Major Achievement!

I have just finished grading my last freshman research paper!!!!

High-fives all around!

The trimester ends this week, and so I was working under a slight time constraint. Going into this weekend, I only had two of my four periods graded...but I used my time wisely yesterday afternoon and today and finished them all.

You cannot even imagine how it feels to be finished with this task. But let me try to illustrate with examples from pop culture and beyond.

1. You all know Odysseus from "The Odyssey", right? The guy who takes twenty years to get home after the Trojan War? Yeah, I feel like that.

2. Odysseus's wife, Penelope, has been waiting, faithfully, for him to return. For twenty years. Yeah, I feel like that.

3. How about reading all seven books of the Harry Potter series, one right after the other? Yeah, I feel like that that.

4. Try watching the extended editions of "Lord of the Rings." Back to back to back. Yeah, I feel like that.

5. Twelve minutes of pure hell in high school physical education on "Run the Mile" day. Yeah, I feel like that.

6. Giving birth. Three times. Without drugs. Yeah, I feel like that.

7. Waiting for the last day of school to end. Yeah, I feel like that.

It feels pretty sweet, actually. I think I'll ask my husband if he has ideas on how I can celebrate this achievement.

Blogging Is Like Exercising

The later in the evening I do it, the worse the total result is. Early on in my jogging-on-the-treadmill-every-night days, I thought I was being pretty wise by running later in the evening. I was emulating Chuck Norris by roundhouse kicking my earlier-eaten dinner right in its smug little face. However... But as I continued along in this vein for awhile, my workouts began to be less productive. It became easier to slack off because I was tireder or fuller, or whatever lame excuse appeared at the time. So, I bumped my running to right after school, and sure enough, my workouts have made like Emeril and kicked themselves up a notch. Which brings me to blogging. The later I wait, the suckier my entry is (or so I feel...it could possibly be the same brilliant drivel to you). Right now, I'm pretty sleepy and I'd like to go to bed, which is affecting my word judgment, I'm sure of it. So I will. Go to bed, I mean. You can all talk bad about me and my lack of literary talent after I leave. Just to warn you all, though, we're supposed to get five+ inches of snow here tonight. It's very likely that I won't have to go to work tomorrow...but I bet you will. MWAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAA!