Conceit

Hello, semester.

We have been in the ring many times now, and I admit that you have won a few rounds over the years. And while I have won many myself, you keep coming back, strong as before. You have the tenacity of a badger and the craftiness of a fox. But I am getting both older and wiser. I know your moves, and I know how to handle them.

I will neutralize your offense by cleaning my inbox twice a week and not waiting until Monday to submit Tuesday's photocopy requests. I will chip away at you with jabs and quick body shots, writing for an hour here and a half-hour there as time permits (though you should look for a few haymakers, too). Between rounds I will get plenty of sleep instead of staying up late watching Iron Chef or Mythbusters. And I am going to stick so faithfully to my gameplan of working out regularly that people might mistake me for a Drago-like superhuman instead of a mere man.

I must break you.