Summer Plans

I should be grading right now. Hah. When is that not true?

I have gotten word on my summer course ---- actually, nobody told the postdocs that they had to sign up for the summer classes, so luckily the staff person emailed us all to check. (Why this is our fault that we did not know standard summer class protocol, I don't know, but I digress.) She didn't even give a reason why we should come in, just that we needed to speak with her ASAP.

I was the first person to do so, which means I got to pick which course. I took the same comp class I've been teaching (instead of the second semester research type class) and I also chose the one that is online. I think switching it over to online and a shortened summer schedule will be hell, but, this does allow me the flexibility to do my teaching somewhere else.

So, that means I have a conference right after school ends, and this summer course in the middle of summer, which I could technically teach from anywhere. So what are my summer plans?

No, seriously, I'm asking. You know I always dither about on these types of decisions. I don't ever take anybody's advice, either, but I always somehow feel that I don't know the answer and someone else will be able to give it to me.

Ok then, the parameters:

• I have summer teaching which I could do anywhere.
• I have this apartment, with the lease coming up to re-sign for August.
• I have my two cats, who would need to stay with me or be boarded or cat-sat. (and remember how unhappy and loud they were when I drove cross-country.)
  
• I have fall teaching here and presumably I'm not getting a permanent job somewhere else, or else we'd be hearing back from search committees by now.
• while I love the inside of this apartment and pretty much love the price, I could be much closer to school and the other postdocs. Walking to class and to visit postdocs would be nice.

So I have been toying offhand with the notion of moving over the summer to the edge of the student ghetto by campus. Angry Anarchist Postdoc got a place before moving to the state, meaning AAP is very far away from campus in a big cold corporate apartment complex just like me, only we're on the opposite sides of town. AAP is angry (natch!) about the way the apt complex sometimes doesn't clear the driveway when it snows, and how the snowplows sometimes leave a big wall of snow from the street blocking the apt entrance. AAP has had to cancel class once and walk six or seven blocks to wait to be picked up by a random Italian language prof who lives nearby. AAP is also angry that zie (whoops, was trying to just not use pronouns. so didn't work.) does not live close to any of the bars and that the taxi service is for shit here, meaning that AAP has to be careful when drinking and then driving home. (I have the same problem, but this is much higher on the discomfort scale for angry anarchists.)

Anyway, AAP plans to move someplace smaller and much closer --- like a stone's throw from the local bar we hang out at --- as soon as the grades are in for spring. I hate moving, and would have to break my lease, buuuuuut ---- I do like the idea of interacting more with fellow postdocs and being able to walk to stuff. The inside of my apartment is nice, but being on a frontage road means that there are no sidewalks and nothing nearby to walk to.

I could move closer to school. Or I could put all my stuff in storage and go live with family over summer (saves money on the rent). Or maybe house-sit for my advisor back in GradSchoolLand. Or I could try to sublet this place? Who the hell would live here in the middle of the heat and mosquitoes and blech? Or I could go traveling/visiting cross-country and have a wild road-trip adventure! Which would probably involve having someone cat-sit or boarding the cats ... whoah, I can't imagine that boarding the cats would be financially feasible for more than a couple weeks. Not so sure about flying with two cats, either. Hmm. And leaving them with someone all summer would break my heart! They would hate me and then not remember me when I came back! Or I could keep this place and have a cat sitter watch the cats while I jaunted about for just part of the summer? It's all so confusing.

What do you advise? Help me figure out the summer plans before it's too late and I end up just sitting in here on the couch being unhappy the entire summer! Remember, I hate mosquitoes and humidity, so I think sticking around here all summer could spell my doom.