Monday afternoon things

* Essentially caught up on grading. (I am giving students a fairly generous amount of time to get things in but technically the big paper in one class was due Friday - I have all the ones I've got graded, and comments written in to them, and sent back to students, and the grades posted). Doing "automatic graded" tests (all multiple choice) for the final exams is, I admit, pedagogically weak, but it's nice to not have that hanging over me. I can also see that about half of the class has taken it already (they can until just before midnight tonight but I pleaded with people in an e-mail to do it EARLY because we are supposed to get severe weather tonight and the last thing I need is a bunch of "my power got knocked out in the middle of taking the final, how are you going to fix that" e-mails)

* And yeah, a few people have been a little demanding, in the "I have this terrible random problem [in some cases exacerbated because they didn't contact me earlier], what are YOU going to do to fix it" and I don't like how that makes me feel. Oh, I have been pleasant and polite with people but....I'm tired too, and I'm stressed too, and....I'm running low on sympathy.

* Purlewe - I have Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service, and Spirited Away, but also Castle in the Sky and Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle. Howl's Moving Castle is the one I saw most recently; I watched it after finishing the book. It is different from the book but is still good in its own way. (Wow....that was January, I guess - I remember I knitted on the hat I sent you while watching it. It seems years ago now).

I'm thinking maybe Ponyo tonight? I've seen it fewer times than some of the others. And somehow it appeals to me now.

I've also seen Nausicaa when it was on TV, but it's more violent and sadder and I decided I didn't want a copy. I would like to see Porco Rosso and....I think it's called The Cat Returns? There are a couple lesser-known ones that I haven't seen.

* If we DON'T get the predicted storms tonight, maybe I take a warm bath. I was able to get more Epsom salt finally (it was sold out everywhere for a while, I know not why, other than maybe it was put aside as "something that takes up a lot of weight to transport to stores and there are more vital things") because I am sore after using the string trimmer yesterday. It is heavy and it is awkward to hold and my arms and upper back hurt from it.

* I sent off a bunch of cards/postcards today - a mother's day card (well, my last Autumn in Colorado card, repurposed as a Mother's Day card) to my mom, and my last alpaca card to my ITFF card-swap person. And I found four Mason-Dixon knitting postcards that were sent along with the books when I ordered them and I picked four people whose addresses I had that I thought might enjoy a yarny postcard and sent them off.

Weirdly, sending people notes or cards makes me feel more normal in all this. I have a batch of blank-inside cards on order from a photographer who sells on Etsy, so I can keep sending them out, because it does make me happy, and I suppose before too long I'll have my set of May Mrs. Grossman stickers to put on them. I suppose it's either a communication thing, or maybe a "maybe I'm making someone else's day a little better when they get their card" thing - I enjoy getting "real" mail (mail that is not bills or ads or charity solicitations) and I figure other people do, too.

* I also, even though it was expensive, ordered a plant to be delivered to my mom the Saturday right before Mother's Day. Yes, even though I sent her beans before. It's her first Mother's Day alone and she needs it (I thought a plant was better than flowers - flowers just die). My brother and his family are sometimes a little....dilatory....with gifts so it felt important to me to do it. (My dad would always arrange for her to get flowers on Mother's Day).

I ordered through one of the long-term florists up there; I've heard that the wire services (like FTD) are not always so good at sending good-quality things and local-to-the-person places have more of an interest in good customer service. And with the internet, it's easy to do it through the shop's website.

* Still considering making a wacky cake. My waistline doesn't need it, but my soul kind of does....I find cooking for myself also makes me feel a little more normal. I suppose it is something to do, but also a reminder of "you have ingredients, you are not going to starve, the food chain is not breaking down" (regardless of the scary stories - many of which seem to source quotes from CEOs of meat packing companies, maybe who want some governmental dollars thrown their way?)

I thought about black beans and rice for dinner but I also still have smoked salmon I should use so maybe I have an omelette instead. The black beans and rice could be later this week...

I'm also thinking of taking a later-week jaunt out (masked up of course) to the Green Spray - I do also have to go to the post office to mail off a book I am sharing with someone. But maybe seeing flour on the shelves will make me feel a little better, and I can pick up a few simple things (like: it's been a while since I had yogurt). I admit I long for the days of just easy trips out to the grocery where I didn't feel I had to be super careful.