Students have been failing my projects left and right lately. Ya know what I'm going to do about it? Nothing. Because this is college, and I give out plenty of samples and my instructional guides are pretty... instructional. Like they are supposed to be. The only thing I can think is that everyone got a wee bit lazy. The 12-week class I wrapped up last week = lots of final projects that were just YUCK. It was as if they didn't even read the instructional guide; I can say the same for some of the projects coming in from my online classes, too, right now. The only thing left for me to do in order to see awesome projects? Do them myself. Yeah. So, I think I'll do the opposite. I'm going to delete a few samples & put the instructional guides on a diet. No one is looking at them, and no one is reading the guide anyhow. Plus, I've been meaning to make them all consistent in their layouts, and concise in their wording, etc. 

I'm resting you (and icing you) one more day.
I hope you don't lock up on me tomorrow
(or do whatever you did at the beginning of my short run Monday);
I really want to do my best this weekend
in the rain.



I promise to stretch you out big time tomorrow.
And Friday, too.
But if you could hold strong on Saturday, that would be awesome.
It'll be an adventure. It'll be fun.
Sincerely,
the body you are connected to...

< The best one! )

I've also noticed how annoyed I am with people who have to talk about exercising. Just do it and keep it to yourself. I even caught myself telling my sis about my own last night = "the other day when I was running." Ew. Who cares? And why do people - and me - feel the need to mention it? Because we want people to say, "Oh, good for you. I'm a fat ass." My own story about it was connected to goosebumps and to finding something wonderful - even if small - about each day to be grateful for. So, it wasn't brought up for bragging rights, although who knows what my intentions were or how my sister took the mentioning of it. I know that she's sick of people at her work bringing up weight loss and points and crap.

Maybe I'm annoyed because I feel that dumb competition vibe creep into me.
They are running more than I am. They are going to beat me. They are better than me.
It's so dumb. If they are, who cares. Good for them. I'm busy.

Officially, I'll have P6, P7 (the Shortfolio), and the Final My Words Test to assess next week in both of my English 110 classes. That's not too bad. Oh, and I will have to look over the project evaluation charts they fill out next Monday, but that is about it. Yeah. Whew. It's almost the end.

Meanwhile, I'm typically tired on a daily basis. I think everyone is. Just a little. However, today, I'm exhausted. After my workout, I felt like I needed a nap. And I slept all the way from about 11pm to 5:30am. Yeah. Okay, that's not my typical 7-8 hours, but still. I've been feeling that way a lot, even more so after starting to workout more regularly. I could nap right now if it wasn't for the fact that a) I'm at work, b) I have to teach in 15 min, and c) I just sucked down a 1/4 of a Pepsi Max.

Isn't a person supposed to feel more energized by exercise? Sometimes, I guess I am, but it's like sugar. Once it wears off, I want my couch and PJs and fan. It could be that I'm training with long runs. I think shorter, vigorous exercise keep the energy higher longer. But 5+ mile runs? They suck the happiness out of me BECAUSE they are stress relievers; so much so, that I zonk out - when I do take naps after - immediately without "the lists" going through my head. They clear my head and make my body feel pretty good. But once I'm done, I crash. This happened when I was first in cross-country in high school; we trained the month of August with 7am runs and 7pm runs. I slept in between and lost a lot of weight. But I'm not 17 anymore, so why do I still need the sleep? Weird.

Everyone's body is different. I suppose I have to remember that.

Anyhow, everyone's assessment schedules are different too. I wanted to remind myself of at least one class's line-up for next week. Plus, it was a nice way to tie everything I wanted to blog about in one package. With a bow on top.

TOMORROW. FRIDAY. YEAH.
I'm going to do the following:
--- Assess the last batch of P5s (other online class).
--- Put "Dear Dead Person" letters in Gradebook.
--- Meet with 9am & 3pm classes = Remind them that P6 is due at midnight & hand out the Final Test and Shortfolio.
--- Talk to Brad, from the bank, via phone at 10:30am.
--- Send out Wellness Team agenda and minutes for next week's meeting.
--- Make a "look through before summer school" pile of stuff.
--- Make a "look through before next fall" pile of stuff.
--- Coupons online to look through.
--- Google Reader = Read through the Technology for Teachers blog (or do that Saturday after run).
--- Help out at the Math Olympics on campus = Registration starts at 3:45pm. Awards should wrap up around 8? 8:30pm?

TODAY. THURSDAY. SURE.
I did the following:
--- Assessed the second to last batch of P5s.
--- Had lunch with my ma.
--- Looked at the cars/trucks in the Auto Show part of Agawasie Day.
--- Created a video for my little sister. It's her first Mother's Day on Sunday.
--- Ran 6 miles.
--- Got empty CDs from Cheryl so I can make some fun music mixes for tomorrow's Math Olympics.

THIS WEEKEND. YEP. OKAY.
I hope to accomplish the following:
--- Sort clothing that will be taken up to Savers Tuesday.
--- Figure out what I can toss before moving.
--- Google Reader = Blogs to sort through.
--- Make a "Packing" Plan. Which spaces to pack up first, etc.
--- Couponing.
--- Long run Saturday morning & stretching or rest on Sunday.
--- Bake some muffins or cupcakes, etc. to easily take to campus next week?

I'm "the poem" today for TYCA's National Poetry Month Celebration!
It's a poem I created from a Chuck-like essay.

Oh, and 47-11 was a good day for me physically, too; I ran a little over 3 miles this morning.
First time in over a year - it felt pretty good. I'm still shocked, a little.

Isn't a workout supposed to GIVE you energy? Or something like that...? Don't get me wrong, it felt good to run and just do something since I've been a hibernating bear for almost the last three months (last official workout was in November, I believe?), but I'm pooped. And my lungs hurt. And why does my jaw hurt?

Oddly, when I started my warm-up, I could feel my body wanting to run. That probably sounds blasphemous, but it's like I wasn't going fast enough to please my muscles. Weird body.

After ten minutes at an average-fast-walking-pace, I kicked 'er up a notch and did my interval cardio that I love love love. It gets the heart going, it makes me tired, and it tests my pacing. And it complements the songs on my iPod Shuffle since I have fast songs and slow, thought-provoking ones.

As it turns out, today, I was able to do the same interval paces as I did the last time I worked out. So, that's gotta be good, right? I guess, really, it hasn't been THAT long... maybe I shouldn't be that impressed, but whatever. When I'm super sore tomorrow and have to slowly get up from chairs, I'll be thinking differently.

Only in my world would mile 4 feel better than mile 1. Of course.
[Odd: Last night, when I returned from WallyWorld,
my knees didn't crack as much up the stairs.
Could it have been the bike ride yesterday?]

Today's lovely agenda:
1. Wait for UPS package at home while I read Creative Writing drafts.
2. Last Creative Writing class at 2pm, Portfolio Workshop!
3. "Don't Worry, Be Happy" Seminar at 3:30pm.