Today has been a horrible, no good, fucking rotten day. Bishop, my companion for over 12 years, is dying. He's been reluctant to eat anything for the last couple days, so I took him to the vet this morning for blood tests. I knew when I took him what the results would be: kidney failure. He's not suffering, right now, but the not eating will start to catch up quickly. So, we'll spend a couple days coaxing him to eat, making him comfortable (which isn't really a problem--he's sleeping peacefully on the coach right now), and saying our goodbyes. I'll call the vet Tuesday morning and set the appointment. And how's Bishop handling the whole thing? He's wagging his tail non-stop, like the happy-go-lucky lab that he is. Me? I'm the human who gets far too attached to everything in his life and I've been crying for most of the day.
I can't even begin to explain how important this dog has been in my life. Maybe someday.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
Even though STK, TLO, and I don't celebrate Christmas proper, we still like to make it a festive day. It's hard not to view December 25 as a day that's, at the very least, out of the ordinary. The phone is ringing far more than usual as the various family members call to wish us a happy holiday (even though they know we celebrate Yule . . . huh?), the town is even more quiet than usual, and any regular television programming is usurped by holiday marathons. Who doesn't like taking a day to catch up with family, relax, and watch the Polar Express? Cute movie, by the way. We managed to come away from the holiday season with a decent haul of loot, too. Some of the highlights of our booty include:
DVD Home Theater System (A gift to ourselves--our old system died a couple weeks back.
Superman Returns and Angel: Season 3
12 Months of Kaladi Brothers Coffee
Excellent goodies from Bath and Body Works and Aveda
Multiple Barnes and Noble gift cards.
We really didn't need any of it, and we've mentioned to our respective 'rents that the focus should be on the grandkids, but they just keep sending stuff our way.
Keeping up with my tradition of taking on a home improvement job on every major holiday, I tackled the problem shower for a couple hours. Since moving into the house, the master bath shower has always been unable to produce anything more than a luke warm water flow. Obviously, something has been amiss. I took the valve apart, managed to spray water all over myself and part of the bathroom floor as the valve blew out of the sleeve (I swear I thought I had another level parts to disassemble before shutting off the water--I was wrong), and found the problem. After removing some wicked calcium deposits (yea local limestone!) and putting everything back together, I think the problem is solved. The remaining problem, one I didn't discover until I had everything torn apart and put back together several times, is a slow leak (a couple drops a minute). After closer inspection, I think the leak has been there since we moved into the house and valve sleeve has been funneling a small amount of water back into the wall. For six months. And probably for several months, maybe even years, with the previous family. Thankfully, it wasn't enough water to do anything more than make the area damp. I hope. I'll head down to the local hardware store tomorrow AM and procure the gaskets I believe will solve the problem permanently.
Exciting day, eh? Here's wishing everyone a peaceful day.
DVD Home Theater System (A gift to ourselves--our old system died a couple weeks back.
Superman Returns and Angel: Season 3
12 Months of Kaladi Brothers Coffee
Excellent goodies from Bath and Body Works and Aveda
Multiple Barnes and Noble gift cards.
We really didn't need any of it, and we've mentioned to our respective 'rents that the focus should be on the grandkids, but they just keep sending stuff our way.
Keeping up with my tradition of taking on a home improvement job on every major holiday, I tackled the problem shower for a couple hours. Since moving into the house, the master bath shower has always been unable to produce anything more than a luke warm water flow. Obviously, something has been amiss. I took the valve apart, managed to spray water all over myself and part of the bathroom floor as the valve blew out of the sleeve (I swear I thought I had another level parts to disassemble before shutting off the water--I was wrong), and found the problem. After removing some wicked calcium deposits (yea local limestone!) and putting everything back together, I think the problem is solved. The remaining problem, one I didn't discover until I had everything torn apart and put back together several times, is a slow leak (a couple drops a minute). After closer inspection, I think the leak has been there since we moved into the house and valve sleeve has been funneling a small amount of water back into the wall. For six months. And probably for several months, maybe even years, with the previous family. Thankfully, it wasn't enough water to do anything more than make the area damp. I hope. I'll head down to the local hardware store tomorrow AM and procure the gaskets I believe will solve the problem permanently.
Exciting day, eh? Here's wishing everyone a peaceful day.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Holiday Spirit
Just so all the Christmas celebrators don't think I'm a total Scrooge, I thought I'd share recent holiday indulgences.
*STK had a Hoho Mocha at Caribou Coffee. That's a mint white chocolate mocha, more or less.
*I purchased Sarah McLachlan's Christmas album, Wintersong, a couple weeks back and have listened to it a half dozen times.
