Whyfor thump, Kristin?

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Hi Susan, and first off let me say that I'm sorry you're having boss issues and I hope they all work out quickly. Also, Tep, I'm so glad to hear that your father is doing better. And I'm happy that P-C's first date with #5 went well. And I'm sorry that vw is feeling stressed about letting students down, but I am positive that she is not really doing so. And Ginger, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. And I know there's more that I want to say, but I'm barely skimming in the few odd moments I've had free here and there this past week. I hope I didn't miss anyone else.

My thump is just pure exhaustion and overwhelm. I've hit that point in the school year when I'm working every day all day during school hours and then facing that I have much more to do each night. I really love my job, but it's a lot right now. I've just started teaching a Foundational Stories mini-unit that touches on Greco-Roman mythology and then focuses on Biblical text: Genesis, primarily, but also some excerpts from Exodus and from the Gospels. The purpose behind this unit is primarily to give them the foundation they need to catch at least a few of the allusions that turn up in the Western Canon. As I told them in class today, reading the vast majority of the Western Canon without having at least a basic understanding of some Classical and Biblical stories is a little like going to see Wicked without ever having seen The Wizard of Oz. (They liked that comparison.)

But because it is such an important and controversial topic and I have never been a Western Civ. specialist, I decided I needed to research and study my ass off. I've bought over a hundred dollars worth of books, including my very own copy of an English translation of the Torah, and have been reading and reading and talking with experts at school and discussing religious/historical/geographical connections. It's been a ton of fun (and hey, I'm always up for an excuse to buy books!), but it's also been incredibly time-consuming.

When I add that to the normal grind of the school day, I don't have much time left to grade...and that's a problem since they took an in-class essay test on Friday that they are dying to get back. Since I now have to shift gears from preparing the unit to actually teaching it, grading is still going to be difficult to fit into my schedule.

No hugs needed. I'm quite excited to be learning and reading and teaching this unit, and I'm really enjoying the process. I just don't have much energy for the grading component and am not quite sure how it's going to happen.

So, basically, I can haz brane now, pls?

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There's got to be a spare brain around my office you can have, Kristin. I'm fairly certain some people here aren't using theirs.

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Oh, Kristin, that's A LOT. No hugs, just lots of understanding of the feeling. I hope that you can get through this and it will ease up, even just a little, soon.

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Ugh, just spent the past hour doing research on current hearing assist systems for theatres. That made my head hurt.

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tommy, thanks for the heads up! I put the 'Pod down for a bit as it was frustrating me, but I'll try the suggestion.

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throws glitter and collapses onto the comfy couch

So tired. We did the registering thing today. We went to the biggest mall ever, because it had a William Sonoma. I forgot my crutches in my stepfather's car when he picked us up from the airport yesterday, so I am dead tired now. I went to William Sonoma and told the nice sales lady that I wanted to play with the knives, and we ended up registering for the Henckles. Thanks for all the advice today.

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Okay, I think I'm officially beyond my ability to be effective. Time to start the fun rush hour trek home.

Drew, dinner? Or are you working tonight?

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Ugh, just spent the past hour doing research on current hearing assist systems for theatres. That made my head hurt.

ND, I have some knowledge in this, if you need someone to bounce ideas/thoughts/questions off of.

Watch out for pot pies. There's a country-wide slamonella outbreak linked to Banquet and Con-Agra pot pies.

O no! Does that include Trader Joe pot pies? Love those!

Hi Susan, and first off let me say that I'm sorry you're having boss issues and I hope they all work out quickly. Also, Tep, I'm so glad to hear that your father is doing better. And I'm happy that P-C's first date with #5 went well. And I'm sorry that vw is feeling stressed about letting students down, but I am positive that she is not really doing so. And Ginger, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. And I know there's more that I want to say, but I'm barely skimming in the few odd moments I've had free here and there this past week. I hope I didn't miss anyone else.

OMG that is the best summation of the day I've ever seen! So. What KT said! x2 cuz, well, it was really good and on the money.

So, basically, I can haz brane now, pls?

how about a hole in your head, so its easier to put back in? Sorry about the overwhelming stuff. No hug, only cuz you said not to. But hey, how cool is all that research! I'd love to chew the fat with ya on that stuff!!!!

OK, back to work. Really I swear. I'm focused. Not thinking if there is a cheaper/better way of doing traveling internet/entertainment than iPhone. Really. Not. Working. See? Yup.

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t bakes cookies for Kristin

Susan, I sympathize with your boss issues. Hiring management from outside the company is always a problem for people smack in the middle of the food chain with tricky job descriptions. My immediate supervisor knows exactly what my job is, and where the boundaries are, and when she's asking me to go beyond them. Big Boss who was hired about a month before I went on leave...nsm. It's gotten better since I've been back (due in no small part to my not being pregnant anymore, and therefore able to think without a fuckload of hormones getting in the way), but there are still times when I just want to shake her shoulders and say WHY DO YOU THINK [X] IS MY JOB???

Except that since she's the top of the food chain, Whatever You Say, BigBoss* is my job, unless there's someone specific I can point to and say "Oh, you should really ask ___ about that." But still. Boundaries.

(*^TMLois Bujold)

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