Thankful Fridays

I'm going to try something inspired by Natasha...namely pointing out 3 happy things each Friday. This is a great exercise as I've been so busy I've neglected to blog or pull my head out of my--...well, I've been busy.

1. I'm happy that I just finished the stack of revision grading that I anticipated taking all weekend but instead it just took me part of this evening. Yay!

2. My mentor rocks.

3. You know what's darn good right now? Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.

Oooh! I thought of another one:

4. Since I'm done with revision grading, that means I can use 2-3 hour study window this weekend to make a dent in ominous study pile. Yay!

5. Know what I just remembered? A former coworker used to talk about his sales job at a major tobacco company and how one of his rugged, course bosses use to call "BAM"s, i.e. Big Ass Meeting. Upon learning this, we employed this handy acronym in our office.

(Well that was quite a random non sequitur memory. I'm going to bed now.)

Normal people weekend?

Burning desire of mine this morn:
Write in rhyme (you've been warned)
The topic of today is starting to gel
Quote-unquote Normal People

This weekend seemed so "normal" to me
I got things done, felt almost carefree
I didn't study on Friday night
Or Saturday night, or maybe even not tonight!

(Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself
I have to study sometime, or else...)
But the point I'm poorly trying to make
Is that I've had a quite fantastic break

I helped with painting, went to the store
Played De Blog for a minute or more
Watched BSG, a movie too
Went to the park with Augie-boo

(We never actually call her that
But sometimes my rhymes are really flat)
Speaking of Aug, she got a potty chair
She opens the lid and stuffs in Teddy Bear

Today: long awaited trip to Marlene's
Sheila and I will load up on healthies
"Gluten-free", "fruit juice sweetened", soy galore
And cheaper than PCC -- whatta store!

Later I'll work out my IRB -- fun
And think about research in the sun
(Have I thrown you? Here's a tease:
I'm going to Florida among the palm trees!)

Oh this rhyme just really sucks
It barely makes sense, even for ducks
I'd better stop now...I think I might
I'm only coming up with words that are shite

What I've learned today

1. I love gifts of jewelry.

2. I like grading papers, but wish I could stop time to do it. Took me 3 hours for 10 papers. I have 25 to go.

3. I am humbled and impressed by the students. Reading these papers reminds me again of how, on one hand, our "native" culture produces so many coddled, spoiled and lazy kids. On the other hand, some of these students are here on their own from other countries, raising younger siblings while trying to stick to their parents' high expectations, or contributing to their families' finances, or raising children with disabilities while going to school full-time. It makes me wonder what we'll teach August about responsibility and being a contributing part of a family. Glad we have a little time to figure this out.

Comes with goodie bag

I had this interesting dream last night...a school anxiety dream.

I was walking down a long cement corridor with a bunch of other people, but the corridor turned into a vertical tunnel. I had to carefully stairstep down a ladder while bracing myself against the wall. If I wasn't careful, I would fall the rest of the way down the tunnel (ouch), but if I just took things slowly and methodically, I'd reach the bottom safely.

I did reach the bottom safely, and here I received contacts at a discount, and a massive goodie bag filled with disposable razors and other toiletries and cosmetic samples. Score!

Let's hope a PhD comes with more than a few razors and free bottles of Prell.