Scantron bills itself as “the bridge to knowledge” on the packaging for my six virgin copies of form 882-E, procured from the NoVA student bookstore for $1.99 Tuesday morning. That’s about $.33 per sheet compared to the $.12/sheet price for buying direct from Scantron. The only plus of the weather delay for the Alexandria city schools yesterday was the opportunity to visit the bookstore on my way to the office.* Did I mention that the bookstore is closed evenings and weekends? On the other hand, I would never have had the chance to find an inflatable unicorn head** if I hadn’t had to browse. Student bookstores are so much fun.
Speaking of Scantron, I just finished the open-book quiz that was our first homework assignment. Going to the first lab session for the biology class and successfully handling termites (with a paint brush) got me geeked out and ready to Science. Somehow I didn’t expect it to take me three hours to finish the 60 questions, though. If I factor out the messing-around-online factor it was probably more like two hours, but still. I’m starting to regret my zeal, it being after 2 AM, but it’s so awesome to be learning something that doesn’t feel like the set-up for a “how many bureaucrats does it take to change a lightbulb?” joke.
* Technically, my shopping trip was on the way back from dropping off TeenBot and Mouse at their schools to pick up Podrostok, who was trying to finish an overdue assignment, then drop him off on my way to work. Only TeenBot texted just as I pulled into the parking garage at work to say he wanted to go home sick. So back I went. The morning commute wound up taking about 2.5 hours by the time I finally hauled myself into the actual office.
** To say nothing of the inflatable moose head. I could not restrain myself and bought both.
Salary Mom Chronicles 