Hello, everyone! How do the weeks go by so quickly? It's already February, it's already WEDNESDAY, it's already third quarter - it's going to be summer before we know it!

In honor of second semester, we have implemented some life-changing modifications to our class . . . Okay, they might not be LIFE-changing but they're LATE WORK-changing. Reminder of our NEW and IMPROVED policy:

Every two weeks, when our class meets on Friday, each student will receive a gradequick printout. The printout will indicate any work missed over the course of the previous two weeks. Students will have until the next class - Tuesday - to complete any missed work. Any work not completed by that Tuesday will receive a grade of 0. This way, everyone knows what's missing, everyone has an opportunity to correct the problem, and no one (especially me!) has to feel overwhelmed at the end of the quarter. The down side for some of you: you're not going to be able to make up for a whole quarter's worth of work on the last day before grades close. Sorry.

All right, then. We have vocabulary for this week:

Vocabulary lesson 16:

insidious - adj. - sneaky, sly, meant to deceive
engender - v - to cause or produce
exacerbate - v - to worsen
innocuous - adj. - harmless
garrulous - adj. - talkative
alacrity - n - cheerful willingness, eagerness
implausible - adj. - difficult to believe, unlikely
phlegmatic - adj. - sluggish, dull, unemotional
consecrate - v - to bless, to make sacred
listless - adj. - bored, disinterested

Honors only:
prevaricate - v - to lie
extol - v - to praise, to exalt
befuddle - v - to confuse or perplex
yen - n - a craving or yearning
mutinous - adj. - rebellious, unruly

Assignments coming due:

B period: drafting due Thurs., 3-wk project pre-writing due Thurs., sentences/quiz due Thurs. Dialogue journals are due next week on Friday. Polished drafts are due on February 19 or 20.
C period: vocabulary quiz on Thursday. Sentences and 3-wk projects need to be finished by the end of the week.
D period: drafting due Thurs., 3-wk project pre-writing due Thurs., sentences/quiz due Thurs., dialogue journals due Thursday, polished drafts due 2/11.
F period: drafting due Fri., quiz Fri., dialogue journals due next Thursday, polished drafts due February 19 or 20.
H period: drafting due Fri., quiz Fri., dialogue journals due Fri., polished drafts due 2/12.

Whew. That's a lot of work. You guys are amazing!