*I have attended no less than three Christmas parties and never once uttered, "I'm not Christian," "Happy Yule," or "Merry Solstice," when greeted with "Merry Christmas!" In most instances I smiled and said, "You, too." Hey, whatever you believe is your business. I just hope you have a merry time celebrating it. Where's the dessert?
*We bought a small carton of egg nog today. Great in coffee. ::slurp::
*We've already watched Rudolf and The Grinch and plan on watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, my favorite Christmas program, in the next couple days.
*I changed my blog template to reflect my festive attitude.
*I've eaten fudge, peanut brittle, & frosted sugar cookies within the last 24 hours. The cookies had a delightful red & green thing going. There may have even been a red sugar sprinkle involved.
*STK had a Hoho Mocha at Caribou Coffee. That's a mint white chocolate mocha, more or less.
*I purchased Sarah McLachlan's Christmas album, Wintersong, a couple weeks back and have listened to it a half dozen times.
*I have attended no less than three Christmas parties and never once uttered, "I'm not Christian," "Happy Yule," or "Merry Solstice," when greeted with "Merry Christmas!" In most instances I smiled and said, "You, too." Hey, whatever you believe is your business. I just hope you have a merry time celebrating it. Where's the dessert?
*We bought a small carton of egg nog today. Great in coffee. ::slurp::
*We've already watched Rudolf and The Grinch and plan on watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, my favorite Christmas program, in the next couple days.
*I changed my blog template to reflect my festive attitude.
*I've eaten fudge, peanut brittle, & frosted sugar cookies within the last 24 hours. The cookies had a delightful red & green thing going. There may have even been a red sugar sprinkle involved.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Sins of Our Students
I read the following piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education earlier today. As The Chronicle is password protected (it's really not good enough to warrant password protection), I've copied the entire piece directly to my blog. This piece is spot on. If you want to know the mindset of most undergraduate students, here's the sad truth.
---
The 7 Deadly Sins of Students
By Thomas H. Benton
An Academic in America
I've been teaching for about 10 years now, and, of course, I was a student for 20 years before that. So I have some experience observing my students' sins, and perhaps even more experience committing them.
The sins that I see in the everyday life of the typical college student are not great ones. Most of the time, they don't seem like "sins" at all, even if one accepts the religious significance of the term. But they spring from thoughts and behaviors that, over time, become habits.
Enabled by institutions, students repeatedly take the path of least resistance, imagining they are making creative compromises with duty that express their unique talents. So they choose self-indulgence instead of self-denial and self-esteem instead of self-questioning. They do not understand that those choices will eventually cause more unhappiness than the more difficult paths they chose not to walk.
The traditional model of the "Seven Deadly Sins" provides a helpful means of categorizing -- and perhaps simplifying -- the complicated and cumulative experience I am trying to describe:
Sloth: Students often postpone required readings and assigned preparations, making it hard for them to understand their classes the next day. Gradually, lectures and discussions that were once interesting start to seem boring and irrelevant, and the temptation to skip classes becomes greater and greater, especially when the classes are in the morning. Sometimes students arrive late with -- in my opinion -- insufficient shame, closing the door behind them with a bang. Slothful students regard themselves as full of potential, and so they make a bargain: "I will be lazy now, but I will work hard later." Like St. Augustine, students say to themselves, "Let me be chaste, but not yet." More on lust later.
Greed: Students often pursue degrees not for the sake of learning itself but with the aim of getting a better-paying job, so they can buy a bigger house and fancier cars than those owned by their parents and their neighbors. That often leads to greed for grades that they have not earned. Some students cheat on exams or plagiarize their papers; others, sometimes the most diligent, harass professors into giving them grades unjustified by their performance. The goal of such cheaters and grade-grubbers is not the reality of achievement but the appearance of it. They will then apply to graduate programs or entry-level jobs that they do not really desire and for which they are not really qualified. They want to be lawyers, but they are bored by law courses. They want to be doctors, but they do not care about healing people. They want to go into business, not to provide useful products and services, but to get rich by any means necessary. And so they come to believe that no one has integrity and that there is no basis -- other than the marketplace -- by which value can be judged.
Anger: Seemingly more often than in the past, professors encounter students who are angered by challenging assignments, which they label -- with bureaucratic self-assurance -- "unfair" or even "discriminatory." When students do not succeed, they sometimes conclude that their professors are "out to get them" because of some vague prejudice. Students feel entitled to deference by professors who "work for them and should act like it." They do not come to office hours for clarification about an A-; instead, they argue that they are paying a lot of money and, therefore, deserve a high grade, and, if you don't give it to them, they will "complain to management," as if they were sending back food in a restaurant. One hears rumors of cars and homes vandalized by angry students. But, perhaps, the easiest places to find uncensored student rage are the anonymous, libelous evaluations of faculty members found online at Web sites such as RateMyProfessors.com. Often those evaluations say less about the quality of a teacher than they do about the wounded pride of coddled students. More on that topic soon.
