Idiosyncrasies...

I have discovered that I have a favourite red pen. Don't ask me what makes it special (and no, I haven't named it), but when I find myself faced with a mountain of marking, I search for my trusty friend, and cannot possibly mark effectively without it. All the other red pens in my collection seem inferior in comparison, and their ink not near as bright and cheerful, especially when circling a fail mark on a paper. In fact, when I do it with my special pen I almost feel like humming and even do it with a bit of a flourish! Oh, it just fits in my hand so well, and ticks with such ease. I don't know what I'm going to do when it runs out. Perhaps hold a funeral around the waste paper bin... 

I also seem to be addicted to giving stars. I know I'm dealing with teenagers here, but putting a star on one of their tests almost makes me break out into delighted giggling. In fact, sometimes I go mad and put TWO stars on the paper! Its crazy, I know, I'm just a daredevil like that. Maybe its the shock that one of them can actually get an A that sends me into this silver and pink shaped celestial madness, who knows.

 I've heard you can now get red pens that are erasable and if you put them in the deepfreeze, the original writing comes back. I feel like a kid whose just been told that you can now get candy that never runs out. Out with the age of correctional fluid! I need to get me one of those pens!!!