Monday, November 12, 2007

There is no substitute........

While there is no substitute for the true author of this blog, there is also no end in sight to his backlog of papers to grade. So in the interests of not allowing a similar backlog of topics to stymie him when he returns to posting, Jeff is allowing me to procrastinate on my lesson prepping write an entry or two. Basically, I'll be keeping the chronicles of Xan's life up to date and avoiding any movie commentary. For those of you who don't know - I am "Wifeling," Mother-of-Xan, and She-Whom-the-Cat-May-Upon-Occasion-Actually-Obey.

Before putting up Xan posts, I'll start with a quick "life with Jeff" vignette. Specifically, a list of ways to tell that Dr. Middents is in grading mode:

1. The amount of hair product is drastically reduced and instead he controls the poof of his hair with a baseball cap.

2. When I wake up in the wee hours of the morning, he is asleep on the couch / dining room table / floor with a pile of papers on his chest.

3. His futile dialogues with the cat feature lines such as "Vega, would you give this a B or a B+?"

4. He reaches for his 25-pound dictionary, muttering "Oooooh, I absolutely do NOT think that word means what you think it means."

5. He cannot tell you how many papers he has left; he lists how many stacks of papers he has left (4 stacks now - 4 more to come by Thanksgiving)

6. He drinks coffee. Sometimes starting at 10pm. The man almost never drinks coffee.

7. His generally amicable TA says "You're STILL not done?"

8. He begins to sport a grading callous on his right pointer finger.

9. He tries to get his 2-1/2-year-old son to help grade, again.

10. He doesn't blog.

Yet this amazing man will still take Xan around campus to trick-or-treat and bring him to family orchestra concerts (posts and photos coming) - and even do dishes!

Anyone have any advice for Jeff as he grades?

6 comments:

laloca said...

there's always the law professor method...

KC said...

These are great, Angela. I especially like the dialogue with self, cat and dictionary.

Aren't TAs supposed to help too? Delegation is always nice.

Matt said...

Jeff, bring your stacks to the Uptown, watch Bladerunner on the big screen, grade the papers in the dark. Your productivity should skyrocket.

Anonymous said...

Seems like there are more papers than normal this semester. True? Why? I remain available for assisting with grading...

-Pajaro

Unknown said...

Give everyone a D-. Simpler that way. Tack application to work at McDonalds on top.

Middento said...

AJF: That was one of the funnier things I've read in ages. The comments were great too. Not that I read them all. Because I have no time. ;)

KC: I'm nice to my TA, who has a life also. Plus guess who will get a nice chunk of my final exam?

Matt: Wait, how can I take my eyes off Harrison Ford? Must... resist...

Pájaro: Indeed, I am teaching three classes this fall instead of two. Usually I teach three in the spring. (This was not my choice. Although next semester's two-course-load will be heeeeavenly.) I haven't done this since we moved to DC. So yes, I'm drowning more than usual. But grading with your margaritas would definitely be more fun.

Phuff: Shouldn't I be tacking on a Peanuts comic strip as well? (hee)