Time flies

The new semester is rapidly approaching, and I'm accomplishing nothing. I alternately feel like that's OK and have panic attacks about it. I did go so far as to print out the week-by-week grid I use to plan due dates for assignments, and I've taken a look at my 102 syllabus from last spring: there are a few assignments I want to add and/or put in different order (the most crucial of which entails more work on thesis statements earlier in the semester), but essentially I just need to shift dates to accommodate the slight differences in when the semester starts, when spring break falls, and so on. I also need to build in a snow day or two--and a contingency plan in case (as happened one year) there is a school-closing when I've scheduled paper conferences (man did that require a scramble to get the conferences done and the revision due date shifted). And as I avoid working, the promo folder sits on the table and in the back of my mind, untouched....

The good news is that the fall semester is finally receding, which helps improve my mood about the rapid approach of January 25. I still haven't been able to bring myself to mark the three papers that students wanted back (maybe tomorrow?), but at least I haven't had anyone asking about a grade in a while. Poor No Thesis asked me if I could pass him because he'd done his best. I told him that I honestly didn't think his reading or writing skills were sufficient for him to move on, so in good conscience, no, I couldn't. I didn't confront him about the plagiarism concern, but that is what removed from my mind the possibility of a mercy D, which I'd previously considered. No word from him since. I'm sure that my e-mail was painful as hell for him to receive, and I don't like that much: despite what some of my students believe, I truly am not a sadist. But I also don't think it helps to allow students to delude themselves about where they stand academically. Painful truths have their purpose.

Quick side note: I talk all the time about how my students loathe me (or fear me, or both), but one of my colleagues, with whom I do placement readings, told me that whenever he tutors my students in the Writing Center, they say they like me (and kids don't pull punches in there: I used to tutor, so I know). Of course, that's a self-selected population: the students who use the Writing Center are the ones who care and are willing to work hard, so they're the students who are more likely to appreciate being challenged. Still, it's nice to get the positive feedback. I shouldn't care so much about being liked, but of course I do. Not enough to change my teaching methods, but still.

Shifting gears, this evening at the laundromat, a woman struck up conversation; we were having a "what do you do" sort of chat, and when she discovered that I teach English, she immediately asked me if I'd be willing to tutor her 14-year-old son and how much I'd charge. Off the top of my head I said $45 for an hour (she didn't blanch, as I'd hoped she would: if this ever happens again, I'll have to pick a much higher figure). She says she's going to talk to her husband and then contact me to try to set up a time. She's talking 3-4 sessions, which isn't terribly much, but even so, I'm thinking A) I'm insane to consider even for a nanosecond taking on one more thing, but B) I sure could use the extra cash. I'm going to make a spur-of-the-moment decision if/when she contacts me. I'll either say sorry, I can't find a time, and get out of it, or I'll say OK--and tell myself it's worth giving up an hour of my weekends for a little extra dough.

Meanwhile, as long as I'm not doing any work, I'm doing as much dancing as I can. Two hours of hustle today--the dance kind, not the running around like my ass is on fire kind. I could very easily go to at least one dance class (often two) every day except Friday. And after class it becomes very easy to say, "Oh, gee, it's really kinda late; I shouldn't do any work, or I'll never wind down to sleep." Of course, the solution would be to set the freaking alarm so I don't sleep so late--and I do have to set the alarm tonight, as I intend to actually put up the damned flyers advertising 281 prior to meeting the scheduling committee at 10. Still hovering at 4 students in 281. Nail-biting time for sure. If Bruce is around tomorrow, I'll ask him if there are any lit classes unassigned that I might snag in case 281 doesn't run--though I'm still praying madly I can get the numbers up before Bruce has to axe it. I need to find out when that axe falls, too....

But this post constitutes my "work" for tonight.