I started teaching at the local women's college again yesterday and it is so good to be back! My writing class (Writing for the Media) has a whopping four students, so we'll be having more of a workshop than anything else. I had them write my typical go-to benchmark essay: 500 words about a time that something happened to you or a friend that made you laugh out loud. Also, they get to read Amy Hempel's “The Harvest” for the first time this week, and I'm terribly jealous that they get to have that experience.

The digital photography class also went well — I have a student in that class who took my writing class last year, so I already know her name. Then, at the end of class, one of the other students approached me and said, “We missed you in church on Sunday.” I'd been looking at her throughout the class session, trying to place her. Turns out she's one of the new nursery workers at our church! So I know her name, too. And then, earlier that day, I saw a young woman with streaked blue hair walking around campus and thought to myself, “I wonder if she'll be in my digital photo class?” Yup, she sure is. Not only that, but her mom is the one who wrote me an e-mail in December, asking for digital camera recommendations as a Christmas gift for her daughter. So, I already know the names of three students in the class. Only 17 more to go!

I wanted to introduce them to Photoshop so I had them download the “In the Snow” picture of my boy.

“Who can tell me what's not right about this picture?” I asked.

“He doesn't have any feet!” said my returning student.

“OK… besides that,” I said.

Oh yeah, it's good to be back. The only bummer was, I couldn't get my security badge, because a power surge took my record out of the system. No security badge means I couldn't check my mailbox, and also that I had to ask students to open my classroom door for me. But other than that, it was great.