Another argh

I guess it's a good thing I'm here futzing around with syllabi and so on, as I keep finding mistakes. I was feeling so smug: I'd proofread my syllabi, which I don't think I've ever had time and energy (and visual acuity) to do before, and everything was all copied and ready to go, nicely early--and last night, as I was working on the little index cards I use to record attendance and grades, I realized I'd made howling blunders with the schedules for all of my classes, especially the Tuesday/Thursday section. Like, oh, say, having a class scheduled on Thanksgiving Day, or another on a day when classes follow a Friday schedule....

Thus ensued much swearing and kicking of myself from pillar to post, but I fixed the problem and came in to the office today, even though Bruce sent word he wouldn't be here and so I didn't need to make the trip: I thought, "well, I'll just copy the syllabi all over again"--and, of course, not only were there a bunch of people also wanting to make syllabus copies, but both copiers were utterly on the fritz.

To quote Pogo, "Growf, rowr, bazz-fazz."

And to use one of my own more common phrases, ah well. I have to come in tomorrow anyway, to work with Bruce on sorting out problems (and finding faculty for any new sections that may have opened up, as enrollment rises), so I'll hope the copiers get fixed and I do my copying all over again. If not, I reckon it's time for a trip to Kinkos, because Wednesday will be harried enough without having to fight off adjuncts wanting to copy their contracts while I monopolize the machines.

Kvetching aside, I am still in good shape. I even spent a little time today working on the assignment sheet for the second paper in my 102 classes--and I won't need that until October. If I can get that and a few more homework assignment sheets pulled together before I head out of town, that will be a relief.

I am sort of having subterranean conniption fits about the paper I will be presenting in October, however. I'm still keeping it on the back burner, but I know I'd better get it done--or mostly done anyway--before the semester really gets rolling, or I'll create unnecessary worry for myself. That trip is coming up frighteningly soon. Even the handouts I'll need for October can't be left sitting too long. In terms of staying on top of stuff, October might as well be tomorrow....

Nevertheless, I haven't given up hope that I'll get a chance to do some deep cleaning/organizing of the office, which is approximately as neatly organized as a rat's nest at the moment. I have uncovered some pages of notes, which have been useful as I prepare assignments--and I've also uncovered pages of bloopers in the stacks of god-knows-what at home. I found one blooper today, on the back of reminders for myself regarding caveats for students when they write introductory paragraphs. I will close with it today, because, well, sometimes you just have to laugh. It's from a paper about W. P. Kinsella's short story "Dance Me Outside":

"[One of the main characters] had killed a young girl just because she made fun of his gentiles."

Well, goyim can be pretty funny.