Modern Algebra

No progress today. I slept in, and I'm glad I did. I don't feel too bad, but I'm exhausted, and I don't think I would have made it if I had run.

I'm teaching Modern Algebra this semester, which is an upper level course. It's a very difficult course, that even the best students take seriously, and that the worst students dread. It's fun to teach -- I get to do lots of stuff that I can't do in other classes -- but it's a lot of work. Part of the work is that the students come in all the time.

In general, I like working with students. I often complain when students don't come into my office enough. But man, I've had a steady stream of Modern Algebra students through my office. I counted today, and of 23 students, 18 have been in my office at least once, and ten were in today. That really sucks up your time.

I'm not really complaining. It is fun. And it beats heck out of the alternative, which is never having students come in, and then watching them go down in flames on the tests. So I'll count my blessings.