Back to... normal?

More or less.

Yesterday, I took care of errands online and in person, getting ready to fly out for the holidays with family. Also went to see Tangled, the new Disney movie which has a very singable score (no surrpise!) and is superbly done. More later.

Today's big plan is to clean the top half of my apartment--otherwise known as upstairs--and take care of a few more errands.

A friend and I plan to drive through my 'hood tonight and view the lights. Yesterday evening as I was driving myself home, I was nearly blinded by one display--everyone seems to have gone all out this year in the 'hood, and since the very very rich people live in my 'hood, that's saying something. Lawn crews were out and about for a month stringing, hanging, tossing carelessly-yet-elegantly, and inflating. I suspect it is for the same reason people have brought their HumVees and big ol' SUVvies out of the garage and are driving them around. In my very very conservative-yet-filthy-rich 'hood, the poor times are over and we're all about celebrating... despite reality.

Lest you think me filthy rich, I assure you, not so. I live on the right side of the tracks--literally!--(for now) amidst them, but I am an observer only. But I do observe that Jags, Lexae, and the prevously mentioned HumVees are out and about without shame--despite the undoubtedly huge gas bills.

Tonight for our lookie-loo trip, I plan to break out my stash of Angelina's powdered cocoa and make us a thermos of the same. Nothing like looking at lawn ornamentation while sipping the best Paris cocoa! What I need is some full-bodied milk or, heavens, cream to make it super special.

Big D is sunny and mild, but the hometown will be snowy and cooooolllllddddd. Have to pack for that, for both Jack and me.

Christmas plans: read books, watch terrible TV, cook, write, play with Jack, be bored... and therefore unstressed. Create my list of 50 Books to Read in 2011, and start reading them. Go see The King's Speech with parents. Go see The Fighter, maybe with my sister. Watch the snow fall, lie on the ground, melt... watch the deer, many birds, and turkeys in my parents' yard--oh, yes, it is clearly on some animal version of "safe places to hang out."

Sounds crazy, right? But not in a Drah-Mah way, like my everyday life. Nice.

Free at last!

The hardest part of this job is the bi-annual end-of-semester crush. And... it happened again, despite my best plans.

Unfortunately, it has become a regular event. Unlike several of my departmental colleagues, I give final exams and require final revisions on my students' plays during the exam period. During this same period, my department gives individual student evaluations, where each student receives first a written and then an in-person assessment from each faculty member who teaches them in our department. The in-person ones are given by the entire teaching team at once; so we meet on one day, for example, with all our senior undergrads, and then the next day with the juniors, and so on.

This means that in a little more than a week, I led three assessment teams for three grade levels including 12 seniors, 12 juniors, and 22 sophomores--while writing my own assessments for all but 7 of those students. My job before the meetings is to collect, collate, and distribute the written evaluations; during, to keep us on time and focused; and after, to follow up with any probationary requirements.

Oh, and I prepared, gave and graded one final examination, collected and graded one research paper, collected and graded 18 short plays, and met individually with my 8 senior playwrights with notes about their plays. And met with a search committee.

All in 9 days, last Wednesday to yesterday! Breathe the free air!

The main problem is that no matter how I plan the time, it is too fast, too much, and picks up stray events and charges that make it tougher. This year, I planned a little better and had food in the house to cook and eat, which meant that I wasn't existing on a diet of coffee and fast food. That's a situation full of disaster for my moods and stamina. The house goes kaplooey, my errands go to mush, and everything piles up.

Fortunately, the evaluations went off without a hitch--except for two young men who didn't show.

The exams, papers, and grading went well, although the middle one took 24 hours too long (our Registrar starts sending nasty notes after 48 hours if your grades aren't in, then the phone calls begin.... apparently they have nothing to do in that office!). But the students actually ended with the grades the earned--which surprises them but is usual for the way things work. I did have several students who pulled their class grades up as much as a grade level--which was superb!

The meetings went better, leaving me now to email my written notes to each student, an easy enough task, once I get organized for it.

And, surprisingly, I got lots of errands done this week! I visited the Tax Man and got old back taxes figured and in to the IRS, which will make for a sizable refund. I put in and got back all my prescriptions for the month. I got my car registration and new license plates for the DMV. I took Jack to the vet and got our flying certificates. And today I plan to visit the bookshop and sell books, the consignment store and sell clothes.

More to do, but my holiday begins now!

Finally, final final grades

Thursday is here and...