Lust: I have seen students come to classes barefoot, with bare midriffs and shoulders, in boxer shorts, bathing suits, and other kinds of clothes that, even by fairly casual standards, are more appropriate for streetwalking than higher learning. When did liberation from uniforms transform itself into the social demand that one prepare to be ogled in the classroom? It is hardly a surprise that on RateMyProfessors.com, students are asked to rate their professors' "hotness" -- in other words, the teachers' worthiness to be sexually fantasized about by bored students. Even in high-school classes, as an observer of novice teachers, I have overheard lewd remarks about female teachers from denizens of the back row who fear no rebuke because none is forthcoming from the current culture.
Gluttony: It hardly needs saying that most colleges struggle to control alcohol consumption by students and the embarrassing incidents and tragedies that result from it. But there are other manifestations of gluttony these days. For example, when did it become acceptable for students to eat and drink in class as if they were sitting in a cafeteria? Nowadays, I occasionally encounter a student who thinks it's OK to consume a large, messy, and odorous meal in class. I once saw a student eat an entire rotisserie chicken, a tub of mashed potatoes with gravy, several biscuits, and an enormous soft drink during the first 10 minutes of a lecture. I felt like a jester in the court of Henry VIII. It seems hard these days to find a student in class whose mouth is not stuffed with food. Such students will often say that they have no other time to eat, but previous generations -- who were no less busy -- managed to consume small snacks between classes. That is why colleges have vending machines.
Envy: I think competition is a good thing in education; up to a point, it encourages students to work harder and excel. But the envious student, perhaps daunted by some temporary setback, comes to believe that education is "a rigged game." Envy is the voice of resignation that cringes at the success of one's peers: "Listen to her, trying to impress the teacher, like she's so brilliant. I hate her." Envy is the feeling that no one "earns" anything because there are no objective criteria of accomplishment; and, as a result, success and failure seem to be based on political and personal preferences. But envy is not limited to differences in effort and ability. Even more pervasive is a sense of unjustified economic inequality, but, it seems to me, the fashionable students in their convertibles who jeer the commuters at the bus stop commit a greater sin than those who envy their money and status.
Pride: I once asked a group of 20 students how many thought they were "better than their parents"? All of them raised their hands. I didn't ask, but I assume they all believed they were better than their teachers too. They would rise higher, be more successful, and transcend the limitations of their elders. We read this belief in our students' expressions: "What you know is not worth learning. They're just your opinions anyway. I am young. I have infinite potential. You are old. And you're just a college professor. But I will be rich and famous someday." They have rarely been given a realistic assessment of their abilities and prospects. Out of this pride -- nurtured by the purveyors of unearned self-esteem, personal grievance, dumbed-down courses, and inflated grades (often in the guise of liberality) -- the opportunity to earn an education is squandered by prideful students who can make a potential heaven seem like hell.
The concept of the "Seven Deadly Sins" comes out of the Christian tradition, but it also has value as an ethical guide or at least as a means of avoiding unhappiness. Increasingly, as a professor who teaches undergraduates, I believe that one of the paramount purposes of a liberal-arts education is to help young people acquire the wisdom to escape those sins, particularly the last one from which the others often spring.
A liberal-arts education, as I see it, is not about acquiring wealth and opportunities to further indulge one's desires. Nor is it about cultivating in students an insular, idolatrous view of their nation, ethnic group, gender, or religion. It is also not about celebrating the so-called "great tradition" of authors, philosophers, and artists.
It is about the recognition, ultimately, of how little one really knows, or can know. A liberal-arts education, most of all, fights unmerited pride by asking students to recognize the smallness of their ambitions in the context of human history, and more. Whether it is grounded in faith or not, a liberal-arts education should help students to combat the Seven Deadly Sins with the "Seven Contrary Virtues" of diligence, generosity, patience, chastity, moderation, contentment, and, most important of all, humility.
Of course, moral perfection seldom arrives at graduation, even in the best of cases. I teach the courses, and yet I must present myself, at last, as the "Chief of Sinners." The behaviors I observe in students often reflect the deeper drives -- the resentments and weaknesses -- of their teachers. Perhaps the impulse to identify the sins of others reflects a corruption more serious than any I have described here. And that is why, next month, I will sermonize on the "Seven Deadly Sins of Professors."
