Thursday, October 1, 2020

September 26


For the past 15 years, I have been a marker for the Allied Arts Literary Festival.  The first year I did it, Sian was 6 weeks old and it was hell.  I had a couple of hundred scripts to mark and Sian did not sleep well.  I spent literally hours marking, but at the time the money was quite good.

I even marked when we lived in Zambia.  We usually came to see my parents in the August holidays and the scripts would be sent to them so they were ready and waiting when we arrived. I generally enjoy doing the marking and the extra bit of money is always welcome.

My family, however, have come to dread Allied Arts marking season as I get quite stressed.  There is always so much to do, and this year it has come at the same time that we are back at school.  I have two exam classes and they each write two essays a week so I am drowning in marking.

I actually spend the entire day marking.  John is out, fixing a parquet floor for someone and the girls binge watch a series that I think is called Glamour Girls, or something along those lines.  I think it is the equivalent of Santa Barbara - a terrible soap we used to watch every Friday night on ZBC.  The characters spent most of the time giving each other long, suspicious stares while the music built to a crescendo.  Scenes seemed to go on and on forever.  It was so slow, it was exhausting. A bit like marking.

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