Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Running hot and cold

Without the sun comes the danger of lethargy. Perhaps I am more lizard than I want to admit. Or is it the uncreative chores that beg to be accomplished, like the whole grading business. Meg didn't like the term binge grading when I sit for prolonged periods getting numbers on papers. Abstract concepts laid upon abstract linguisitic constructions. And the students beg for them (like I do when in student mode), setting their self-portraits by the mere particles of ink laid upon the paper in a particular pattern. One slip of the pen would create a different pattern. How easily ink controls us. Ink on assignments, ink on tests, ink on contracts, ink on legislation, treaties, ink on all the licenses we carry from driving to teaching to marriage. Such is the power of the pen.

1 comment:

  1. To binge is to act compulsively. Now you tell me, have you ever compulsively graded papers? It's not really a compulsory act; hence my issue with the term.

    Oh, to be validated by teacer. To be told, yes, you can write.

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