Thomas H. Benton is the pseudonym of a soon-to-be associate professor of English at a Midwestern liberal-arts college. He writes about academic culture and welcomes reader mail directed to his attention at careers@chronicle.com
---
The one section where do disagree with the author is his discussion of lust. To be honest, I don't care what a students wear's to class provided she or he participates in a meaningful way. Jeans, pajamas, whatever. For the record, I've been identified as "hot" on one of the professor rating sites and I've been described as "the best dressed professor on campus" at my current gig. Both those comments make me feel pretty darn good. There you go.
---
The 7 Deadly Sins of Students
By Thomas H. Benton
An Academic in America
I've been teaching for about 10 years now, and, of course, I was a student for 20 years before that. So I have some experience observing my students' sins, and perhaps even more experience committing them.
The sins that I see in the everyday life of the typical college student are not great ones. Most of the time, they don't seem like "sins" at all, even if one accepts the religious significance of the term. But they spring from thoughts and behaviors that, over time, become habits.
Enabled by institutions, students repeatedly take the path of least resistance, imagining they are making creative compromises with duty that express their unique talents. So they choose self-indulgence instead of self-denial and self-esteem instead of self-questioning. They do not understand that those choices will eventually cause more unhappiness than the more difficult paths they chose not to walk.
The traditional model of the "Seven Deadly Sins" provides a helpful means of categorizing -- and perhaps simplifying -- the complicated and cumulative experience I am trying to describe:
Sloth: Students often postpone required readings and assigned preparations, making it hard for them to understand their classes the next day. Gradually, lectures and discussions that were once interesting start to seem boring and irrelevant, and the temptation to skip classes becomes greater and greater, especially when the classes are in the morning. Sometimes students arrive late with -- in my opinion -- insufficient shame, closing the door behind them with a bang. Slothful students regard themselves as full of potential, and so they make a bargain: "I will be lazy now, but I will work hard later." Like St. Augustine, students say to themselves, "Let me be chaste, but not yet." More on lust later.
Greed: Students often pursue degrees not for the sake of learning itself but with the aim of getting a better-paying job, so they can buy a bigger house and fancier cars than those owned by their parents and their neighbors. That often leads to greed for grades that they have not earned. Some students cheat on exams or plagiarize their papers; others, sometimes the most diligent, harass professors into giving them grades unjustified by their performance. The goal of such cheaters and grade-grubbers is not the reality of achievement but the appearance of it. They will then apply to graduate programs or entry-level jobs that they do not really desire and for which they are not really qualified. They want to be lawyers, but they are bored by law courses. They want to be doctors, but they do not care about healing people. They want to go into business, not to provide useful products and services, but to get rich by any means necessary. And so they come to believe that no one has integrity and that there is no basis -- other than the marketplace -- by which value can be judged.
Anger: Seemingly more often than in the past, professors encounter students who are angered by challenging assignments, which they label -- with bureaucratic self-assurance -- "unfair" or even "discriminatory." When students do not succeed, they sometimes conclude that their professors are "out to get them" because of some vague prejudice. Students feel entitled to deference by professors who "work for them and should act like it." They do not come to office hours for clarification about an A-; instead, they argue that they are paying a lot of money and, therefore, deserve a high grade, and, if you don't give it to them, they will "complain to management," as if they were sending back food in a restaurant. One hears rumors of cars and homes vandalized by angry students. But, perhaps, the easiest places to find uncensored student rage are the anonymous, libelous evaluations of faculty members found online at Web sites such as RateMyProfessors.com. Often those evaluations say less about the quality of a teacher than they do about the wounded pride of coddled students. More on that topic soon.
Lust: I have seen students come to classes barefoot, with bare midriffs and shoulders, in boxer shorts, bathing suits, and other kinds of clothes that, even by fairly casual standards, are more appropriate for streetwalking than higher learning. When did liberation from uniforms transform itself into the social demand that one prepare to be ogled in the classroom? It is hardly a surprise that on RateMyProfessors.com, students are asked to rate their professors' "hotness" -- in other words, the teachers' worthiness to be sexually fantasized about by bored students. Even in high-school classes, as an observer of novice teachers, I have overheard lewd remarks about female teachers from denizens of the back row who fear no rebuke because none is forthcoming from the current culture.
Gluttony: It hardly needs saying that most colleges struggle to control alcohol consumption by students and the embarrassing incidents and tragedies that result from it. But there are other manifestations of gluttony these days. For example, when did it become acceptable for students to eat and drink in class as if they were sitting in a cafeteria? Nowadays, I occasionally encounter a student who thinks it's OK to consume a large, messy, and odorous meal in class. I once saw a student eat an entire rotisserie chicken, a tub of mashed potatoes with gravy, several biscuits, and an enormous soft drink during the first 10 minutes of a lecture. I felt like a jester in the court of Henry VIII. It seems hard these days to find a student in class whose mouth is not stuffed with food. Such students will often say that they have no other time to eat, but previous generations -- who were no less busy -- managed to consume small snacks between classes. That is why colleges have vending machines.
