Okay, Monday, Two More Weeks! A Premature Celebration. Booyah!

At 3 p.m. Sunday, I finished grading all the undergraduate papers and I thought to myself, "This is the first time I haven't had to chase down students wondering when their work was going to come in." Nope. I had sufficient and proficient, organized underclassmen who were goo about getting their work to me.

In fact, I finished before the graduate project began to pour in. I had to find a photo from yesteryear (Santa Fe, New Mexico through Bread Loaf School of English) to capture how I felt after finishing the last paper of the day.  It felt good.

Of course, having graded from Friday afternoon until now, with only an occasional reprieve (a run or a walk) has a few bags under my eyes. It's all good. I decided not to get back to graduate student concerns until this morning. I will respond to their emails after the next cup of coffee.

Now, I also have to go through my list of obligations: professional development in Bridgeport, a tutor training in Stamford, a video conference for the Marginal Syllabus articles, and laying out the next edition of POW! Power of Words! which is a good 4 months behind schedule. It will get done.

I don't have to teach this week, which triggers everyone and their mother to schedule meetings galore to suck up any free time I might have.

Still, I'm feeling good that I'm 50% on my way to lay claim to the end of the semester. It's the small accomplishments that sometimes mean the most.

And the sniffles have arrived. I knew they would come. I'm hoping they go away, so I don't have to go after the Mucinex monsters - that's usually what happens when I finally get a few seconds to myself.

Here's to everyone out there battling with the end-of-the-semester bonanza. This too shall pass.

Phew! December 10th, already.