Monday, December 11, 2006

"... and all the exams were tied neatly with a bow ..."

If I had more of a penchant for doggerel, right around now I would probably be compelled to compose a ballad a la The Night Before Christmas along the theme of finishing my grading for the term and the general pre-Christmas feel here in the groves of academe.

And we should all breathe a sigh of relief that I am not, in fact, so poetically inclined.

But that being said, I can say with a massive sigh of relief that I am DONE for the semester. I just submitted all my final grades for my twentieth-century novel course, having spent yesterday and today ploughing through the exams that were written on Saturday evening.

Saturday exams? Evil. Saturday evening exams? Doubly so. But then, that particular timing does have the advantage of being ideal for a post-exam outing. Thus, I and a not-inconsiderable portion of my American novel students ventured down to the Duke of Duckworth for some well-earned pints.

For all the relief of being finished, I'm a bit sad ... I had two amazing groups of students this semester, and teaching was genuinely a joy. I never had the feeling I get for a few days once a term, usually toward the end, in which the thought of dragging myself into the classroom makes me feel like Sisyphus. Didn't happen this semester. Which has me worrying a bit about the other shoe dropping next turn.

As I sat here, getting toward the bottom of the stack of exams, I engaged in one of my favorite Christmas traditions, which is to listen to Dylan Thomas reading "A Child's Christmas in Wales." Given that I blogged at length about the Divine Dylan last year, I won't chew over any of my favourite phrases and locutions ... but I found the story provided an ideal backdrop for the last stage of my teaching duties this term, and the beautiful rich rolling Welsh accents putting me in in the perfect headspace to break for Christmas.

Perhaps tonight I shall watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas ...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

not ONLY can you watch the grinch, but frosty comes on right after! the guy trying to get the hat is a hoot!
good times, good times...
~mandy

Lesley said...

Oy, Saturday exams...the person who decided that should be drawn and quartered. Or forced to drive aimlessly down the highway with nothing but cars with halogen headlights shining at them.

I thought Friday night exams were bad...

Unknown said...

BOO HOO!! Get your stuff finished and hop the 1st plane back to T.O. so we can drink scotch and play cards. Honestly! Get your priorities straight big brother....

Anonymous said...

Trust me, were all worried about what evils next semester will bring after such an enjoyable one. Ventures to the duke will have to be many and frequent! Thanks for the class!
-Jonny

Anonymous said...

I agree with Fanglyfish: I have some port wine barrel aged Erdradour that is old enough to drink itself (22 years old) waiting to be shared! Come on up to 'away'.

Gillian said...

While Saturday exams are pure evil, I do have to say that jealousy is overcoming me as I consider the Grade Three teacher's door and the count down to holidays for my school is only at "12 more days"!

Is it bad that I end each day and wake each morning praying for a blizzard?

Secondary Teacher in the Quebec Arctic...