The usual tip for getting things done involves placing butt in chair. I tried that today, but the results were mixed.

I spent the day marking high school exams which is a process, as I’ve written before that involves 50% denial, 50% distraction and 50% actual work. To finish the exams I spent most of the day in my home office in my home office chair with the tests on my home office desk. This, however, creates a problem.

The problem is that whoever thought of the place butt in chair advice didn’t anticipate computers and the internet. It’s therefore better to say “place butt in chair; place computer in other building (with family)”.

Typically I keep a TV show running in the background, at least at first, and this has mixed results if the show is actually interesting. My distraction of this marking season is the Scottish detective drama Taggart. Usually these shows are bland enough that they provide background noise but are not particularly distracting. Unfortunately Taggart is just good enough that it’s become distracting. It’s also got me practicing my Glaswegian and saying “murder” as “MARdr” and “dead body” as “deed BOdi” and has She Who Must Be Obeyed looking at me as if all her fears have finally been cnFARMd, er, confirmed.

The other problem is that I sit in one place long enough that mold and mildew begin forming on me and I often am not aware it is raining and I have to bring in the laundry or that it is now dark and I should close the curtains.

Eventually the 50% denial will go away Taggart will give way to headphones and music. That marks the last push.

I’m actually ahead of schedule with my marking at this point. That means I have to be especially careful as it’s too easy to fall in to the “I’m ahead so it’s okay if I fall a bit behind trap”.