but who’s counting?

Today I had the final visit to the dentist. There was no anaesthetic, there was no crying (though I did tear up a bit at one point).
There was some filling, some polishing of fillings and some cleaning of teeth. Then there was a whole lot of cleaning out of credit cards…or should that be filling up of credit cards?
It’s nice to think that now I have no income I will still have a massive dental debt to keep me company.
Reassuringly, I am officially a ‘twelve month person’ – meaning that I actually have such great teeth I need only turn up at the dentist office once a year. If only, if only I had gone in to see the dentist earlier and avoided that horrible root canal.
So that is officially that.
On other fronts…

• the marking continues. Slowly, painfully. It is reassuring to see vast improvements in almost every student’s case. One good scare and they suddenly discover they need to actually, well proof read.
• The MLX is well in hand. The DJs are rostered. The volunteers are rostered (with only 3 of 20-odd needing re-rostering). The website is current. The Ham’s Whereabouts Timetable is compiled (hm – in bed at 4.30am Thursday, up at lunchtime Friday. In bed at 8am (if I’m lucky) Saturday morning. And so on until I die. This is a formidable program of events: gold stars to all those who manage to attend each of the 16 (or was it 17?) events. And sees all 5 of the bands and 10 of the DJs. The door sheets for the volunteers need doing, but we have time for that.
• The conference papers are written. Not well, but … look, I’m not that amazing. One needn’t be perfect (I was informed – it’s just meant as a sort of peek into the work I’m doing, not a final draft), the other… well, I will find time to re-edit it and do up a powerpoint with clippage (can’t talk about dance without showing the dance).
• The paper waiting at the publisher/journal thing has had its corrections done. So you might see that soon (well, some day, some time, some century)
• The birthday is done (32 and counting, thanks very much). Not the best birthday ever (what with the ongoing anxiety and general over-workedness and exhaustion), but at least it’s done. Perhaps I’ll have another one in a few months where I can really enjoy myself. Thanks, though, to those who turned up to consume unhealthy quantities at the pub – that was nice.
• Drop-in visit from parents en route to Canberra handled
• Other parent’s drop-in visit enjoyed (huzzahs to the Matriarch for bringing cake)
• Supervisor present purchased

There are other things that’ve happened, and other things that need doing* (catch me at the Spiegeltent this weekend between 2 and 4 if you’re up for a bit of Olde Timey music and an off-colour joke or two), but right now I’m concentrating on the marking. And trying not to think about the 3 house guests who’re arriving next week (and one of whom is currently bedless).
Think of me, will you, and send me calm thoughts – only… um… at least four weeks before I actually get a weekend off. It’s been six months since the last one, but who’s counting?
*Not the least of which is cleaning our house and actually planning a meal more complex than fresh filled pasta with spinach and salami and fresh tomato and garlic. Sounds good, I know, but try eating it 3 days out of 7 every week. WE are living in squalor: orange peels, dirty socks and used tissues? I wish we could find our orange peels amongst the rubble in our nest. And do NOT ask me about the happy mouse family living in our compost bin.