1/14: it may actually work

Every 3 years or so I teach a course entitled "Etymology and Philology." There's no set curriculum for the course, so every time it comes around I tinker with it a bit (or more than a bit). Often I plan to do too many different things in the course, and that ends up diluting each individual thing too much. I think it's still been a worthwhile experience for the students, but I haven't been entirely happy with it from a pedagogical perspective. It's one of my courses this semester, and this time I think I really do have a sane, focused plan. Our first class meeting today felt grounded and good. Good students, sound syllabus, comfortable classroom atmosphere. Honestly: yay.