New and Exciting Ways to Avoid Marking. Plus: Overcoming my Self Promotion Fears

Firstly:

This morning at work I have achieved:

4 Cups of Coffee,
7 Chocolate Chip Cookies,
1 Invitation to lunch,
(which led to) 1 Excuse for not refereeing the lunchtime Year 7 5 a-side tournament,

But most importantly:

1 slightly sulky Year 7 trained in marking test papers.

I am most impressed with today's achievements and defy Anyone - Ever to top them.


But Mostly:

I have, indeed, overcome (some) of my Self Promotion Fear. Please don't misunderstand. I am not modest. I tell people all the time that I am great. At work especially I balance comments such as

No, I've not marked them. When will you get them? I dunno. Christmas?

and

Lesson plan?

With more positive comments such as

But blatently I am Mint.

and

I am, surely, the greatest thing to happen to teaching since caning.

I am not modest. Nor am I partculary Shy. I am happy to attempt to impress and entertain and interest people I have never met. It's the people that know me that scare me. It's the locals I'm worried about.

But I have no idea why.

Tonto want/need to promote the book. I get that. I am very, very happy about that. I want this book to do well. I want my next one to do better. I want my third to win me the Nobel prize.

These are modest ambitions I think we all share.

I just wish it was doable without having to promote me. If someone else wants to promote me, fine. Tell me where to go and I'll go. Not a problem. You want me to open a local signpost? (Because thats obviously what famous and respected authors do) Great. Done.

But self promotion? It's important I know but at the minute - when I've not quite yet got anything to promote - well it feels a bit... I dunno, Arrogant?

Still. I suppose that me sitting here at work, engaged in an act of self promotion, whinging about self promotion, but still hoping it succeeds (yes, I know - secretly, beneath the slightly dirty feel - I enjoy it) it at least looks like I'm working on something important.

If nothing else it is another achievement I can log for the day:

This morning at work I have achieved:

4 Cups of Coffee,
7 Chocolate Chip Cookies,
1 Invitation to lunch,
(which led to) 1 Excuse for not refereeing the lunchtime Year 7 5 a-side tournament,
1 slightly sulky Year 7 trained in marking test papers.

But most importantly:

I have convinced someone that I am doing something useful.