Have I mentioned how much I love unemployment?

As of this past Friday, my fall 2023 classes are officially over at all three schools. Which means I am technically unemployed. Hooray! As an adjunct, my contracts are only ever for one semester. That means no one is obligated to hire me back to teach classes in January. In reality, I already have my offers from all three schools, and my teaching schedule for spring 2024 is set, assuming the classes carry and aren't canceled for low enrollment. That uncertainty is just part of the adjunct dance, a sometimes tricky one to navigate.

For now, though, I am fully enjoying my "unemployed" status. On my first day of unemployment, I woke naturally at the time my body prefers: 7:15 a.m., in sharp contrast to the 5:15 a.m. alarm I set three days a week for the past 16 weeks. I ran downstairs to grab a Diet Coke (Don't judge! People drink coffee in the morning; I can drink Diet Coke), then ran right back upstairs and back into bed. I scrolled through a bit of social media. I played Wordle and Connections. I worked on revisions of our family Christmas letter to be illustrated by Kennedy, printed, and sent this coming week.

Then I leisurely got up and dressed and headed up to the mall in Sandy to walk with my friend Emily. After a fabulous walk/chat with her, I got Flake mini-pies and Zao takeout for Shulamith and me, and arrived back at her house just as she was pulling in the driveway, home from her morning kindergarten job. We ate lunch, and then I left to meet my friend Allie for yet another walk. I sure love to walk! Especially with friends.

I still have lots of grading to do before I can submit final grades and be completely done with the semester. I've been studying the Book of Revelation these past couple of weeks, the current text for our church's Sunday School curriculum. The number "7" in the Bible symbolizes a sense of completeness. That sounds awesome! I can't wait until I can feel that #7, that sense of completeness, as I click "submit" for my eight classes. I'm trying hard to remain calm in the meantime and not stress too much, but rather work on grading consistently for some part(s) of each day. I will finish. I always do. (Though I've never taught eight classes before, so maybe I won't?)

I guess we'll see. Until then, have I mentioned how much I love unemployment?