Now that we know where I spend my time, the next logical question is: How do I spend my time?

Well, we already know I spend time getting my personal life in order, but my work time right now is spent getting ready for Fall 2008, Spring 2009 and Summer 2009. I am also working on a health-related conference to be held here January 3-10, 2009 and a conference to be held in Iowa in February of 2009 for a professional group I belong to.

Today I finished up a series of emails to the fall students about topics ranging from how to request absentee ballots to places to work out while on the program to an on-line language evaluation. I am now taking a short break before moving on to putting together power points for the course I am teaching this fall: Contemporary Issues in US/Mexico Relations. I taught the same course last spring literally by the seat of my pants. I am feeling more confident this time around. The issues we are looking at include immigration, trade, tourism and trafficking. The set up is seminar-style with lots of participation plus reaction papers to our primary reading on each topic and a research paper at the end. The building pictured here is our classroom which sits in the garden and is built to resemble a Mayan house complete with the thatched roof. A roof like this lasts about 10 years before needing to be replaced. Hurricane force winds blow right through it. The only downside is that the roof is home to all kinds of little creatures. It is a little disconcerting to be talking and have a gecko turd drop on your notes!

All for now...we are shutting down the computers and Internet for maintenance.