The List

It's all over now except for the parties. I've handed in my grades, (mostly) cleaned out my desk and said "Good-bye" to this year's crop of students. The reality of retirement is finally settling in.

Here are some things I'm going to miss:

• Youthful enthusiasm
• The newest slang
• The ever-changing fashion parade
• An audience
• A routine
• Astonishing new ideas
• Students who totally exceed my expectations

And here are some things I'm NOT going to miss:

• Slackers
• Obsessive texting
• Budget cuts
• Commuting
• Administrative indifference/incompetence/hostility (the single biggest reason I decided to retire)
• Aggressive non-performers ("But you have to give me a good grade because I'm__________" fill in the blank with convenient undocumented disability.)
• Committees

Finally, here's one of the things I plan to do much more of now that I AM RETIRED: