It was just another day in the trenches. In semesters past here, it would have been brutal–four hours of open lab with the Colonel dancing around explaining his latest plans to make this job something worse (today it was “no hybrid classes”) and a ripping headache because of it. I did have one today, but I soldiered on with a modest dose of OTC painkiller and the Tiger Balm, and I got done what needed to get done. I wasn’t incapacitated. Then I taught the best class, found a full cooler full of the good burritos at the Co-op, bought them, and headed home at dusk. A day of solid coping without much craziness.

It did make me want to get out again though. To not just cope but to overcome, surpass, move on and succeed. I didn’t do any of those things. But I didn’t let life hurt me and for now that was victory enough unto itself.

One more time, and then a proper weekend, and a chance to slowly and painstakingly turn the corner onto better.