T Minus < 24

No, that is not a math formula. (Are you crazy? Most of you know I am NOT a math person!!)That is how long I have until fall semester starts for me. Am I ready? Of course not. I still do not have my books. I will probably get those tomorrow or Thursday. I may wait and compare online prices to bookstore prices. I have been so busy trying to get my daughter ready to go to school that I have neglected my own preparation.

Besides books, I need a new backpack, notebooks and folders, and pens. I also need to fire up the mini to make sure she is fully charged in order to pound out notes like a crazy woman. I'm sure once I wake up tomorrow morning, I will be excited. I have not had much time to get excited about my school this semester because I have been so busy with my daughter and other stuff going on in my life. What are some ways that I can get excited about school?

1. Go to the school supplies aisle at Walmart and watch the frantic elementary school moms with their long lists of supplies - things like hand sanitizer, Kleenex and Post-it notes (whatever happened to notebook paper, pencils and crayons?) - surrounded by masses of children all under the age of ten and click my heels together three times while saying, "There's no place like college! There's no place like college!"

2. Go to the bookstore and stand behind the freshman as they field phone calls from their mom (in between texting their buddies about the great party tonight); "Yes, Mom. I'm getting them now. No, Mom, no partying last night. Yes, Mom, there is milk in my fridge. Yes, Mom, I had breakfast this morning. No, Mom, I did not throw the bananas away. Yes, Mom. Me, too."

3. Take a walk through campus and listen to the buzz of activity the new semester has created so far.

4. Walk down to see Jason at the Campfire Grill hotdog stand on the other side of campus and ask him how business has been this week.

5. Stand on the plaza overlooking Neyland Stadium and observe the sudden increase of activity as the construction guys hurry to finish the renovations before the first football game on Sept. 4. They had been working on this all summer, but it seems as if someone suddenly looked at the calendar and said, "Hey, guys. Football season's only three weeks away. Oh my gosh! Football season's only three weeks away!!!"

I need a good night's sleep and a good spray of Eau De First Day of Kindergarten. I should be wide awake, excited and ready to roll with the new semester by tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned . . .