Break: the schedule (to date).

It's reached that point--the point when, in anticipation of spring break, I realize that I am no longer working within the rules of the Elasticity of Time--there's no way I can do everything I want to do in that short little week. As of right now, I plan to be

• relaxing
• doing the curriculum paperwork for about half a dozen courses
• writing the 2010 assessment report
• doing a little desultory online course cleanup
• relaxing
• going to the movies with college daughter, Dr. Write, and possibly my own personal self
• doing a tiny bit of recreational shopping
• reading
• cleaning up my study
• possibly getting running son's room sorted (it's about time--)
• helping college daughter prepare to go to Boston, in which city she has accepted a position as a nanny
• writing/relaxing
• other unagenda-ed items.

I will have to make a flow chart and plot all the relaxation, in half-hour increments. However, as my office area-mate notes, "Just three more days and it's spring break. And after spring break, it's only five more weeks, and then it's summer." See, it's not spring yet, officially, but baby, in six weeks and three days, it will be summer.

Twenty-three things on my mind.

1. Must update curriculum for adjunct faculty. End of week! No later!
2. When can I bake: spritz cookies, chocolate shortbread, almond orange shortbread, vanilla shortbread, cardamom cookies?
3. Must buy cookie press (for spritz cookies).
4. Must mail package(s) to Scotland!
5. What does the historian need, want, gotta have for Christmas? What would thrill him and delight him?
6. I miss my daughter and granddaughters in Scotland.
7. Must candy orange peel for panettone.
8. I heard panettone is hard to make, but it doesn't seem so hard. Am I missing something?
9. Must figure out e-portfolio over the break.
10. New assignment for 2010: ethnographic study of community setting (for community writing campaign).
11. Must make a podcast. Must podcast!
12. Want to make the little movie, a la "La Jetee," of stills of Bruiser in the snow. What music? What poetic remarks?
13. Must send poems to Crazyhorse.
14. Wish I were throwing a party for all my friends this Christmas, as we have purchased a new sofa, and it will be doghair free for only a few days.
15. Am already missing running son and he isn't even gone yet.
16. Need to figure out a way, a place, a practice for my spiritual longing.
17. There are only about a million ways for the 2010 assessment to go awfully, horribly wrong.
18. Update the palimpsest assignment in 2250.
19. Will I finish the canzone for my writing group this weekend? Will it be anything but lame?
20. Can I just adapt the regular old Martha Stewart caramel recipe to make it a salt caramel recipe?
21. Why didn't Martha publish a special holiday issue this year? What could possibly be the reason?
22. I want to buy about ten more poinsettias (already have 3). Maybe will have only poinsettias this year, not a tree. Consider.
23. Must sent e-mail to all teaching Eng. 2010 reminding of requirement to have course portfolio. Consider appending a veiled threat to this e-mail.