It is finished. And this is post #100!

I just hit "submit" on the last of my grades. Instead of writing this, I should be hightailing it out of here in case any of my soon-to-be unhappy students are nearby and come looking for me. Though I've done this more than 20 times, each time I submit grades I am amazed at the weight I feel lifted from me. I know, too, that in less than 3 weeks, the weight will certainly return...but for now, oh, glorious now, I am free! Free, you hear me! Free! Where's the Southern Comfort?

Also, though, I'm done early for once, so I should probably pipe down, lest my colleagues join the mob of students looking for me. I intend for V and I to wander by here tomorrow with treats and humble good wishes, because it is so rare for me to finish before the deadline, and so many others have not. Shaun is the one to be congratulated on this semester's triumphant wrap-up: he encouraged me to grade night after night after night these last three weeks. Sometimes I would bring him home a cheeseburger, or breakfast from the Fryn Pan, but often I brought nothing, came home crabby at 10:30 or 11, and went to bed soon after. Marrying an English instructor is more work than he realized, methinks. It's more work being an English instructor than I realized, too, for that matter.

So this is what a 100th post feels like, eh? Kinda manic and rambling...yeah, that seems about right. I know when TV shows do their 100th episode, they get a big sheet cake. Maybe I should go get us a cake. Mmm. Cake.

Oh, one more thing before I go home to my much-neglected family: since many of you are new visitors thanks to some shameless self-promotion on the Ganyo holiday card, and since this is post #100, for crying out loud, I want to encourage/ask/beg/demand that each of you reading please comment. Shaun truly believes he and I are the only readers, though I keep telling him otherwise. Let's rally and show him just how many brave Languishing readers are out there. You can chose to be anonymous, if you like, or link to your own blog/website/pyramid scheme. Follw the prompts, take your time (for those of you new to the world of comments) and only hit "submit" once. I will use the Random Number Generator to chose one of you to receive a very exciting prize. Probably involving corduroy in some way, and maybe a book-like thing, but that's all I'll reveal right now. C'mon! You know you can't win if you don't comment, and you can't comment if you don't read this, so...erm...C'mon!

To help you understand, I have an elaborate analogy! Each post is sort of a performance (often mediocre, granted) and if no one comments, it's like being at a concert and not applauding. Even if the band's a little off key, or they're playing a song you don't particularly like, you still applaud, don't you? Don't you? Well then, comment. I need to hear a little applause now and then, too. And if you don't want to applaud but would rather boo, at least I'll know you're out there.

If you are one of those people who doesn't applaud if they don't feel like it, go ahead and don't comment. I wouldn't want you to win my special prize anyway.

Commenters, you have until December 26th at midnight, after which time I will close comments and chose a winner! If you suspect I don't have your current mailing address make sure I can track you down via e-mail in case you win the super special prize.

Stay classy, San Diego.