And 72 Hours Later, With Only One Project Withstanding (I Am Patient & Have Faith It Will Come in), I Have Finished Grading

I have repeated to all who will listen, "You'd think after 30 years, you'd have a better mechanism for finishing out the end of a semester." Nope. It is this way and will likely always be this way.

I have given up obligations, avoided phone calls, text, and emails, all because I wanted to give my students feedback on their work. I was once again fortunate to have spectacular rosters of learners, most of whom impressed me beyond my expectations. This, however, takes time, care, and purpose - when investing in the future generation, you don't like to rush. You simply want to guide. 

I'm thankful I had leftover food, and just enough Thera-flu to help me make it through the day. I was determined and I wanted to get a good night's rest so I could wake up, today, with a clearer path for getting things done. Grants, meetings, planning - that all had to wait until I could tend to the students. They will always come first.

And I'm cheering dog bladders. The weather was miserable yesterday and I didn't get Karal outside until about 7 p.m. She didn't want to untucked from her fox-like curl. Ah, but I needed her to pee...no being can go that long without the loo.

Today, I am taking it slow...nursing this cold so it doesn't deepen, and finishing the last minute tasks that remain on my agenda. To say I am fried is an understatement, but I can say I've made to this point. Phew. It's a lot and why I can have nothing but respect for any and all who go through such rituals. Teaching is not easy. Good teaching is even harder, but when you believe in what you do, you do what it takes.