So the first semester is quickly winding down. Graduate classes are over in just over 4 weeks and I will spend almost all of next week at a conference (with the company of Ben--I am so glad your work is flexible my love!). So I have spent much of my time grading the last two weeks and I find that I feel I am either being too hard or too soft--have not yet figured out the balance! One this that is making me crazy is that many of my students have made it to graduate school believing that it is appropriate to put a period outside of a quotation mark when it in fact goes inside (at least in American English--British English is another story so I am not so frustrated with the international students)--perhaps I should not be so frustrated at this but it has, as yet, been my biggest problem in student work--that and students turning in their first draft rather than a polished paper.

However I feel blessed that these are the biggest work stressors I have had so far--aside from thinking about tenure requirements and trying to fulfill them (but this is not a hurry as I have 5 years to accomplish all the requirements). As those of you who know me well are aware I just came from a very unstable, somewhat volitile work environment so this job has been a breath of fresh air!