March madness

...which for me, has less to do with basketball and more to do with marking essays...

Lurgy didn't last as long as I feared it would - either that, or my body is actually trying to avoid marking by making me want to go and play outside. It was warm enough in the afternoon yesterday that we went and played a set of tennis at the courts in our lovely local park. When the sun went behind the clouds, we had to come home - not quite there yet.

Yes...marking... I have to stop after a certain number of papers otherwise I get rather vitriolic in my comments. I just wrote 'APOSTROPHE!!!' across one paper. But, honestly, how exactly do you get this far in life - or in an English degree - not knowing how to use an apostrophe? I know if anyone reading is an experienced teacher or prof that you are shaking your head and muttering about the idealism and rigidity of youthful PhDs...which is exactly what my teaching mentor and marking partners have done. But seriously. An apostrophe? I knew how to use one of those before I left elementary school. The occassional massive generalisations and twisted logic make me laugh - which is worth something. But I do love to see burgeoning interests peeking out of almost-there prose - and that is sincere. I've got great seminar groups this semester.

I think I'll try and make it to York this afternoon to see the concert Nas proposed. I'll call it a reward for getting through a few more papers and a chapter of my new book (it's not exciting - well, it is to me, but falls in the realm of watching a nerd with a new pocket-protector organize her pens).