Why these papers need to grade themselves...

I’m totally gonna grade these papers now.

I've gone through each lit analysis paper folder to check for completeness. I've neatly stacked folders in piles by class, then arranged each pile alphabetically by student. I've gathered my grading necessities: Coffee with cardamom & cinnamon. Check. Stapler. Check. Colored pens (no red, so I’m not too discouraging). Check. Rubrics. Check. Highlighters to draw attention to rubric skills that need work in revisions. Check. Handbook cheat sheet so students can look up error patterns. Check. iPod for meditative paper-grading playlist. Check. Thermal patch for the back of my neck as I hunch over the papers for hours. Check.

Okay, I’m totally ready to start grading.

But wait, this coffee needs more cinnamon.

Wow, these spices are a total mess. I should clean out and re-organize this shelf.

Wouldn’t it be nice if I had a spice rack on the wall, where I could see the spices? I’ll bet I could find something on Amazon.

Seriously? Go back a page to those square red spice jars. They’d be so cool in the new spice rack! 

Uh-oh, I’m almost out of cumin. We’re going to Omaha in a couple of weeks, so I could stop at Penzey’s. I should take an inventory and make a Penzy’s list.

I’m not crazy about this note program on my phone. I’ll Google the best reminder app.

Gee, I should charge the MiFi.

Holy smoke, look at the dust on this desk. I’ll just put a load of clothes in and quickly run a dust rag over things.

There’s got to be a better way to organize these cleaning supplies.

I wonder if my passport's expired? I’d better check.

I should dig through this closet for that cute little blue passport bag.

Sweet…my old railroad overalls! I wonder if they still fit?

I should make a pile of stuff for the Civic Council. And there’s that box of old dishes and utensils in the basement.

I’m hungry. I should make tabhouli; I think I have bulgher and quinoa in the freezer.

Boy howdy, this freezer needs defrosting.

Speaking of frost, we’re in a blizzard watch for this weekend. I should go to the store.

I need to clean this fridge out before I put the groceries away.

The dishwasher’s full, but I should fill the rinse compartment before I run it.

If we’re gonna have a blizzard, I should put up that brooder lamp in the loafing shed for the peacocks.

Yikes…I could use a nap.

Squirrel!