Writing on the Side

mood: calm

Writing group last night was fun, although we were missing one of our members.  It never seems the same without everyone there.  My chapter went well overall, and I'm glad.  I was worried that the piecemeal way in which I've been writing since returning from VP would affect the quality, but apparently my peeps couldn't see the seams where I started and stopped writing every day, so I am content.  They took words out (drat!), but I'm not going to adjust my word count meter until I revise.  So there!  

I am about to embark on my Saturday morning sports-a-thon.  Today's episode entails dropping off E at soccer, then rushing Z to softball, racing back to catch E's game, then heading back over for the last half of Z's.  And after, a pizza party (again).  Why are pizza parties an essential part of the sports ritual?  I think pizza restaurants have a conspiracy going: they give out free pizza parties to sports teams so parents will be forced to shell out countless quarters to feed the video games.  Apparently, I'm in the wrong business.  I should open a pizza place.

Later, writing will ensue, along with grading.  I still have 25 essays (curses!) from the last round, and last week I picked up round 3 (100 more!  Double curses!).  I also have piles and piles of journals to read.  Who decided to assign journals mid-semester?  Oh.  Yeah.  That would be me.  Stooopid me.

Fortunately, I have regained a reasonable amount of my sanity after being psycho teacher last week.  I did catch and fail a plagiarist, which always makes me happy.  I also had a few students tell me how much they're learning and how much they like my class, which is nice.  It gives me warm fuzzies to know they appreciate me, even if their papers still suck.  I am also heartened by the next set of papers I've skimmed; they seem improved overall.  Hope springs eternal.