Humming along through this season of life: A Playlist for 2025

Like most of us on campus, I play the part of several different people on any given day.

I start my day tending to kids and pets, kissing my spouse on his way out the door, ticking off items on a mental checklist of what the kids and I will need throughout the day before beginning a convoluted morning commute. I arrive on campus feeling energized (or stir-crazy after a long drive). I sit at my desk and fine-tune my lessons before heading to LA 105 for a long day teaching composition to often reluctant writers. On shorter teaching days, I either spend my time in the writing center in HT2 125, or I carve out some mental space to work on creative ventures for my CTLE role. I run out of HT2 in the afternoon, always late, always over-encumbered, and I begin my afternoon driving shift. I usually kick this road trip off with a beat-up peanut butter sandwich. When I finally make it home at the end of the day, I once again focus on the care and feeding of kids and pets. I cook a meal with my husband as we listen to records, and I enjoy conversation with my family around the dinner table. I find some time to grade student work before I collapse into sleep, drooling on my pillow while the TV flashes blue and green across my bedroom ceiling.

I’ve created this playlist to capture my workday during this trying yet magical season of my life:

1. "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens: This song represents the peaceful moments when it’s just me and my coffee.

Tied for first: "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire.

2. “Gotta Get Up” by Harry Nilsson: “Oh crap, put on your shoes we need to GO.”

3. “Everybody Wants to Rule The World”: My morning commute.

4. "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves: This song captures the first few minutes of class where I bring more happy energy than my bleary-eyed students are prepared for.

5. "Learn to Fly" by Foo Fighters: This song represents the inspirational side of teaching.

6. “Frankly Mr. Shankly” by The Smiths: This song represents the “Really? REALLY?” side of teaching.

7. "School's Out" by Alice Cooper: This song captures the feeling of fleeing campus as I transition from professor to mom again

8. "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman: So much driving!

9.  "Home" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: This is how I feel when the warm evening light slants through the window while I cook dinner and listen to records.

10. Golden Years–David Bowie: This is a hard season of life, but these are truly golden years.

11. "Creature Comfort" by Arcade Fire: This song captures dinner table conversations about life and the world. 

12. “Save it For Later” by the English Beat: This represents those times when, late at night, I try to offer feedback on student work (then fail to conjure the brain cells to do so).

13. "Motion Sickness" by Phoebe Bridgers: Ah, the physical and mental exhaustion I feel as I finally collapse into bed, ready for rest!

14. “Daylight” by Matt and Kim–Too soon, I do it all over again!

What's Outside My Office Door? Write 6x6 Week 1

Every spring, the Write 6x6 challenge affords me the chance to explore our beautiful campus as I deliver treats to the doors and cubbies of our courageous bloggers.

In 2022, when I begged to take over Write 6x6 after a year of dormancy, I didn't know my way around campus. I ventured out with my basket of treats, nervously checking a paper map and forgetting which direction was north. Today, however, I treasure the campus footpaths and office doors that I know by heart. I love the stroll that takes me to what feels like the farthest reaches of campus when I visit the Fitness and Wellness building to drop by Louise's door. I love chatting with the student workers in the admin building when I visit Lore and Tiffany. This year, I got to explore the Physical Sciences building for the first time when I brought George a treat! (Welcome to the team, George Gregg!) My last stop of the day, without fail, is always to pop by Mary Anne's office in Life Sciences. These little adventures are always a highlight of my spring semester.

Today, however, instead of writing about the familiar doors that greet me as I deliver snacks, I'd like to talk about the unique, magical, and just plain useful corners of our campus I have discovered by stepping outside my office door and onto our beautiful campus grounds. 

Here is a list of ten of my favorite campus features in no particular order:

1. A cat lives outside the O5 office building. I (secretly) named him Benny in 2020. He's still hanging around, but like any cat worth his salt, he probably has at least 13 names. (If you see him, tell him I say pspspsps.)

                                                             

2. There's a tiny troll hiding in the bushes by the Center for Learning. 

3. There's a brick oven and grill near the Student Union. Y'all, why are we not making use of this? I suspect this fixture has seen many a happy Gaucho get-together.

4. There are happy little painted rocks hidden throughout the campus that never fail to make me smile.

5. There's a free little library near the Faculty O7 building.

6. There's a gender-inclusive restroom in the Life Science building (and 17 more spread throughout campus).

7. The Library and LS building are Safe Places on our campus. A "Safe Place" is "a designated area where students, faculty, or staff can go if they feel threatened, unsafe, or in need of immediate help. These zones are marked with clear signage and provide a secure environment for individuals facing any form of distress." I will be adding this information to my course orientation in the fall.

8. The Geology department has created a beautiful display of minerals and rocks near a pathway between the Physical Sciences and Life Sciences buildings. I walk by this lovely collection so frequently that I have claimed a personal favorite: chert. I'd like to petition for the word "chert" to be the next witty and biting insult.

9. Roses, roses, roses! We are also a bee campus! I love to stroll the pollinator pathway and think about the good that our campus is doing for the bee community.

10. Outside the Life Sciences building is a lovely turquoise bell that rings gently when the wind blows.

Bonus: Although Saguaro Ranch Park isn't part of our campus, I love that it is close enough that I can wander over there to take in a little beauty. I also love that, from time to time, the peacocks and peahens wander over here to bring a little absurdity to an otherwise routine day.

As a Covid-hire, it took me a while to get to know our physical campus grounds, but five years later, GCC feels like home. Thank you for the adventures, fellow Gauchos!