Let's play a short round of "should" and "am."

I should be grading.

This is perhaps the existential fact of my existence. 

There is no time at which 

I should not be grading.  

If I am sleeping, it's possible 

that I should be grading. 

Eating dinner, taking a shower, reading a book: 

should be grading, 

and why am I not?

I am, instead, blogging. And contemplating 

why my hand hurts a little bit. 

Thinking about cleaning the screen 

of my phone. Possible shopping online. 

Considering what I might make for dinner, 

and whether tonight will be the night 

that I do a little cleaning  and straightening

before I collapse like a heap of sad, 

devoid-of-willpower sack of laundry onto the bed, 

where I will watch more episodes of Veronica Mars. 

Also, come to think of it, 

thinking about Veronica Mars.

I should also take a brisk walk around the campus.

I have a full slate of appointments with students in the Learning Commons-stroke-Dungeon, which has suddenly become porous with last minute cancellations. I have, as it turns out, forty unscheduled minutes to take this brisk walk (once I have finished blogging).

I am, instead, blogging. And thinking about where I will stash 

my techno-stuff, and about whether, maybe, I should be grading?

Also, how does eating the orange I have in my bag

fit into this plan of walking?

But how can I even think about walking when I should be grading?