Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Happy Groundhog Day! (A Retrospective)



Today I lazily present you with last year's Groundhog Day cupcakes.

And... a little bit of a review.

This morning I got a text from the friend who helped me make those groundhog (mistaken for walrus) cupcakes. She reminded me of the anniversary and wished me a "Happy not walrus day!"

I'll be honest... before I got her text... I had no idea that today is Groundhog Day.

But! Now that I know... I figured I'd let her nostalgia throw me into my own.

Last year at this time:

I was living in Maine, tromping to and from campus (through the snow) to teach one class of 22 students and take two graduate courses of my own. My 101 class was about Oprah and popular culture; I honestly cannot tell you what my own classes were on.

I was a nervous wreck over job applications and life plans.

I blogged most days.

I had a roommate, an adorable apartment with three floors, a collection of winter clothing that now mostly belongs to Goodwill, an aloe plant that I'm still trying not to kill, and a gorgeous kitchen with windows on three sides.

My hair was a couple of inches longer, shaggier, and black.

I had a love affair with potatoes and pasta and had one or both most days.

I was staring at a tub of red fondant and wondering whether or not I'd be able to pull off my super ambitious plan.

I could not imagine reading and commenting on 92 student papers in 48 hours, while teaching and living a semi-normal life.


How-ev-er... that 92 paper task is the one set before me today. Well... the rest of the task, at least. I got the papers yesterday and I have 31 to finish by tomorrow at 9am. Easy peasy.

If only I'd stop taking these breaks to chat, blog, facebook, and tweet.

Eh... who are we kidding? These breaks maintain sanity. That's an important part of the work effort in my book.

By the way, does anybody know if that Punxsutawney character saw his shadow? I mean... it's not really important since I live in sunny GA and honestly wouldn't be able to tell if what they call "winter" continued for another 6 weeks, but still... I'm curious.

10 comments:

cookingnerd said...

93 papers in two days? Amanda, let's talk about how not to kill yourself this semester. I'm stressed out just thinking about you grading all of those in such a short time. But on a much happier, less mommy-toned note : I heart your cupcakes. Pleas make some for the Julie and Julia party this weekend!

kmari03 said...

I love the laws of procrastination. Like how a blog entry counts, but googling whether the groundhog saw his shadow would be going too far. :)

Amanda said...

kmari03: You get it!!!

cookingnerd: The 92 papers in 48 hrs was a scheduling snafoo. It won't happen again, but these are easy first drafts (she says with all 31 still sitting beside her). :)

And... I will totally bake cupcakes for the Julie & Julia party!!! I think I just got more excited than I was befofe.

Carrie M. Hall said...

I miss you and your cupcakes in Neville:( And the fact that you have so many papers to read makes me question the teaching job application packets I've been submitting!

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

thanks to an urban outfitters post on facebook about 6 more weeks of boot weather... i'm going with yes! he saw his shadow!

Lynn said...

Fun post. Hope you got all those papers done :)

Lynn said...

Oh, and I just read in the comments that you're having a Julie/Julia party. How fun! My mom had one a few months back, and I brought a pear concoction. It was time-consuming and filled with waaaay too much butter, but delicious :) Hope your party is a blast. And, of course, that you provide a full report so the rest of us can live vicariously.

Liesl said...

Hey this year or last year those cupcakes are still super cute!!! I think he saw his shadow...and according to a local radio station here and the help of an American Idol sensation I found about by hearing this upon entering my car..."Shadow on the Ground, Shadow on the Ground, looking like a fool with his shadow on the ground!" Have to admit it was kinda funny!

Lot-O-Choc said...

Aw the cupcakes you made last year look so sweet!

Amanda said...

hahahaha... Liesl, I'm embarrassed to say that I got that joke without even having to Google. I'm more embarrassed to say that the "Pants on the Ground" joker hails from GA. :)