Envy: I think competition is a good thing in education; up to a point, it encourages students to work harder and excel. But the envious student, perhaps daunted by some temporary setback, comes to believe that education is "a rigged game." Envy is the voice of resignation that cringes at the success of one's peers: "Listen to her, trying to impress the teacher, like she's so brilliant. I hate her." Envy is the feeling that no one "earns" anything because there are no objective criteria of accomplishment; and, as a result, success and failure seem to be based on political and personal preferences. But envy is not limited to differences in effort and ability. Even more pervasive is a sense of unjustified economic inequality, but, it seems to me, the fashionable students in their convertibles who jeer the commuters at the bus stop commit a greater sin than those who envy their money and status.
Pride: I once asked a group of 20 students how many thought they were "better than their parents"? All of them raised their hands. I didn't ask, but I assume they all believed they were better than their teachers too. They would rise higher, be more successful, and transcend the limitations of their elders. We read this belief in our students' expressions: "What you know is not worth learning. They're just your opinions anyway. I am young. I have infinite potential. You are old. And you're just a college professor. But I will be rich and famous someday." They have rarely been given a realistic assessment of their abilities and prospects. Out of this pride -- nurtured by the purveyors of unearned self-esteem, personal grievance, dumbed-down courses, and inflated grades (often in the guise of liberality) -- the opportunity to earn an education is squandered by prideful students who can make a potential heaven seem like hell.
The concept of the "Seven Deadly Sins" comes out of the Christian tradition, but it also has value as an ethical guide or at least as a means of avoiding unhappiness. Increasingly, as a professor who teaches undergraduates, I believe that one of the paramount purposes of a liberal-arts education is to help young people acquire the wisdom to escape those sins, particularly the last one from which the others often spring.
A liberal-arts education, as I see it, is not about acquiring wealth and opportunities to further indulge one's desires. Nor is it about cultivating in students an insular, idolatrous view of their nation, ethnic group, gender, or religion. It is also not about celebrating the so-called "great tradition" of authors, philosophers, and artists.
It is about the recognition, ultimately, of how little one really knows, or can know. A liberal-arts education, most of all, fights unmerited pride by asking students to recognize the smallness of their ambitions in the context of human history, and more. Whether it is grounded in faith or not, a liberal-arts education should help students to combat the Seven Deadly Sins with the "Seven Contrary Virtues" of diligence, generosity, patience, chastity, moderation, contentment, and, most important of all, humility.
Of course, moral perfection seldom arrives at graduation, even in the best of cases. I teach the courses, and yet I must present myself, at last, as the "Chief of Sinners." The behaviors I observe in students often reflect the deeper drives -- the resentments and weaknesses -- of their teachers. Perhaps the impulse to identify the sins of others reflects a corruption more serious than any I have described here. And that is why, next month, I will sermonize on the "Seven Deadly Sins of Professors."
Thomas H. Benton is the pseudonym of a soon-to-be associate professor of English at a Midwestern liberal-arts college. He writes about academic culture and welcomes reader mail directed to his attention at careers@chronicle.com
---
The one section where do disagree with the author is his discussion of lust. To be honest, I don't care what a students wear's to class provided she or he participates in a meaningful way. Jeans, pajamas, whatever. For the record, I've been identified as "hot" on one of the professor rating sites and I've been described as "the best dressed professor on campus" at my current gig. Both those comments make me feel pretty darn good. There you go.
Harry Potter News: Title Announced
Go to Rowlings' site, follow the directions, and the title of the next HP book is yours! No announcement regarding the date, though.
1. Click doorway in mirror to see Christmas tree.
2. Click on the top half of the door to get the wreath.
3. Click on the top of the mirror to get the garland.
4. Click on the spider web right next to the door to make them go away.
5. Click the 4th chime in the window and get the key for the door.
6. Drag key to unlock the door.
7. Door opens to show a desk with a package.
8. Click the bow on the package and it will open.
9. Click the inside of the package and a game of Hangman is shown where you can play a game to guess the name of the seventh book.
10. You can keep playing till you get it right and when you do a check mark will appear.
Nice name.
1. Click doorway in mirror to see Christmas tree.
2. Click on the top half of the door to get the wreath.
3. Click on the top of the mirror to get the garland.
4. Click on the spider web right next to the door to make them go away.
5. Click the 4th chime in the window and get the key for the door.
6. Drag key to unlock the door.
7. Door opens to show a desk with a package.
8. Click the bow on the package and it will open.
9. Click the inside of the package and a game of Hangman is shown where you can play a game to guess the name of the seventh book.
