We had such a good day in the lab yesterday – my students are born experimentalists. I got home and had a healthy dinner. We picked up Rosie’s friend and went to beach. And then finally ended it with an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen (on Carissa, Gabi, and Ravyn thank you very much). It was the end of a great day. Here’s the problem. I had to get up, go to work and do it again this morning. It wasn’t easy pulling myself out of bed at 6am.

I told myself I would take sometime off from work in August. Everyone needs a vacation. We have a nice camping trip lined up in the middle of August and I am sure we will do some other fun things. But that is August. And it is still July. And I am still exhausted. I am fried. I am literally counting down the days until August.

Some how in the part of my brain that controls my stupidity, I assigned myself another new prep this year. So there I was, yet again, on the train opening a text book for the first time and starting to plan the class from scratch this morning. So many new preps. Ugh! (Actually I have been preparing for this class for about six months already, but now I am just getting to the syllabus part of the planning.) I got about 5 minutes in, closed the text book and said, that’s enough for today.

On the positive side of things, I have a very curious, and independent research team this summer. That makes research successful and rewarding. But even when you have the perfect job with the perfect people, its still work a week away from vacation.

Ah. Now back to lab!