I Second That Emotion...

I remember as a kid hearing Smokey sing it and how much I enjoyed his smooth soulful voice. He celebrated a birthday last month and I found myself perusing a message board where many people of all ages were wishing him a happy birthday. At 70 years old Smokey is still as smooth as he ever was. I suppose it's my love for his music that has led me to use one of his songs as the title for this post, not so much because I'm going through one of those "If you want to give me kisses sweet" moments, that will remain between my wife and I, but because of the range of emotions that the last week has brought. OK, so I stretched it just a bit to get it to work. Get over it.

Anyway, as I was saying -- the last week has come and gone and brought with it a wide range of emotions and it's just now dawning on me how that has come to pass. I'm amazed at how well we as human beings cope with such a wide array of experiences in such a short time, and even more so that we don't just absolutely lose it and go tearing through the grocery store throwing jars of pickles at the dairy cooler. Not that it wouldn't be good entertainment in and of itself, but that does seem to violate some social norms that are seriously taboo to contravene. So in the interest of maintaining my place among those free to aimlessly wander the streets of this city whenever I feel like it I've exercised a certain restraint and I've kept that particular emotional response in check. Instead I find other outlets to defray the weirdness that life seems so intent upon depositing in my corner of reality. I guess I sort of know how it would feel to have a nice shiny car that I just finished washing only to have an entire flight of eagles jettison excess weight during a flyover.

I'm thinking back to last weekend when I was pondering some future endeavors, including looking to continue my education. There was a real sense of excitement and some trepidation at the same time. Lots of work, plenty to get done in anticipation of being accepted into the program (I hope!!!) and thinking about being back into the college mode for another three years after eight years out of school.

Then we received some news that hit us like the proverbial ton of dog fur. I only use that analogy because I think I've collected enough recently to reach the requisite quantity. I'm still kind of reeling from what has transpired in my family in another part of the world. Not so much that I'm struggling with anything, but more that some news came down the line that was totally unexpected, on the heels of similarly surprising news from the same source only weeks prior. So within a matter of a couple of days I went from excited, cautiously optimistic, and a bit apprehensive to shocked. And yet I have persevered.

Work elicits various emotions as well, ranging from joy to frustration, to occasionally outright anger. I can say honestly that all of those reared their heads this week. I love working with my students, and I hope that my enthusiasm is evident each time they come into class and engage in a learning experience. At the same time, other responsibilities come calling at what seem like the most inopportune moments. And as living in a community that revolves largely around the school I find that everyone's business is everyone's business. Mine is no different, but when I find out things that affect me through the grapevine I do get a bit frustrated and occasionally angry. Let's just say that this week there were some seriously nervous gherkins in Doha.

Finally as the week closed I went to sit for my GRE. Driving in Doha can be nerve wracking anyway, much less to follow up a drive through town with an expensive test upon which your entire future hinges. OK, maybe it's not quite that monumental a test, but blowing two bills on it to not do well didn't exactly peg very high on my list of "gotta do" things for the week. The test itself was not really that bad although I'm still awaiting the final results. The main thing is I really don't want to experience that particular set of emotions again for some time.

The week was not entirely filled with stressful emotions. There were the great laughs and the levity that happens when among friends having a nice dinner and some TV. No tragedies in the truest sense, although needing the AC in our vehicle fixed in a country where temps are already approaching triple digits might constitute something close. Nothing that will put me on an airplane heading somewhere for an emergency, when life and death hangs in the balance. No, just a week of ups and downs.

So here I am, back at square one ready to confront another week almost certain to be full of emotions. Amazingly enough it will be another emotional roller coaster that I will survive, in all likelihood with those dill spears comfortably resting on the shelf and the sour cream as safe as if it were still in the cow. A week with predominantly edifying emotions will leave me content at week's end. But there are those weeks when we look back with a "can't believe I survived" sentiment. And in that case I don't want no part.

Here's to the start of a good week.