10. You can keep playing till you get it right and when you do a check mark will appear.
Nice name.
The Answer
I don't mention my obsession with the Denver Nuggets very often on this weblog, but suffice it to say that my love of the Nuggets surpasses that of the Chicago Cubs. Strange, but true.* Having suffered through almost 20 years of mediocrity, the Nuggets have finally started to turn things around. The most recent move by the Nuggets' front office is definitely exciting.
Will Iverson catapult the Nuggets to the next level? Are there enough shots for both Melo and AI? Will the move turn into a disaster? Who knows. What I do know is that for the first time in a very, very, very long time, the front office made a big move. It might work, it might not. This could be "the move" or it could be a train wreck. I really don't care. I'll be here to listen to it all.** For the first time in years, it's truly an exciting time to be a fan.
*The '94 strike soured me on baseball and I've never really followed the sport in the same way. I'm a box score fan, really. I can't tell you the last time I actually watched a game.
**Given our current locale, I don't get to see many televised games. Our digital cable company can't seem to come to any kind of arrangement with the NBA so I can't purchase access to the games either. If we had that option available, I'd shell out the $200 a year. Count on it. Thankfully, I am able to pay for radio access via the internets to all the games for $20 a year. I spend many a night grading papers or putting together lesson plans while listening to the Nuggets.
Will Iverson catapult the Nuggets to the next level? Are there enough shots for both Melo and AI? Will the move turn into a disaster? Who knows. What I do know is that for the first time in a very, very, very long time, the front office made a big move. It might work, it might not. This could be "the move" or it could be a train wreck. I really don't care. I'll be here to listen to it all.** For the first time in years, it's truly an exciting time to be a fan.
*The '94 strike soured me on baseball and I've never really followed the sport in the same way. I'm a box score fan, really. I can't tell you the last time I actually watched a game.
**Given our current locale, I don't get to see many televised games. Our digital cable company can't seem to come to any kind of arrangement with the NBA so I can't purchase access to the games either. If we had that option available, I'd shell out the $200 a year. Count on it. Thankfully, I am able to pay for radio access via the internets to all the games for $20 a year. I spend many a night grading papers or putting together lesson plans while listening to the Nuggets.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Waging War on Christmas
A few days ago, Michael posted an amusing email regarding holiday greetings. Yes, the piece made me chuckle. Still, there's a serious matter at the heart of the jocularity: the war on Christmas! You know the war, the one where anyone who asks for a bit of multiplicity and inclusiveness (translation: anyone who suggests there are holiday celebrations other than Christmas that are just as deserving of public attention or, worse yet, anyone who doesn't observe a holiday this time of year) around the holidays is attempting to wipe out Christian traditions. How dare you ask for a Menorah in an airport! What do you mean you want us to take down the nativity at City Hall? Why do you hate America? Yeesh.
In past years, I've been on the front lines of the war on Christmas. I didn't protest the display of the nativity on public grounds (although I should state emphatically that religious iconography does not have any place on any public grounds), but I did let people know that not everyone in this country is Christian. When someone belted out a cheery "Merry Christmas," I replied with a scroogerific "I'm not Christian." That stopped 'em cold.
This year, seeing that I'm at a school of the Church, I've been firing less confrontational salvos. Still committed to doing my part in the War on Christmas, I accept the hearty "Merry Christmas" and offer an enthusiastic "Happy Yule!" or "Merry Solstice" in reply. As Yule has become synonymous with Christmas in many circles, most people probably don't realize the subversive nature of my response. If they took a few minutes to sit down and talk to me about holiday plans, they'd learn that I really do celebrate Yule.
Tonight (December 21), at 6:22 Central Standard Time, we celebrate the Winter Solstice. We hail the return of the sun, the balance of dark & light, and nature's magickal progression through the seasons. We celebrate the first day of Winter, the return of hope, and the promise of vernal rebirth. Reflect on the past year, acknowledge the present, and look toward the future. Give thanks for lessons learned and those yet to be learned. Give what you can share to others, whatever that might be.
So mote it be.
In past years, I've been on the front lines of the war on Christmas. I didn't protest the display of the nativity on public grounds (although I should state emphatically that religious iconography does not have any place on any public grounds), but I did let people know that not everyone in this country is Christian. When someone belted out a cheery "Merry Christmas," I replied with a scroogerific "I'm not Christian." That stopped 'em cold.
This year, seeing that I'm at a school of the Church, I've been firing less confrontational salvos. Still committed to doing my part in the War on Christmas, I accept the hearty "Merry Christmas" and offer an enthusiastic "Happy Yule!" or "Merry Solstice" in reply. As Yule has become synonymous with Christmas in many circles, most people probably don't realize the subversive nature of my response. If they took a few minutes to sit down and talk to me about holiday plans, they'd learn that I really do celebrate Yule.
