"Would you like to put that on your Macy's card?"

I uttered those words for what I hope to be the last time yesterday. That's exactly what I thought when I left my employ at Macy's two years ago. Never say never. I spent my last shift in Linens, my favorite department, and felt strange when the time rolled around to clock out. It was like any other shift, no fanfare, no drama (despite what is always provided by the customers...). But it wasn't like every other shift. It was my last. It felt strange and abrupt. Ok, done! Now what? I can't wait for it to suddenly sink in..."oh, yeah! I don't have to don an all black uniform and calculate which coupon would be best". :)

This week has been a strange mishmash of 'lasts'. I gave my last lecture to my big intro class on Monday. I met with my seminar class for the last time on Wednesday. I worked my last shift at Macy's. So far none of this seems real to me. I know that we are leaving Bozeman in, count them, eight days, but it's not resonating with me yet.

I spent hours this week in my office going through papers, cleaning out files and trying to find homes for my collection of text books. The light green walls - illegally painted - are bare and sad. Black and white photos that decorated the place are now at home pilled against a wall. I moved out a pile of paper to be recycled that I'm pretty sure measured 24" tall. I moved out another pile of paper to be shredded and was thankful that the department has undergraduates employed in our main office to help me recycle and shred all these papers. Otherwise, I can't imagine how long it would take!

With that said I've spent the last week writing exams and the makeups to go along with them. Don't misunderstand me here. I. Love. Teaching. I'm also ready to not write another exam for a very long time. After being incredibly diligent to not repeat questions from previous exams on the exams and makeups, I'm done. Done.