Day 5 - 86 -- Spiraling Downward

The first of the lasts today as we near the end of term. The first - last lab session ended tonight, with the last two on Thursday. Lectures continue into next week. In one class we had guest speakers who discuss course content in the context of their lives -- a great way for students to hear the message from someone other than the instructor. All participants seem to enjoy this event. We will debrief as a full class in the next class and summarize the main learnings. It is a fun way to bring course material into the world.

I was feeling a bit stressed in the afternoon trying to work through the piles of things that need to be completed within a week. Way too many hours are needed and I fear there really aren't enough available to get the work done -- grading and exam prep. The sun was shining so I walked downtown and got some materials for one of the class activities next week. I needed that walk just to breathe well again. There is a spiral of too much work and some unnamed discomfort that is sucking me into it. Needless to say, this just adds to that discomfort and anxiety. If one of the major piles can be completed soon, I expect that will alleviate some of the stress. I certainly hope so. In the meantime, there is the music <smile>.

The song that came into my head today is one that brings relaxation and some degree of calm. It is by a favourite singer, songwriter and guitarist. The words are perfect for how I feel and the video gives it a visual component. Enjoy!

Spiral -- Eric Clapton