Tonight (December 21), at 6:22 Central Standard Time, we celebrate the Winter Solstice. We hail the return of the sun, the balance of dark & light, and nature's magickal progression through the seasons. We celebrate the first day of Winter, the return of hope, and the promise of vernal rebirth. Reflect on the past year, acknowledge the present, and look toward the future. Give thanks for lessons learned and those yet to be learned. Give what you can share to others, whatever that might be.
So mote it be.
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Final Countdown
I finished grading papers/exams/whatnot about 10:30 this morning. With the exception of getting together with one of my colleagues to finalize grades--we team taught a course this semester and simply need to total points from our respective halves--I'm essentially finished with the Fall 2006 semester. I always get a little reflexive about the last 15 weeks of a semester and I think that's probably a good thing. I evaluate myself in terms of teaching, course policies, textbooks, student interactions, etc. This semester has been kind of a mixed bag. I absolutely loved one of my courses, as did the attending students. I heard from no less than three students that it was the best. course. ever taught by the best. professor. ever. Nothing makes me feel better than hearing students refer to me as the best professor they've encountered. A second course produced the exact opposite reaction from both myself and, I suspect, my students. Can you say bored, bored, bored? My lectures were uninspired, the textbook about as dry as one can get; the entire experience felt exceedingly mediocre. So, total revamp for next year. Thankfully, I probably won't be teaching the course beyond next year. It's not in my traditional subject area and I'm not all that excited about it. You think that's part of the reason the class was so blah? You bet it was. My third course had great moments and down moments, but was a good experience overall. There are a few adjustments to be made, of course, but that's par for the course.
The biggest frustration this semester related directly to high maintenance students. I'm not sure if it was something in the air or water, but I've never had students who needed more guidance and encouragement. Students emailed me about proper citation formats (the style manual is a required text for the course), manuscript reviews (proofreading, essentially), topic choice, organization, and the list goes on, and on, and on. I've never spent more time dealing with goofy questions that, upon a few moments reflection, could be answered without emailing a professor. For whatever reason, students don't hesitate to send an email at 1 AM with a question regarding where to place a comma in a reference. I'm not kidding. AND, they expect an email by 7 AM or earlier. I won't even get into the trouble student who emerged at the end of the semester. Beyond ridiculous. But I kept my cool and stuck to my guns. There are many lessons to be learned in college and not all relate to lecture or a textbook.
I produced very little in the way of personal scholarship during the Fall 2006 semester; that has to change. Oh, I managed to look up an article here and there, but I generated a scant 4-5 pages in terms of actual writing. That's pathetic. I've already committed to having two pieces finished by the end of the Spring 2007 semester. That's approximately 50 pages of material for those keeping score. Discipline. As STK reminds me, it's all about the discipline. Who wants to write when one can blog, read blogs, and waste tons of time on the Internets?
The biggest frustration this semester related directly to high maintenance students. I'm not sure if it was something in the air or water, but I've never had students who needed more guidance and encouragement. Students emailed me about proper citation formats (the style manual is a required text for the course), manuscript reviews (proofreading, essentially), topic choice, organization, and the list goes on, and on, and on. I've never spent more time dealing with goofy questions that, upon a few moments reflection, could be answered without emailing a professor. For whatever reason, students don't hesitate to send an email at 1 AM with a question regarding where to place a comma in a reference. I'm not kidding. AND, they expect an email by 7 AM or earlier. I won't even get into the trouble student who emerged at the end of the semester. Beyond ridiculous. But I kept my cool and stuck to my guns. There are many lessons to be learned in college and not all relate to lecture or a textbook.
I produced very little in the way of personal scholarship during the Fall 2006 semester; that has to change. Oh, I managed to look up an article here and there, but I generated a scant 4-5 pages in terms of actual writing. That's pathetic. I've already committed to having two pieces finished by the end of the Spring 2007 semester. That's approximately 50 pages of material for those keeping score. Discipline. As STK reminds me, it's all about the discipline. Who wants to write when one can blog, read blogs, and waste tons of time on the Internets?
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Telecommuned
With the recent cell phone purchase and yesterday's installation of broadband phone, I've officially joined the digital age. And I have voice mail again! I feel like I'm back in the civilized world.
It's Saturday and I really have no idea why I'm up this early.
It's Saturday and I really have no idea why I'm up this early.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Bring on the Tubes!
No, this isn't a post about a cheesy, but oh so enjoyable, pop band from the 1980s. Anyone remember "She's a Beauty?" Rather than silly pop music, I'm talking about the the reality that TLO needs tubes in his ears.
