Being a teacher is like being a comedian or a major league pitcher. You prepare ahead of time, but no matter how well you prepare, once you stand on that mound or at that mike, you're either "on" and you nail it or "off" and people wonder who the hell thought you could tell jokes/pitch. Every lecture is a live performance. It's exhausting.

It's also part of what I like about being a teacher. I always thought I'd be a good actor, but acting is about pretty, and my gift is intelligence. So instead of trotting around on stage displaying my pretty, I trot around the front of the classroom displaying my intelligence.

The analogy between acting and teaching was strengthened when the college added my name and (gasp) picture to the LED marquees on either side of campus. Because my gift is not pretty, I've always had issues with getting my picture taken, but somewhere around the development of my 17th chin, I began to really abhor it. So to see myself, in all my many-chinned glory, on display for the whole community was a bit disturbing. But, it's as close as I'll ever get to being a rock star, so I guess I'll try to enjoy it while it lasts.