Lots of grown-up glum faces as football fans have a second week of preseason games to help lower their expectations. Smaller faces slump glum for another reason: schools all over the country are now in session or counting down the days.

Welcome to December! In the U.S., this week and next are about it for “real work” this year, at least for the non-holiday businesses (and worker attitudes). Work for the holidays and varying gift giving obligations are just ramping up, of course.

Let’s hope all the education-focused IoT projects worked on during the summer are up and running, because schools are now chock full of children.

Please excuse your co-workers who may be groggy if they're big tennis fans: The French Open is underway in Paris, and matches start at 5 a.m. ET (11 a.m. Paris).