I have been able to relax a little more this summer with my teaching load reduced and the research at DSU manageable for the first summer session. I am looking forward to the class on "big data" taught by Dr. Deokar. I think it will be interesting based on some research projects I am in currently and a few abstract proposals which are out right now for review. My students for the UTA corrections course are doing very well and are highly interactive.
This has left me some free time. Lately I've been back into designing Lego creations almost exclusively. I have a pinterest page up with almost 530 unique awesome lego creations. This page is updated daily from various sources like Brickshelf and MOCpages. The pinterest page can be found right here. As soon as I can get my MOC pages recreated and set up again the additional pages for "MOC" and "My Collections" will be updated as well, each with their own special pinterest page respectively. I find this hobby highly therapeutic and easy to maintain while listening to lectures and audio texts. It also helps with my insomnia.
The current goal is to rebuild all my old sets. This is almost complete as I have a few sets outstanding with missing pieces which need to be replaced. I am currently working on the 575 Coast Guard Station, which was the very first set I ever had, surprisingly enough I still have quite a bit of the bricks for that set. In addition I want to submit a Lego Cuusoo project just to say I could (bragging rights only).
I will say that I reached a milestone with the use of Lego as a teaching device. I actually managed to help a student understand the ideology of States' Rights with the use of Lego Mini-figs. Yes, I actually did this, and I revel in the fact it made sense in context. I will never again say that I have too many police Lego sets now. I have managed to move the entire collection into my office at UTA.
Hopefully the second summer session will go as smoothly as the first.