more things that make me smile

(1) huge barbeque dinner with ben; it wasn't southern barbeque, but it was still respectably good.

(2) new eclectic music playlist for the car this week:
1. i'm gonna be (500 miles) ~ the proclaimers
2. the entertainer ~ billy joel
3. song of the south ~ alabama
4. working days ~ echelon
5. the modern age ~ the strokes
6. i still haven't found what i'm looking for ~ U2
7. stuck in a moment you can't get out of ~ U2
8. bittersweet symphony ~ the verve
9. closing time ~ semisonic
10. south side ~ moby & gwen stefani
11. where the streets have no name ~ pet shop boys
12. since i met you ~ dc talk
13. tubthumping ~ chumbawamba
14. mmmbop ~ hanson
15. when i think about angels ~ jamie oneal
16. the light ~ michelle tumes
17. walking in memphis ~ marc cohn
18. go light your world ~ chris rice

(3) emails like this:
(just as with last semester, i'm going through a bit of "student withdrawal". during finals week it's exhausting and i'm about ready for things to be done, but after spending so much time working with students for several months, to instantly not see/hear from most of them again ever after the final, it's suddenly a very quick change and a little lonely (word choice?)... especially with as much fun as i had with my sections this semester... so getting this tonight while feeling that way, made me smile)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lara,

I kind of rushed out of the exam so i didn't get to say good-bye

I want to thank you for a wonderful semester of recitations. THey helped me so much. Your reviews
were amazing. You put all the information together in such an organized way!!!!! it was
beautiful. You're a great teacher!
I wish you the best in all that you do from here on out.

Again thank you sooo much for your time... and your patience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i think i'm actually going to miss teaching in the fall even if a semester off is good for my research agenda... who knew blabing calculus at lecture halls full of students could actually feel rewarding?

time to sleep... ben is actually coming to church with me and paul in the morning. born and raised catholic, last weekend going to lutheran church with jessica (his girlfriend of 6+ months, who is also one of my undergrad friends) was his first time in a non-catholic worship service. i told him he's welcome to come with me and paul anytime he's in NJ instead of in DE with jessica, and he decided tomorrow morning is the perfect time to take me up on it... should be fun.

first, though, to sleep!

night.