The length of time spent in exam preparation is inversely related to the amount of time needed to complete the exam.
Put another way: Students who don’t study punish me by sitting in the examination room until the very last second in a passive-aggressive move to instill as much pain as possible on me for their lack of work ethic earlier.
I know we’re all trying to make a concerted effort to stay on task and celebrate Advent before Christmas, instead of what the retail industry would have us do, which is to embrace Christmas before Halloween so the Valentine’s Day hearts can go on sale on December 26. Well, who said we had to listen?
I admire the folks who can really pull it off. I think I get about halfway there but I admit to getting sucked into celebrating Christmas a couple of weeks into Advent. The Advent wreath and hymns at Mass are a reminder that it isn’t Christmas just yet, but then I succumb to my favorite holiday shows and … well … I’m weak. I admit it.
It starts with one of my favorite cartoons, A Charlie Brown Christmas. I so loved it as a child although probably for very diffierent reasons than I love it now. When Linus reads from the Gospel of Luke and tells the nativity story I am overwhelmed. So beautiful!
The cartoon is usually aired right in the middle of the self-induced hysteria that generally substitutes for Advent. To my amazement, the show sends a powerful and timely message about the misplaced values and commercialization of what mainstream society calls the Christmas Season. As Catholics, though, we celebrate the Christmas season starting with Christmas and ending eight days later. Unfortunately, it seems like everybody else moves on to New Year’s when we start to celebrate the real Christmas season.
Still, I can reconcile the mixed messages. A Charlie Brown Christmas rejects commercialization and focuses on the real meaning of Christmas. Before the T-shirt kiosks at the malls were making money on their “Put Christ back in Christmas” shirts, the Peanuts Gang sang it loud and clear. I don’t mind the reminder, even if it comes a little early. In fact, I need to hear the message early to prioritize and remember that I am not preparing for Christmas turkey and gift exchanges and too much eggnog.
Not a recommened technique, nevertheless, effective. While making homemade creamed spinach, I couldn’t get the bag open, so I thought it would be an entertaining way to open the bag by dramatically (i.e., in an over-the-top theatrical way) hack at the bag with a gigantic ham knife.
I missed.
I hacked at my thumb instead.
[pause for appropriate heckling and mockery]
I finally got my thumb to stop bleeding by applying a frozen spinach leaf to it. Note to self: when facing life-threatening bleeding, a frozen chunk of produce could work in the absence of a tourniquet.
Maybe not, but the pictures are worthy of mockery.
*For the record, and in an attempt to garner sympathy, the wound is very deep and very painful, and bled for a really really long time and no one in my vicinity offered any kind or soothing words. The meanies called my parents so I could get long distance mockery.
