, it’s me. Hope you are all having a peaceful morning wherever you may be. I promise to have something good for you to read tomorrow. Until then, can I get you a cup of coffee?
20 Prospect 
I don’t drink coffee. Not even out of a champagne flute. I think maybe the whole internet is having that kind of day. Maybe Patty got back her fun and now there’s a shortage in the rest of the blogosphere.
No coffee? Then let me fix you a bowl of ice cream instead.
i’m not above stealing when it comes to my fun. i’m a selfish hoo HO like that.
so what the hell are you teaching, anyway? maybe i should look into this as a way to break out, too. i’m liking!
I am teaching students how to grind up the downtrodden in the gears of capitalism, and feast upon the blood of the working class.
One of my babysitters tried to teach me to be a socialist once. It was fun until she threw my porridge at me in my high chair and stalked out saying she was tired of being controlled by my toddler demands that were clearly representative of my ruling class entitlement.
I might try it again now that I’m older MINUS the hot cereal.
Anyway, how is it humanly possible that you do all this plus the family stuff? I’m all crotchety and angry at everyone if I have more than three things to do a day.
Yeah, I’d make a pretty lousy socialist. I don’t like people or guv’mint enough for collectivism. I would make a much better anarchist, or hermit. Maybe both. Seriously, I refused to join the Boy Scouts in the 2nd grade because they struck me as a quasi fascist organization. (Brown Shirts? Hello People!)
If there is one thing I learned in college, it’s how to put in the bare minimum of effort for the maximum result. Father, Hockey Coach, Husband of the Year, professor, Corporate Minion, Blogger Extraordinaire… dayum! I hadn’t though about it that way before. I rock!
Kidding. I most definitely do not rock. Maybe a little roll, but I never rock.
So what is my secret?
I am the world’s most efficient slacker. I should really be teaching a course in that.
Actually, it’s not what I do, it’s what I don’t do. I don’t socialize with friends, I don’t go to bars or happy hours, I am not a work-aholic, and I don’t watch TV. Not because I don’t like TV, just because I am a better person than you.
KIDDING! I Kid! That’s what I do! I’m a kidder!
The real secret is having a loving wife that works her ass off taking care of me and the children. She works twice as hard as I do, so I can slack my way through life.
My advice to you? Get yourself a wife. You will be amazed at the amount of free time you have.
OK, I guess I should come clean and give you a straight answer. I am teaching a class in Global Issues (Environment, Energy, Population, Globalization, Technology etc.) at a local University that shall remain nameless, lest I besmirch their reputation.
I graduated from said University 2 years ago with my Masters in Organizational Leadership, but in the process decided that I really wanted to teach adult learners. I networked with some of my profs, and when a position came open I was lucky enough to get a chance. I truly do love it. Adult learners bring such energy and experience to the classroom. It doesn’t pay much, so it’s not really an option for me to do it full time. Still, I enjoy putting in the extra work after my day job for something I love.
KUDOS.
Teaching adult learners should be a more rewarding experience than teaching privileged and spoiled children in fancy universities where half of the student parking lot is occupied by high-end cars such as BMW. I can just imagine the interesting discussions on global issues happening inside your classroom. I would love to be a fly on the wall there.
Btw, IMO, Socialism can only work within a small community. Communism is a failed experiment of socialism.