Friday, May 05, 2006

Daybook

So here's what I did today:

I managed all and proctored some of this morning's APUS exam, and worked on moving Monday's test to a quieter locale, due to a bit of a snafu yesterday. College Board demands consumed my day from 8:00 am - 1:30 pm and for another hour after school ended. I am just a bit testy on the subject of AP Testing at the moment. Absolutely no pun intended. Do not mess with me on this topic.

I pretty much abandoned my 9th grade history class to another teacher, thanks to the never-ending AP Exam.

I had a long talk with my department chair about some humorous student moments. I was in desperate need of humor by that point.

I called the lovely daughter, who with her father was in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, en route home from NOLA. As we were talking, a rock flew into their windshield and made a tiny little star-like hole in the glass. After she finished being startled, the lovely daughter said that it's a very small hole and probably doesn't need to be repaired. I reminded her that the car is leased, meaning that it does need to be repaired. I would be a little testy about that if I weren't already at my limit of testiness over the APs.

I called two Presbyterian seminaries and asked them to send me their admissions packets. (You did WHAT?)

I walked over to the cemetery and sat on an elaborate piece of grave statuary overlooking the ravine for a long time. An extremely determined woodpecker decided to share my space, but I do not have the headache he was trying so hard to induce.

I thought a lot about
Lisa's two recent entries. I think I commented too hastily there. I suppose that all I really have to say is that there is a mystery and power and love in the grace of God so far beyond us and so present to us that the journey toward that spirit, however expressed, is one of the most precious of gifts.

And now, because I need to work on my own very last paper for the semester and finish some major cleaning and do some laundry and attend to about 50 other things crying out for immediate action, I am going to the mall to indulge as wholeheartedly as possible in the temptation to buy my lovely and beautiful and beloved daughter some new clothes as a welcome home surprise.


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have fun welcoming your dd home!! I'm sorry that you are dealing with such hassles in your professional life. I'm not clear what would be an effective alternative to the current testing system but I'm fairly certain that this one isn't accomplishing it's intent.

Wow! Admissions packets is a good sized step. You will be in my thoughts and prayers as you continue discernment of direction.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like the best part of your day was sitting with that woodpecker. Shopping for your daughter should be pretty fun as well. Enjoy your evening.
Marian

Virginia said...

As a person that has chosen to not participate in any organized religion, but instead seek out non-human spiritual teachers . . . to your comment "the journey toward that spirit, however it is expresses itself, is one of the most precious of gifts" I say . . . bravo!

Lisa :-] said...

You go on those seminary packets, girl... :-]

Anonymous said...

Give that daughter of yours a much needed and hard-earned hug when she arrives. And I hope you were successful in finding her a few special things to welcome her home. Admissions packets? What turned the tide for you (if you care to share). That's a huge step.
Enjoy your weekend with most of the APs behind you. I am so not looking forward to dealing with them this time 2 years from now.

Bedazzzled1 said...

I hope you splurged on the clothing for your daughter. Isn't it amazing how doing something for someone else makes us feel good?

At some point, I do hope you share your feelings about AP testing. I am more than curious what you think.

And those admissions packets. Hmmm. I am smiling.

::hug::
Nikki

Cynthia said...

Seminary packets! Yay! I recommend more time with the statuary to shake off the APs.

Anonymous said...

You're keeping this schedule without the aide of chocolate? You're a stronger woman than I!
Judith

Vicky said...

Robin, there is SO MUCH going on in your life just now. You must be thoroughly OVERSTIMULATED!!! Enjoy the quiet moments.

Involved as I am in the education system, I have much to say about the current testing climate, and not much of it is complimentary. It did help my older son, a hopeless ADHD sufferer, who couldn't turn work in on time to save himself, but who could walk into an exam and ace it. But he is in the minority, and I think it is a modern form of torture for most. OK, enough.

Enjoy the dd, and have fun with the seminary packets - what a wonderfully fulfilling thing to attempt. You go, Missy!

Vicky

Anonymous said...

Seminary? Honestly, I had a feeling this might be coming, foreshadowed by a comment you dropped a while back. Will be thinking of you as decide what to do with them. It does seem like you hear a voice calling.
*debbi*

Anonymous said...

Oh be careful---those wily seminaries will never let you off their mailing list until you enroll! I mean it. I have an MDiv and I continue to get mail from the schools I never applied to....tenacious little buggars. Good luck with it all.