Day 189: Exams over (almost), let the work begin...

Day 189 (13 Jun) Thursday. Final exam for my students today, another late finish. I fear where our political dialogue is taking us, it has not been terribly pleasant. 

I've been up for a while by 6.12am today, marking essays. We have short turnaround times these days which makes it harder to properly read and critique student work, give it the time it deserves. Everything gets rushed now and the superficial wins over the substance just about every time. 

Essays, at 6.12am

Much of the day is spent marking and discussing workplace issues with colleagues. It's funny how people think academics work just 26 weeks of the year...when the teaching happens. It doesn't happen like that of course and because our research can be such a large part of why we do what we do, there is rarely any switch off time. I am going to try it in a few weeks though. 

I'm also gearing up for a likely trip to Tokyo next month for the upper house election. It is interesting following the political discourse in both countries in the run up to their respective elections. There is another book coming on, I hope to do that next year. 

More reading, at 6.12pm

Twitter has some real time information value. People not on twitter tend to criticise tweepsters as time wasters but I do get alerted to a lot of material that might otherwise pass me by. Now that might be information overload but there is always something of value for my classes. Tonight at 6.12pm I was taking a bit of time out, as the final exam was progressing, to catch up on a few 'favourites' from the day. This one at 6.12pm would have been great to use a few weeks ago for the class that is being examined right now...'tis always the way. 

It is a Japanese translator's blog-view of ten female novelists who should be translated into English. I'd love to have the time to participate in this project. It gives me some things to follow up when I head to Tokyo...who are the must-read authors. I'll hang onto it. 

Cheers mate!

The printer has busted again...it makes finishing up some final marking rather problematic. The exam finishes so I opt to head home. The state of our politics, now compounded by a Perth radio...'person'...asking about the sexuality of the Prime Minister's male partner...oh dear. There is only one answer to this. I'm home so...happy 40th SLO.