Said the Walrus to the Carpenter

While I'm happy to live in the Midwest, I still pine for a few things from out east, even after seventeen years: Utz crab chips, lebanon bologna, WaWa markets, frozen punch with ginger ale, soft-shelled crab with mayo on white bread, Mary Sue Easter eggs, crab cakes actually made from crab with nary a breadcrumb, real Virginia ham, Bertha's mussels, being able to sprinkle Old Bay on my toast without getting funny looks, Berger cookies, she-crab soup, arabbers, Haussner's, and most of all, raw oysters.*

Today is the St. Louis Oyster festival, a thing I look forward to each year almost as soon as the previous one is over. The first year, LB and I managed to split 20 dozen between us. We've moderated our pace a bit, but I stopped by the bank this morning to ensure that I can eat myself silly if I so desire. Wish me luck. I'm feeling quite peaked, but I refuse to succumb until Sunday at the earliest.

The Fidget is finished, and so is a bit of grading.



Remaining:

• 2 3-page letters to the editor
• 19 4-page reflection papers on "my environmental footprint"
• 7 3-page profile papers (2 of which are for students who have likely dropped)
• 6 paragraphs on "how my day would be different if I were illiterate"
• 5 paragraphs on "my favorite tv show"
• 14 midterm exams

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*Wow, it's not really a few things; it's a whole helluva lot of things. Actually, I may miss the soft-shells most of all, but they're so out of reach that I have to settle for missing the only truly obtainable item on the list.