And so it begins again.  The sun is still shining brightly in the back of the house, but in the front of the house the sky is black and it looks like night.  The forecast, once again, is for heavy thunderstorms, and there is another tornado watch for this area.  It’s raining in the front, and still sunny and dry in the back.  The cat is going berserk on the deck, and my lawn furniture has already blown off.  I hope the neighbors like the sound of wind chimes; I can hear mine AND some chimes miles down the road.  I like the sound, myself.  I may be a curmudgeon in some ways, but loud noises are not one of those ways. 

 

I’m not sure which is the least reliable:  Indiana weather, or banks.  Mentioning no names, of course.  Besides, I did that yesterday, and whether or not you follow a link is up to you.  The disclosure is completely out of my hands.

 

My students filled out their SUMMAS (instructor evaluation forms) last week.  This always makes me nervous.  It also makes me wish I’d brought them doughnuts and cider on SUMMA day.

 

To brag a little, the only negative comment I’ve ever received on a SUMMA was “she seems like she works too hard,” which really isn’t a negative comment when you think about it.  I do pretty well over on ratemyprofessor.com, too.  So does Hub, over on ratemyteacher.com.  I’m not altogether sure what I think of those two sites, but most of me thinks they’re pretty cool.  As a parent, I would have appreciated reading other people’s opinions about my children’s teachers.  There is opportunity for abuse, of course, as there is in almost anything, but most people are being honest there.  And, of course, there is that little part of me that is freaked out and even horrified that such websites exist.  As long as nobody seems to hate me on there, I’m fine with it.  I want people to like me.  I won’t kowtow for it, but I do want it.

 

I love my students, and I love teaching, and I take everything far too personally, and even realizing that, a negative comment has the power to devastate me down to the dust. I have a feeling that what with all the plagiarism issues this semester, the comments might not be as good, but such is life, and we do what we have to do.  Sigh.

 

I really should get my briefcase out of the car and start grading essays and quizzes.  I even had today off, and all I did was sleep, read, cook, and blog.  Yeah, I know, I thought it was a perfect day, too.

 

I’ll grade that stuff tomorrow.  After I’m home from Mark Pi’s and my luncheon date with my Tumorless Sister.  ‘Lookin’ forward to that, Baby Sister.  I’m bringing you a present.

 

Whoa, listen to that thunder!  And there’s lightning on the sunny side of the yard!   

 

I really hope that loud roaring sound is an airplane down the road at the airport, or a train, back behind the woods. . . . .