My first week of teaching is in the bag! It was crazy -- at times confusing, at others absolutely insane -- and I am pretty exhausted by the end of every day. But I have to say: being there in front of those students, helping them, teaching them something that is personally important to me and which I know will assist them as they go on to other things in their lives -- that really makes all the long days worth it.

There will be a longer, more salient entry later. For now? Pictures!

This is my office. Well, desk. Corner. 90 degree angle. The window looks out on a great view of the ISU campus, which I am sure I will come to appreciate when it is no longer eight degrees outside. The Japanese silk screen and the photos came with the desk. I feel kind of weird about taking them down. Also, I think the plant on the window sill is carnivorous. 

This is my classroom. It is down the hall from my office, which makes the 15-minute passing period between RW and CS a non-issue. The size of the room is not ideal -- especially for CS class, when I would like to have move activities where students move around -- but it has heat and a white board. Newbies can't be picky, anyway.

This is an alligator I drew in class today when we were talking about reasons not to go swimming in the Amazon River. Although, he looks kind of friendly. Maybe I should have drawn him a little more ferocious. I do not want to be on the receiving end of a wrongful limb-eating lawsuit.