**THIS** Close....

SO! I've been managing to get some work done, despite my almost pathological avoidance of all things having to do with my colloquium presentation and portfolio. Really, most of my energy lately seems to be directed at stress eating and internet Boggle. Pathetic, I know.

I'm absolutely astounded by the amount of material I've amassed over the past few months - I've got files and binders and boxes full of readings, books, quizzes and essay questions I've composed, and work I've done for my seminar. I had been worried about my portfolio because I came to realize, at the end of December, that I'd collected very little in the way of evidence of the work I'd done for the first half of the semester. So much of my energy was spent just trying to navigate the dangerous waters in my first placement that I found I had little left to address the work the university required of me. I panicked when I figured out that I only had from January to May to collect enough material to prove that I am a good and effective teacher. It turns out, though, that panic was unwarranted. I'm looking at a three-inch binder that's stuffed to capacity with a lot of good, solid proof that I am good at what I do. It's not terribly pretty, mind you - I'm not crafty by nature and find scrapbooking an intolerable pastime - but it is evidence that I belong in this profession.

I'm not quite sure how I've done it, but I'm pretty much finished with the colloquium, too. I have some photocopying to do, I need to get a few more items to my husband to put on a computer program for me, and I'm going to be going over the whole thing in my head until it's done, but all the heavy lifting is complete. I have invited several teacher-friends to attend the presentation on Thursday and one of these friends in particular has a singular gift for keeping conversations moving, so I think it will be a successful endeavour. I'm excited about my topic, I've done a reasonable amount of research and thinking about it, I've got examples of really great student work and I'm showing movie clips! What could go wrong? (note to self - bring food...)

(kind thoughts for me around one o'clock this Thursday, please!)