would you cry for the weak

I'm at the North Davis Starbucks. I came here with two objectives:

1) finish (OK, start) grading the collaborative "Romeo & Juliet" essays from my 9th grade class,
2) finish (OK, start) my research proposal for my seminar tomorrow.

2 1/2 hours later, my head is throbbing from grading 20 or so of the worst essays I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Seriously, have they not been listening to a single thing I have said for the past six weeks? Holy crap. Grades are due this Friday and over half the class completely tanked. Great.

I also haven't made much progress on my proposal, which is due tomorrow. To be honest, I don't really know what I'm doing. I started the year thinking I wanted to focus on Reader's Theatre, but even though it improved overall class reading engagement and comprehension, most of the students totally hate it because it means they actually have to do something in class other than sit around taking up space. So all of my preliminary data and research is worthless and I have to start over and, sheesh, I graduate in like 6 weeks and I just want to be done with it and it's not even started. I don't really know how much of this 4-page proposal I can BS...

I also have to write another cover letter. I hate writing cover letters. Why do you need a cover letter when I'm sitting right here in front of you? Gah, would someone just hire me already? I'm sick of interviewing and interviewing and interviewing...

My 23rd birthday is in 8 days. Am I really almost 23? Is that even possible? I still feel like such an aimless, ridiculous college student sometimes. I don't want to grow up. I kind of foolishly feel like turning 23 is some sort of mandatory, "You must become a serious adult" death sentence. I don't really want to be a serious adult. I don't really want to be serious period, adult or no. I just kind of want to lay out in the sun and read good books and laugh a lot.

Can I get paid to do that? Cause I'm really good at it. Let me write you a cover letter about that (0r about how I just spent 20 minutes blogging instead of doing my work. Adult I am not...)

EDIT: WJUSD just called and wants to set up another (is this number 3?) meeting to start my paperwork. Hallelujah.