Sometimes you are happy when they flunk the test...

[paleolithical]

Mostly when you have a lot of tests to grade, the ones that are so quick and easy to grade are welcome; "no, nope, what were you thinking?, do try reading the text, pay at least some attention in class next time -- trust me, it will help, no, no, if you have nothing to say please leave the paper blank next time... Score: 2/50. Done." And this was

Comments

[ragnvaeig]

I think the procrastination generator somehow is powered by the mass of the "to be graded" stack.

You're planning to decompress from academic stresses.

[paleolithical]

I lke to think about it that way, but I know myself enough to now that I can far too easilly spend an hour ambivalating on the relative pros and cons of Roycraft or Ötzi packframes versus open work conical burden baskets (Watts (2000) "A Rawhide and Willow Burden Basket", Bulletin of Primitive Technology 20) in a survival situation. An hour I whould have been using on grading or preparing a class.

Hmm. Ötzi packframes; did you just heat the wood gently as you bent it, or did you do some version of the full steam bend mojo (wrap in moss and pour hot water, etc)? Did it need a wrap not to splinter? I've never worked much with bending hazel, and my nearest supply is over 100 km south of here...

[ragnvaeig]

I cut a sapling (because it was growing where it oughtn't), stripped the bark, bent it, secured the ends in the bend, and left it to dry under the eaves for a couple days. There was a little bit of splintering around an imperfection in the wood, which I did wrap with a little bit of leather, but the structure dried pretty well intact.

[paleolithical]

Grabbed a couple of hazel saplings last night. I think one of them is way to thick, but the butt end might make a good childs bow. I'll bend them this afternoon after peeling.