Feeling better

Thank god my mood has improved.  It couldn't exactly get worse, really, not as mere moods go.  Hormones do strange things when combined with stress, boy.

Classes are over, most (though not all) meetings are behind me, and a sea of grading lies between me and a week from tomorrow.  I'm spending most of today filling in and formatting Excel grade sheets in preparation for the Grading Blitz.  It's time-consuming, but it ultimately saves time in the end. Still, I think I may purchase some software that does the job for me in the future.  I don't want to spend the time learning it, but let's face it, it can't be that much more difficult from doing the formulas in Excel from scratch.

On other fronts, now that a silk-and-jade bracelet I wear daily is beginning to unravel, I decided I needed another one, this time in yellow jade (and yes, this is an example more Retail Therapy in times of stress, not to mention of addiction transfer as well). 

I just thought the bracelet was pretty, but apparently it's going to bring me fantastic wealth.  Mmm, yeah. Right. (The English text in the accompanying product romance blurb is a bit odd, but there you go ...):

"The adjustable Yellow Jade PiQui bracelet can bring you unexpected luck and fortune; it's a fantastic lucky charm for yourself or a brilliant gift idea for him or for her.

Yellow Jade: The stone of wealth, it can strengthen the yellow light in the angry field, influence the material life and luck for wealth and create the unexpected wealth. Wearing the yellow jade can strengthen self-confident and gathering wealth.

PiQiu: In China, it is represent the law, administer the luck for wealth at the same time. In the Myth, PiQiu is the grandson of the dragon. It can specially swallow gold and silver and not letting it out.

PiQiu is a violent beast, especially it can swallows evil stuff, that's why some people use it for exorcise evil spirits. It can protect residence, exorcise evil spirits, and give good fortune and wealth to the people who wear it.

PiQiu usually designed as: money in the mouth with a big belly, it can defend your belongings and make the wealth come in automatically at the same time, especially for the lucky money. That's why PiQiu is the gambler's favorite lucky charm for all time. In Las Vegas, Walker Villas S. Korea, the Malaysian Casino and Pujing casino of Macao, you can easily find PIQiu sculptures in front of the main gate, decorations or on the roof."

I guess it couldn't hurt, though, right?  I can get behind the protection thing.  Okay, and I wouldn't turn down great wealth if it came my way -- but golly, I'm not holding my breath.