20160405.0643

Work continues, as ever it must.

My students have begun to fill out the survey I noted yesterday. (I made sure to point out to them that they are getting a choice in their exam from me--and from few if any of their other professors.) At this point, half of the responses are asking for the essay about an assignment not already included in first-year composition. It seems to keep with the overall curricular theme of my classes this term. (I may have noted that I am having my students make arguments regarding their courses of study. It seems they should be interested in such things, although they have voiced complaints about being "bored" with their topics. One or two have noted changing their majors and post-graduate plans as a result of the projects this semester; I feel I have done them a service.) It remains to be seen, of course, if the tendency will continue, as there are still many students who have yet to fill out the survey, but I am struck at seeing the assignment that shows up as preferred at this point doing so.

Also, after a longer-than-preferred hiatus, a freelance order has shown up for me. I have not looked over the details of the order yet, although I soon will. Having the time to attend to other matters that I have had has been nice; it has allowed me to slow down a bit. It has also had a detrimental effect on the family finances, though, and that is far less desirable. Perhaps this new order will be the first in a series of them, and I will be able to get some funding put back a bit in advance of the removal from Sherwood Cottage. We will need the money, as getting from here to there with all of our things in tow is not the least expensive thing that can be done. I do not mind doing the work to that end, even if I am an "entitled and lazy" Millennial. (And I am a Millennial, evidently, although at the leading edge of that age-bracket; I turned 18 in 2000, scant days before the election that resulted in W being promoted from governing Texas to presiding over the Union. Election law in place there and then prohibited me from registering in time to be able to vote.)

So I will be looking over a few papers today, as well as looking at some other work--likely reading a new novel and beginning to make some kind of informed and insightful commentary about it. I hope to get some writing done, as well, both of the sort that I do to help guide my students (and there is more of it to do) and of the sort that pleases me. Some of the tasks are more likely to be completed than others, especially since the Mrs. works all day today, and so I will be playing with and looking after Ms. 8 in earnest. Still, I am in a reasonably good position (although it could be better), and I am not unmindful of it; I am well aware that it could be worse. I could not have work to do, and I would not know what to do in such a circumstance.