one thing done

 One of the things I had to do this week, and kept putting off, was writing a one page summary of what I thought my teaching accomplishments for. I was nominated for an award. (It's not as big a deal as it sounds; it's a nomination process open to all the students and only one has to nominate you, and lots of people get nominated. I've been nominated twice before).

I've never won, but that doesn't surprise me: for one thing, there are other people who are better and more innovative teachers. Mostly what I do is just carry a heavy load of classes, a couple of which no one else currently here could do. I do get tired some days and I know I'm not always the most interesting. I guess the one thing is I do manage to avoid snapping at the students or making them feel bad, even when maybe they seem to deserve it

(I had a student who missed a lot, and in the course of trying to help them catch up, I asked about their absence. I don't like to pry but it helps to know if there's a mitigating circumstance. They shrugged and said "I just didn't feel like it" and I admit I choked back "Buddy, I have some bad news for you about adulthood..." because I knew it wasn't helpful but yeah, there are a lot of things I don't feel like but do anyway)

The other reason I won't win? They often give it to someone who is retiring - or someone who's received a serious diagnosis. I'm still three years from retiring (though I might stay on longer if things stay okay) and as far as I know, I'm perfectly healthy.

And I admit, I hesitated - what if I don't bother to do it, given there's no chance? But of course the PTR beast still needs to be fed, and I'm not sure I can put it on my CV if I don't do the bit of participation. 

I hate doing these things though; I am bad at selling myself because a lot of the typical "talk yourself up" stuff feels like lying to me, even if it isn't, strictly speaking, lying. 

SO I sat down and did it, got it submitted. Haven't gotten back a "thanks for that" thing so I don't know if I submitted it correctly but I don't know how to do it otherwise. 

I also got the two exams written for next week. At least I'm not giving one the Friday right before spring break? (I expect my classes that day to be pretty empty). 

And after class next Friday, I have to be sure I have everything I need for a week, and then drive down to (womp womp) get a bus to Marshall  (from Mineola) because of trackwork. In Marshall - about 9 pm - I will get on a train and go the rest of the way on that. I would rather it were otherwise but at least when I called to ask they sent me an updated ticket indicating the bus, and refunded me about $100, and since I don't like the "flex dinners" ANYWAY, I will just eat very little for lunch and grab a burger in Mineola before I have to get on the train. 

Spring Break, like Thanksgiving, is a difficult travel time - it's go-go-go workwise right up until the day you have to leave, so you have to be sure to carve out time for laundry and packing some evening before the day you have to leave. And I'll probably carry a little less given I will have to walk a considerable distance at Marshall (the bus drop off is pretty far from the station) and I think my carry on will be my backpack, so I can strap it on my back and not have to carry it. 

But I do need a break, and it will be nice to not have to decide all on my own what meals will be, and have to carve out time to drive across town to get groceries (preferably not at a time when everyone else is, but these days it often feels like the only time I can do that is after work, which is when everyone else is.)