My Summer "Off"

Everyone knows teachers have the summer off, right? Actually, anyone truly in the know realizes that isn't true. Any teacher who doesn't have to prepare a new course or new lesson plans for the next year or to conduct research will probably take a second job to supplement his/her meager salary.

Here's what I'm doing with my summer:

• Revising my book manuscript for publication. 
• Attending the Summer Teaching Institute at my university in order to add more technological components to my class
• Rethinking my syllabi for Composition I and the British literature survey
• Creating a new class, a survey of British culture from 1660-present (gulp)
• Various work on my house, including repainting the front door and deck and planting new things
• If I have any spare time, I have several shelves of books I've been meaning to read.
• Bird-watching

That's my summer "off." I think it's pretty sweet, myself. But I wish I had time to teach a summer class--I need the money.