8.2.07

Thursday Thirteen, v. 11


Thirteen Things Off the Top of My Head
since I'm buried in grading today :(

1. Not that there aren't high points, like crazy cats racing around the apt...

2. ...and lunch with a really fun former student planned for 11h30.

3. Wrote kind of a fun, albeit bitchy, post about our town then realized it's TT so I'll post it tomorrow - come back and read if you want to see me in all my curmudgeony glory.

4. It was warm enough yesterday afternoon not to put my wool sweater and fleece back on but simply to walk home in my fun linen top from teaching.

5. I'm reading different stuff now on my walk to and from school; I usually read the NYT Book Review but the last few days I'm reading the French translation of one of my favorite books, Surfacing, by my favorite author, Margaret Atwood.

6. I always eschew reading stuff in translation if I'm capable of reading the original (Atwood writes in English of course) but once in a blue moon I go ahead and read French translations after reading the English just 'cause it's interesting to see the translation. This time it's a combination of that and the fact that I'm trying to read more French these days since I have got away from it a bit.

7. I'm procrastinating again so I'm kinda bummed at myself but I'm trying to cut myself a break and just make sure I do better with the next batch of tests. I'm not sure why but last semester even tho I was a bit funked I hardly procrastinated at all (seriously I was like a new person - in that one respect anyway). This semester I feel loads better mood-wise but I'm putting stuff off like crazy.

8. Sam & Lucy are boycotting their food again the last day or so. This is par for the course when we are getting to the bottom of the latest batch; it is not quite up to their freshness standards by then, despite its storage in our fun airtight food bin. Also sometimes they decide that the bowls need washing earlier than normal. We've got at least another 5-6 days on this batch of food so I'm washing the bowls and hopefully that will appease them til it's time for another bag of Science Diet. They know they have to eat what's there anyway eventually or no more will go in the bowls, but they like to make their opinions known nonetheless. :)

9. My cordless mouse is sluggish this morning; might be nearing time for a new battery, which is not great because I have a really hard time opening it up for the battery exchange. It's one of those things kinda like those Chinese puzzle boxes or something where you slide it apart and you have to have just the right pressure on it to get the pieces to slide apart. Of course when you do it right it slides unbelievably easily, just to make you feel silly. Or else it's just me. :)

10. So grading 80 French 1010 tests today and 80 compositions, doing chapter grade averages for them and for my 25 Fren 1020 students as well. Actually have to do the 1020's first; I promised it would be done early today. At least their tests and compos are graded.

11. Just remembered I have to finish the WebCT (online courseware site) gradebook columns and formulas for the 1020's before I can enter the grades. Thank goodness since it's just the first chapter I don't have to do the intermediary Excel step yet (no math involved until next chapter when chapter grades will need to be averaged together for posting).

12. And yes, online courseware like WebCT and Blackboard are indeed designed to do the math for you so you don't have to fart around with Excels but our classes have too many components feeding into the grade in too many too complicated ways for WebCT's little fairly-unsophisticated spreadsheet capabilities, alas. Proof that technology doesn't always save you work.

13. I'm on a grilled cheese sandwich kick lately. I do that every once in a while. I think I've had grilled cheese sandwiches for every evening at-home meal the last week. I added tomatoes the last couple of times. OMG they are so yummy!... Just made the coffee and I know just what would be really delicious with it for breakfast!



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10 commentaires:

Jewel a dit…

Hello! I can so appreciate the food-boycotting #8, though it is my trusty dog that does that. Ellie, the cat, as long as she has the same kind of food everyday, is quite content. I love the quotes. Several made me laugh outloud! Thanks for the morning laughter!

delilah a dit…

Mmmmmmm. I think it is probably some sort of sin or something to think about grilled cheese this early in the morning but it does sound delish.... I LOVE swiss cheese & tomato on mine!

Anonyme a dit…

That's too funny that you mentioned adding tomatoes to your grilled cheese sandwiches. I started doing that about 2 weeks ago and just can't get enough! I use the little roma tomatoes and mmmmmm sooooo good, LOL!

The Rock Chick a dit…

J'aime votre liste! (did I say that correctly?) I'm wishing it was warm enough here to take off the fleece and wool sweaters :)

Really enjoyed your list (just in case my French isn't any good:) Jessica

Kukka-Maria a dit…

BOYCOTT FOOD! BOYCOTT FOOD! Way to be, cats!

My Agent's friend speaks French and, when they watch a French film w/subtitles, she is always amazed at how they have chosen to translate something. "It's so much more color and descript in the original French," she'll muse. "It's almost like the English words just don't exist to do that thought justice."

Chickadee a dit…

I tend to procrastinate on those things that I either am not looking forward to doing, or those things that feel overwhelming. Procrastination is not a good thing! LOL.

My 13 is up.

Unknown a dit…

You sound sooo busyt and cheese sandwiches are sooo yummy! i havent had one in a long time

Di a dit…

Grilled Cheese...my son thinks I rule the world with my grilled cheese. And I must agree. And I have searched the world over for a good Tuna Melt...who are these people who think a tuna melt is two pieces of toasted bread with some tuna and partially melted cheese constitutes a tune melt????

Carmen a dit…

my cat gets excited about new (fresh) food, too. He doesn't like the bottom of the bag. But I don't like the bottom of the cereal box, so I understand. :)

Nathalie a dit…

I hate it when Proppie boycots his food. Because then he starts staring at me with his 'you are starving me to death - and you never give me anything nice'-look, and I feel really guilty ;)