Good day

I was telling Paul earlier that I like days like today. He said he was unsure whether I was exhibiting perk or snark (which made me laugh), but I genuinely mean it. I started the day uncertain whether I'd make it to the end (headache again--or should I say still?), but since I had a few panic-stricken students coming in to talk about papers, I figured I'd at least come in to meet with them and then see how things went. Once I was here, even with the throbbing temples, I set to work--and since the stack of things to be marked is small and recent, it was easy to get through it. One might think this would be a lesson to me not to let the work build up too much, but sometimes that is just not possible. Still, the days--like today--when I feel right on top of it all, no big scary backlog chasing after me, are lovely indeed. I bailed on the college-wide Assessment Committee meeting (again: I think I've missed more than I've attended), but the rest of the day went like usual: P&B, class, class--with marked assignments returned to both sets of classes: right on top of things. And I hope madly to stay right on top of it all right up to spring break--and I hope through the rest of the semester.

I'm also working to help the potentially good students get as much success out of the semester as possible, which means that I'm not being utterly ferocious about enforcing the rules. I did get a bit testy in a series of e-mails with a student from Native America lit who still has not purchased Ceremony, which we started reading two weeks ago, and told him that if he came to class, he'd need to keep his mouth shut completely: just listen, not question or comment at all, as he has no idea what he's talking about yet (and he's done that a lot this semester, felt very free to chime in to class discussion without having read a syllable of the assignment). He didn't come to class (and I haven't checked e-mail to see if he attempted to continue the conversation after I signed off). But another student in that class has been floundering--lots of missing work--and I gave him the offer of an incomplete. It's not much of a life-raft: more students end up failing than successfully complete the course work, which I told him in no uncertain terms. But he grabbed on to it with gratitude anyway. I hope he makes it: he's certainly got the chops to do it if he can just put in the work. The other student from that class to whom I offered an incomplete is doing a damned good job of making up the territory even as the semester progresses. I hope she can keep it up: she's a potential A+ student, and I'd like her to get that.

Today's 102 seemed on the less-bewildered end of the spectrum when talking about LHoD, which was a relief after yesterday's experience.

And right now, I probably should either be marking more assignments or taking care of miscellaneous bits of P&B business. But instead I'm going to try to figure out if I want to go to dance class. I'm completely betwixt "yep" and "nah" on that decision. If the answer is "yep," then I need to eat my "brown bag" dinner. If the answer is the contrary, then I can reconsider the food options at home. I'm going to noodle around a little, basic organizational stuff, for a little while and see if the winds blow me across the dividing line in either direction. But no more real work tonight: I'll come in tomorrow morning and get another jump on stuff.