30 Days of Thanks, Days 8 and 9

Day 8: My cat. Yes, two days in a row. It's my blog and I can do what I want to.

I took the cat to the vet this morning. I had planned on doing this Thursday but decided I wanted to watch him for another night. By the end of the day I knew he needed to go in. I dropped him off in the morning so the vet could take a look at home while I was at work. I wasn't feeling good today so I had planned to go in for some morning meetings and then go home. When I got home my place was empty. And quiet. And for a few hours I experienced what my life would be like without him. I didn't like it.

The cat? We think it's a specific type of intestinal infection. It may be chronic, it may not. We're going to treat it with some medication and see what happens. This came on very suddenly and hopefully it will go away as quickly as it came on.

Day 9: My students. Students are the best and worst things abut being at a university and about teaching. They can be aggravating and time consuming and whiny. But they can also be cool and funny and inspiring. I've been doing consults with my students relating to their final assignments. Students have to research a topic of their choice and this week meant getting to know them a little more about them and their topics. A few of them didn't think they needed the help. Most of them appreciated it more than they thought they would.

This week they were entertaining and interesting and funny. And one, he was inspiring. He is in school to change his life. He's not what you would think of as a "normal" student and he is pretty amazing. He has some struggles, but I want him to succeed because he wants to succeed and because I know he can. I've hooked him up with some services in the library that have given him the support he needs, and talking to him, other faculty have done the same.

When we met earlier this week he told me how much he appreciated my help and how much support he's gotten from others on campus. He was very tentative and overwhelmed the first week of class, but talking to him now it appears he's settling in and adjusting. This warms my heart.