I'm all hopped up this morning--the news has gone out to the whole library that I'm leaving. It was a nice email the acting head of the library sent out. Still, I'm freaked out. I have until the August 6th here and it breaks my heart a little bit. In spite of all my moaning and groaning, this has been the best job I've ever had. Simple and quiet and often satisfying (when I actually work with books--not when I get lost on the stupid computer). I will really miss Clara and Kathy and the other folks in my department. Really and truly.

I start over at the new school on August 9th. I get zero time off--but classes don't start until the 18th, I think. So I'll have that much time to plan SIX FUCKING CLASSES. I don't know anything yet--not what I'm teaching, not my schedule, not nothing. I talked with the ever glorious Blythe and she is also starting a full-time community college in North Carolina teaching gig and will probably teach a lot of the same classes as me. She said she'd send me her syllabuses. I love Blythe. She also said we'll have to find some excellent conferences to attend together. Wahoo!

My dad and Shawn are in town, driving me mad. Actually it's just me dad that's driving me crazy. Shawn is as awesome and wonderful as ever. I love my little brother to distraction. We went rafting last week and camping in the most beautiful place I've ever been--Sumter National Forest. Our campsite was gloriously located right on the Chatooga River (which we rafted and it was so fucking fun--Jeff and my dad both took spills on some rapids and Jeff accidently lost his bathing trunks TWICE) and we swam and swam every second. It was pretty much the most beautiful place I've ever been. Awesome.

I better get to it. I have to get all my shit together here and I'm pretty sure that means putting my nose to the grindstone for the next week and a half straight. I've let so much go. I didn't think I had a chance in hell for this job, after all. Holy shit. I'm still in shock. And scared. And panicked. And wicked excited.