It's... not the best day I've had, though far from the worst on balance. Last night was deeply unpleasant. I'm more glad than I could say Mason was around for it, and that's all I'll say on that subject. Other than to say thanks to the people who know who they are, and to say I'm sorry to the people who know who they are.

My head hurts. And I'm tired. And hollow inside, sort of. Or numb. I don't know. Mason's been good, though I imagine he's got better ways to spend his time.

And maybe so do I.

---

Summer Session officially started today, and I was on hand, smiling and being chipper and charming to parents, their kids a bit dreading the prospect of spending July in school taking math.

Despite this, they're good kids. I liked them, they seem to like us. We chatted and were cheerful and very happy and the like. It was close to a hundred degrees, and somewhat humid. I thought of my air conditioned apartment, my air conditioned car, my air conditioned semilocal movie theater, my....

But we were outdoors. And contrary to all possible rational thought, there was no coffee. About four of us were looking for it, foggy and feeling the burning need in our heads and gullets.

"It's roasting hot," Margaret, the Summer Session director said. "How on Earth could you drink hot coffee right now?"

"Blooooorg," we said, shambling and consuming the brains of the living.

"Have some fruit punch," she suggested. "Or lemonade. Make a sandwich."

"Blooooorg."

Needless to say, there was no coffee, so we ultimately 'did without.' In the heat.

And yet, it was a good day. Some mothers were teary -- never having been without their children since the birth. Not for six weeks, anyhow. One reinforced everything that one of my advisees needed to do and have done for the next few weeks, almost painfully earnest.

Some parents dump their children in summer schools and boarding schools. And some parents love their children so much they would be willing to let themselves feel the lack to see them succeed. As much as the first set of parents bother me, the second set have my deep admiration. And impose on me and my cohorts great responsibility.

Which doesn't make up for the lack of coffee.

---

Five minutes before Margaret introduced the faculty, I managed to spill fruit punch down my front.

Now, I'm not exactly the 'coolest' person on the planet. I'm a geek, pure and simple. I like being a geek. My friends are geeks. I have a good geek life. But being introduced in the beginning of my faculty career with what looks like an iMac's bloodstains on my shirt isn't exactly my idea of a first impression.

Heloise I'm not, but I hit the bathroom and washed out, fluffed, squeezed, and did what I can. I put the shirt back on and looked in the mirror....

And had on a shirt that looked like I'd either just run a marathon or accidentally fallen into a pool.

Well, it was one of the hotter days of the year. Grumbling, I walked outside of the boathouse, where we were having all of this, and went and stood and looked out over the water in the sunlight, one ear cocked for Margaret's voice meaning it was time to go in and be Chipper. I didn't feel chipper. I felt... well, see paragraph one.

The water was beautiful, with many boats on it, and jet skiers and all the rest. People were swimming by the docks. I guess the water's a couple of feet low this year but people sure seem to be enjoying it. And so was I, all told. Or as much as I could. It's a beautiful area, and it was a beautiful day. And the Summer Session looked very promising, and....

And I still felt hollow, but it seemed possible that I'd come out of it, sooner or later.

Margaret's voice pulled me back and I went in. My shirt was mostly dry, and no signs of stains. Which marks the first time I've ever managed to clean my shirt after such a thing.

That would do for right then. And tomorrow can take care of itself. I'm tired.