1. last 3 days of classes DONE!
2. 1 last research paper -- being graded
3. 2 1 "final" meetings -- with no final, just handing in final projects
4. 8 5 3 2 final meetings with students about original scripts: would be done but two students "failed" to show for originally scheduled meetings, had to re-schedule for Monday (sigh)
5. 1 final (official) -- review session completed yesterday -- Grading in process!
6. 38 26 individual student evaluations to be written, copied, handed out to students in 3 rounds of face-to-face meetings -- round 1 today round 2 today
7. 2 student projects to be seen DONE!
8. and grading, grading, grading until 12.15

Yay!  Finally DONE with all papers, all plays, all final exams... and meetings!

Counting Down!

End-of-the-week assessment, but I am still very much in the middle of things....

1. last 3 days of classes DONE!
2. 1 last research paper -- being graded
3. 2 1 "final" meetings -- with no final, just handing in final projects
4. 8 5 3 2 final meetings with students about original scripts: would be done but two students "failed" to show for originally scheduled meetings, had to re-schedule for Monday (sigh)
5. 1 final (official) -- review session completed yesterday -- Grading in process!
6. 38 26 individual student evaluations to be written, copied, handed out to students in 3 rounds of face-to-face meetings -- round 1 today round 2 today
7. 2 student projects to be seen DONE!
8. and grading, grading, grading until 12.15

A loooong week, nearly done. Three days without tests or evaluations, only writing and grading. Oh, and two parties!

Also--more Christmas wishes, now that I think about it.

Basic Travelsmith easy travel dress. I had one ofthese for a decade, and it finally died. Most useful peice of clothing I ever had, and one for which I received tons of compliments.

A variation on the same. Of course, I would get it in black.

Christmas wish list

Current standings:

1. last 3 days of classes DONE!
2. 1 last research paper -- being graded
3. 2 1 "final" meetings -- with no final, just handing in final projects
4. 8 5 3 final meetings with students about original scripts
5. 1 final (official) -- review session completed yesterday
6. 38 26 individual student evaluations to be written, copied, handed out to students in 3 rounds of face-to-face meetings -- round 1 today round 2 today
7. 2 student projects to be seen DONE!
8. and grading, grading, grading until 12.15

Yesterday was an action-packed round of student evaluations, student meetings, and talking talking talking... 

Today is more fo the same: 2 meetings, 11 evaluations, and 1 meeting wtih a colleague. Then 2 hours of blissful at-home grading/final-making.

I've already turned in my wishlist to Santa, but here are some things I wuld love to get.

Le Creuset baking set, now onsale at Cooking.com--in cobalt, of course.

Blue oxford boyfriend shirt at J. Jill, also onsale.

Gold link/chain bracelet. This is just an example-hint.

Gift card for my new e-reader (to be opened Xmas morning)--so I can buy and download books.

Brown and black leather belts, good quality, mostly for wear with jeans and trousers. These are Banana Republic, but this is not the most difficult gift choice to find...

I had a hard time coming up with these. I've been doing such a good job decluttering and moving things out, rethinking what I already have, that these are what's left as real "need to haves." I'm actually impressing myself, right now!

Oh, and this!

Back in town

Yes, last week was crazy... This week IS crazy... next week should be back down to ORANGE levels.

My list from last week:

• last 3 days of classes DONE!
• 1 last research paper -- being graded
• 2 "final" meetings -- with no final, just handing in final projects
• 8 5 final meetings with students about original scripts
• 1 final (official) -- review session completed yesterday
• 38  26 individual student evaluations to be written, copied, handed out to students in 3 rounds of face-to-face meetings -- round 1 today
• 2 student projects to be seen DONE!
• and grading, grading, grading until 12.15

Yes, it is not exactly time for champagne, but with one party looming, three friend-dinners scheduled, Christmas shopping completed, I am actually seeing the end of the tunnel. I am also managing to eat and sleep better than last week, so I feel better (funny how that works!).

 

The biggest challenge for us this time of the year are the individual student evaluations we write--1 for each student in each class--and deliver in teaching teams. It is a time-consuming process that enables each student to understand where she or he stands and what he or she must work on in future. I have 38 evaluations to be written, copied, handed out, and filed. Leading to discussions with each individual students during the three meetings. And finals, final projects, and final grades, which are due 48 hours after the final--for the convenience of the Registrar's office, not the professor. Just another way the administration "structures" our teaching.

 

Then, finally, I will have five days just to DO NOTHING before holidays at the parents. Yes, clean house and car. Yes, ride bike and cull closets and drawers. Yes, go to early matinees and see holiday movies even my nephews won't want to see. Heaven!

Small break

Well, December is HERE, which means

• last 3 days of classes
• 1 last research paper
• 2 "final" meetings -- with no final, just handing in final projects
• 1 final (official)
• 38 individual student evaluations to be written, copied, handed out to students in 3 rounds of face-to-face meetings 
• 2 student projects to be seen
• and grading, grading, grading until 12.15