The semester draws to an end in less than 2 weeks. It’s so close I can taste it. It tastes sweet.

But I’m not there yet. I type this from under a mountain of research papers waiting to be given a grade that is surely going to be lower than most of the students believe they deserve. “I’m sorry, there will be no A’s simply for effort in this class. You’ll actually have to write well in order to earn an A.” Lessons go unlearned, expectations go unmanaged. The papers will be stained with my tears, to be sure. Possibly some sweat. Definitely no blood. Most likely either coffee or bourbon.

NB: The spell checker inexplicably wants to turn ‘unmanaged’ into ‘unman aged’. I don’t even know where to start on that one.

I should be in bed.

Until I reach the sweet oasis that is summer break, I offer an interesting phrase that I learned from students this week: macking. I’m sure I have deep and profound thoughts about the etymology and sociolinguistic development of this word, as well as some superficial thoughts about my vanity over feeling old because all the slang has gone and changed on me, but as I mentioned, I should be in bed. So that’s where I’ll be. I’ve given you a topic. Discuss!