A Busy Morning Already

6:15 a.m.
I am awake. I am trying to remember when was the last time I was up this early, but I am too tired to remember. Even when I was interning for UNHCR this summer I didn’t have to be up this early.

7:30-8:15 a.m.
I go to the steps of the athletic center to begin the “walk and talk.” No one shows up, but I do see a number of athletes that are up this early. I walk around campus listening to my ipod and picking up trash. I come across a lot of flyers for some club in Uptown. I pick up some, but there are hundreds, so I quickly give up. I contemplate climbing into the bushes after some other trash, but decide I am not that enthusiastic. In 45 minutes, walking at a rather sedate pace, I cover most of the campus. I wonder how many laps Dr. Herzberger does walking quickly.

8:15-8:45 a.m.
I go back to my room to change for my day. My roommate is just waking up. I am only a tiny bit bitter.

8:45-9:15 a.m.
Meet with my assistant, Kristin Wiberg. She shows me my office and I check my e-mail. I think about checking my facebook, but decide that college presidents probably don’t do that. I am surprised that the office is very much a working office with stacks of paper and projects in process. I guess I expected a palatial suit, but this office looks much like many professors’ offices. I even see a plastic cup that looks very much like the ones in the CI!

Kristen shows me several of the fliers I had seen earlier and asks me what to do about them. I suggest that she call the club owner and tell them they are trespassing on private property. She does so, and asks facilities to pick up the fliers. I am a little annoyed that someone has left this trash on campus that facilities now has to pick up when there are way better things they could be doing, like fixing our many leaky faucets.