My new job!

My recent foray to Washington, DC was a success! I just accepted a job with Holton-Arms, and outstanding girls school in Bethesda, MD (http://www.holton-arms.edu). I'll be teaching two sections of AP environmental science, one section of regular environmental science, and one section of honors physics. I visited campus recently, and I was really impressed. The students are incredibly bright and motivated. The teachers are happy to be there and very friendly. The campus is beautiful, and the facilities are better than any school I've ever seen. Public transportation is quite convenient, and as soon as I am healthy enough, I will start bike commuting there. Though tuition is exorbitant for its students, the school has such a big endowment that they can admit whoever they want. The result is a remarkable diversity of students, reflective of the greater DC population. Well, except for the fact that there are no male students. Minor detail, right?

In addition to my teaching duties, I will serve as an academic adviser for a handful of students. Also, I will be the faculty sponsor of the environmental club. I grinned when I first found out about that. On the East Coast, I will probably be viewed as "the Berkeley guy" for quite a while. It's true that I eat lots of tofu, own two bikes and no car, and prefer sleeping in a tent to a hotel. In Northern California, those traits are so common that they wouldn't even be worth mentioning. Elsewhere, it makes me "unique." Luckily many of my Berkeley friends are living in DC as well-- including Nick, Alice, Jacqueline, Natalie, and Andrew-- who share my tastes. Both Nick and my sister Katherine work in Bethesda, and I'm going to live near Natalie and Jacqueline. Add to that my friends Anne, Beth, Agnes, Angela, Verena, Jennifer, Tom, and my cousin Jenna, and we've already got a great guest list for my housewarming party!

After a really rough year, things are starting to fall into place. I'm in Houston right now doing some really serious physical therapy. It's so rigorous and unpleasant that even someone with my determination finds it difficult and frustrating. I continue to make slow progress each month, so eventually I'll be walking normally, even if it feels like that time will never come. The timing of the new job is good. I simply cannot bear sitting on the sidelines of life anymore, devoid of most of my social contacts and the activities that make my life meaningful. I'm glad things are finally looking up!