The Lone Grader Rides Again!

Still at it. I'm the only one left. The others started to drop off at about 2, but then at three-fifty-ish, the last fellow grader abandoned me. I am, once more, the Lone Grader. This is only the second time in a week. But that's okay. I've accepted it. In the last however many hours, I've graded all but about 40 of my papers for the rest of the semester. That's over 100 papers. If ever there were a Lone Grader, it were I. I think. It's a bit too late at night to tell if that's right. (This is why I don't tag for grammar after 1 am.)

Ah well. I've still got about 1 1/2 weeks' worth of papers to grade, and there are just barely enough 4.1s left for me to get them all done in under 600 words apiece. After a while, the kids just start babbling, and their drafts get longer. But the average is still 450-500 words, so they're infinitely better than 1200.

To sustain myself through the long night, I've got a gallon jug of water (one full cup every three drafts = Rehkmira the human Mr. Coffee, percolating all night, and never at rest for more than an hour), and a can or two of diet coke, since caffeine is an ally to depend on in these dark times.

I might eat breakfast in an hour or so. That would be something. I think I'll have stir fry. I've still got about four cups of boiled chicken from my "whole chicken meets pot of water to create homemade chicken broth" craze a few days ago. I'll take it out of the freezer, hack off a few chunks, and fry it up in soy sause. Add some rice noodles and some broccoli I've got sitting in the fridge...

But in the meantime, my break is over, and I must return to the machine. I'm the Lone Cog, don't you know?

Still turning, yearning
To quit, this cog spins their drafts
Into golden grades.

End.... or is it???