Avoidance. On a Whole. New. Level.

We got home from Wichita late last night. Jim and I figured that out of the 40 hour trip, we were driving for 20 of them. Ugh.

This morning...er, afternoon...when we got up, I thought about the 92 papers I have to grade for the sophs. And then we decided to prepare the house for Christmas.

This is grading avoidance on a whole new level, people. Check this out:

Note the WRAPPED presents beneath the tree. Impressive, I know.

I touched her hand and she smelled like cherries

The sophs are back to their usual tricks. Yesterday, they were to bring in three typed copies of their literary analysis essay on The Odyssey so they could attempt peer editing. (Kace, this is where you're overcome with nostalgia and start planning your return to teaching.)

Any day a paper is due, I'm regaled by story upon story of computers suddenly breaking down, printers running out of ink, and internet connections instantaneously and incomprehensibly "going down."

Usually, the stories are annoying, predictable, and annoyingly predictable.

But my favorite one from yesterday reminded me of the girl who, last year, told me she didn't know we had homework because I hadn't told her to look at the board where the assignment was written. Here's the same story; a variation on a theme:

"Michael, do you have your paper?"

"Uh, no. I didn't bring it."

"Okay," I said, moving on.

"Well, I have it done, " he said, trying to keep me from gleefully marking a big, fat zero in the gradebook. "I mean, it's totally done, it's just on my computer at home."

"Uh-huh, and it's not here because..."

"Well...I didn't know I had to bring it. I mean, you didn't tell me to print it out and bring it in."

Rapid blinking.

"I mean, if you would have told me to print it, I would have."

My friend Kristin had some funnier, smarter responses to offer the kid than I could think of at the time...something along the lines of having to tell the kid to put his pants on in the morning, and to inhale...then exhale...then inhale...but all I could do was say, "Are you kidding?" and walk away.

I'm losing my edge, people. The fights don't even interest me anymore.

In other news, I read a story in the NY Times this morning about what beautiful, private school the Obama girls will attend this coming year. My favorite part was when a star-struck second grader recalled her brief meeting with the future first-lady when Mrs. Obama visited her school. She said, "I touched her hand and she smelled like cherries."

Aw. I like that. And I bet she does smell like cherries.

Parent/teacher conference

I read that this morning, Barack and Michelle Obama went to parent/teacher conferences at their daughters' school in Chicago.

Can you imagine being THAT teacher?

A frightening resemblance

A couple of smart people that I know mentioned that they're worried about having to stop blogging Barack and go back to writing about everyday life.

I must admit, I'm a bit worried about this myself. I mean, until I started blogging Barack, my posts were few and far between, and frankly, not that interesting.

I'll do my best, though, to leave the Sarah Palin hating (did you hear that she didn't know Africa was a continent and not a country?), and the Obama worshipping behind, and return to complaining about...I mean...telling you funny stories about...my high school students.

While clicking around on another smart person's blog, I found a link to this funny video. I didn't like the "empty rhetoric" line at the end, but the video struck a chord with me. You'll see why.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Yes We Can

Believe. Hope. Change.

This afternoon on my way into my polling place, a young mom with her baby in a sling asked me if I'd take her picture with her cell phone next to the "Vote Today" sign. She told me she wanted her son to always know that he was with her when she voted for the first African-American President.

When I told her I was voting for Obama, too, she said, smiling, "Of course. Isn't everybody?"

Here's hoping.

Here's believing.

Madia one day, Klobuchar the next

Today Amy Klobuchar called me at my house to ask me to vote for Al Franken.

It wasn't quite as cool as meeting Madia...but I think I'll save the voicemail from her for awhile anyway.

Free Coffee

All my ranting about Sarah Palin

...has distracted me from my other favorite type of posts: pics of the niece.

These were too good to pass up: