It’s been a busy couple of weeks in my world, as I finished the semester, graded stacks of papers, wrote some pieces, traveled a little, finalized summer holiday plans, and generally just tried to keep my head above water.

But the most important news is that I’m joining the full-time faculty at The King’s College (where I’m currently an adjunct) beginning in August. This year I’ll be teaching the same courses I’m teaching now, but more of them, and with an office and more opportunities to interact with students outside the classroom. I am very excited, as teaching has been, by far, the most rewarding occupation I’ve had in my relatively short career. And it also lets me feel like all that reading and writing I do is tied together more tightly. Here’s to a less schizophrenic school year!

The trusty Lonely Planet guides are also stacking up on our table. We’re in the throes of planning a three-week trip abroad this summer – roughly a week each in Dublin, Glasgow, and the general southwest England area, culminating with a couple nights in London. It has been far too long since I’ve been properly abroad (as much as I enjoy my trips north of the border, it doesn’t quite count the same way, and though we went to the Virgin Islands last year, we didn’t leave the U.S.) and I’ve been wanderlusting for a while now.  Tom’s the official day planner when we take trips, whereas I’m more of the logistics person (I book the planes and trains and accommodations and theatre tickets; he handles the actual what-will-we-be-doing part). So we’re planning to stay with friends or stay in absent friends’ homes, and spend a lot of time wandering about. Can’t wait.