Mine did, rather abruptly, when I got sick and then went home.

You know, I have to say, while that sounds like the end of a work day, it does not sound like the end of a bad day. If you see the distinction.

I've been goofing off and playing games on my computer.

Mine did, rather abruptly, when I got sick and then went home.

I'm trying to decided whether to stay all day. I feel fine, but I feel like my occasional (albeit hacking) cough is not making anyone very happy--even though I have no other cold symptoms and am being extremely vigilant about not touching anything not in my cube and washing my hands constantly just in case.

The English Majors I've known would tear someone like that to shreads without as much as a second thought.

No kidding. Being able to structure a paper is the same skill as being able to give a talk, and for that matter it also employs the skill you need to analyze a passage orally in class. How is this kid getting by in her classes? And how has she managed to completely avoid any timed/no notes final exams?

My mother taught me how to write an English paper, when I was a junior in high school. 20 years later, when she was finishing her master's degree in history, I attempted (at her instigation) to edit a draft of her thesis; this proved to be a disastrous mistake. (She can dish it out, but boy, she can't take it!)

I feel fine, but I feel like my occasional (albeit hacking) cough is not making anyone very happy--even though I have no other cold symptoms and am being extremely vigilant about not touching anything not in my cube and washing my hands constantly just in case.

The Voice of Bitter Experience says: If you've got the time off available to you, take it! Get out getoutGETOUT!

O frabjous day! My loving and funny and sweet nephew, who was supposed to go into basic training for the Marines right after Christmas, failed his physical. He has a bad knee and they turned him down flat. He was devastated, but the rest of the family is overwhelmingly relieved.

AND not only is this student an English Major, but she wants to be a TEACHER! (of kindergarten, but still!)

She feels that the system failed to teach her incompetence early enough, and wants to take steps to make sure kids learn it as soon as they're old enough to be out of daipers?

Heh. I mean, poor guy, but I'm not surprised everyone else is coming up daisies. I hope he gets a hug, and then a lot of brochures about how you, too can someday be a civilian contractor working closely with the military.

(If you, like, get an engineering degree or something.)

Not looking forward to the rest of the afternoon...

It's Annabel's Christmas pageant. Daycare closes at 3:00, pageant starts at 4:00. This means there's an hour where the staff is doing set-up and so on where it's just half-costumed kids and their parents milling chaotically around the church next to the center where the pageant will be held. It's the longest hour in the world, I swear, trying to keep your kid entertained and out of trouble until the thing actually starts.

The Voice of Bitter Experience says: If you've got the time off available to you, take it! Get out getoutGETOUT!

Oh, believe me. I would use every bit available. Sadly, we don't get sick days.