Since September, TLO has struggled with any number of illnesses: colds, the stomach flu, and ear infections. In fact, we've been dealing with some kind of malady about every two weeks. As one might imagine, that makes for a cranky infant and cranky parents. We're really tired of losing sleep, administering meds, meetings with doctors (at least a half dozen visits), and racing to the emergency room (twice since October--asthma and a 105 degree temp). The most frustrating of the illnesses has been the Ear Infection That Will Not Die. Several rounds of antibiotics (we're at 5 or 6) and TLO's ears are still inflamed. The ears/nose/throat specialist, a doctor we both liked very much, took one look at his ears and said, "Let's get that appointment set up." TLO has a nasty little cold at the moment and we need to wait until that clears up before scheduling the surgery. The anesthesia is administered via gas and any kind of chest congestion is a big NO. Surgery could come as early as next week or as late as the first couple weeks of January. Either way, we'll soon be one step closer to the bionic kid.
Since September, TLO has struggled with any number of illnesses: colds, the stomach flu, and ear infections. In fact, we've been dealing with some kind of malady about every two weeks. As one might imagine, that makes for a cranky infant and cranky parents. We're really tired of losing sleep, administering meds, meetings with doctors (at least a half dozen visits), and racing to the emergency room (twice since October--asthma and a 105 degree temp). The most frustrating of the illnesses has been the Ear Infection That Will Not Die. Several rounds of antibiotics (we're at 5 or 6) and TLO's ears are still inflamed. The ears/nose/throat specialist, a doctor we both liked very much, took one look at his ears and said, "Let's get that appointment set up." TLO has a nasty little cold at the moment and we need to wait until that clears up before scheduling the surgery. The anesthesia is administered via gas and any kind of chest congestion is a big NO. Surgery could come as early as next week or as late as the first couple weeks of January. Either way, we'll soon be one step closer to the bionic kid.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Feastolicious
Friday's Feast, December 08, 2006
Appetizer--Which language would you like to learn and why?
Spanish. I've wanted to learn the language for years and never got around to it. I think Spanish is the one language I might actually use. Would you believe I made it all the way to my Ph.D. without ever taking a foreign language? How the heck did that happen?
Soup--What's the funniest thing you've heard or read so far this week?
A couple nights back, J suggested the following name for a communication studies themed bakery: ethos, bakos (pronounced "bake-ohs"), and logos. Freakin hysterical. I've been laughing about it for days.
Salad--Which movie was so bad you couldn't watch the whole thing?
I don't think I've ever stopped watching a movie no matter how bad. Are there times when I wanted to quit watching? Sure. I'm a glutton for punishment. One movie I believe is atrocious beyond measure is Some Kind of Wonderful. What a frelling horrible film. One of my good friends in college loved the film and insisted I watch it. I sat through the whole thing. 95 minutes of my life. Gone. Thank goodness we had tons of beer.
Main Course--If there were a holiday in your honor that didn't use your actual name, what would the day be called?
What a weird question. How about Geek Cool day. This is the day when everyone celebrates their inner geek, guilty pleasures, and what not.
Dessert--Name one movie which is coming out soon that you would like to see.
I'd love to see The Fountain (it's already out), but I suspect it won't make it to our remote corner of the Midwest.
Appetizer--Which language would you like to learn and why?
Spanish. I've wanted to learn the language for years and never got around to it. I think Spanish is the one language I might actually use. Would you believe I made it all the way to my Ph.D. without ever taking a foreign language? How the heck did that happen?
Soup--What's the funniest thing you've heard or read so far this week?
A couple nights back, J suggested the following name for a communication studies themed bakery: ethos, bakos (pronounced "bake-ohs"), and logos. Freakin hysterical. I've been laughing about it for days.
Salad--Which movie was so bad you couldn't watch the whole thing?
I don't think I've ever stopped watching a movie no matter how bad. Are there times when I wanted to quit watching? Sure. I'm a glutton for punishment. One movie I believe is atrocious beyond measure is Some Kind of Wonderful. What a frelling horrible film. One of my good friends in college loved the film and insisted I watch it. I sat through the whole thing. 95 minutes of my life. Gone. Thank goodness we had tons of beer.
Main Course--If there were a holiday in your honor that didn't use your actual name, what would the day be called?
What a weird question. How about Geek Cool day. This is the day when everyone celebrates their inner geek, guilty pleasures, and what not.
Dessert--Name one movie which is coming out soon that you would like to see.
I'd love to see The Fountain (it's already out), but I suspect it won't make it to our remote corner of the Midwest.
Don't Melt that Pot!
I'm saddened by the following from Cornell News.
About 27 percent of respondents said that all Muslim Americans should be required to register their location with the federal government, and 26 percent said they think that mosques should be closely monitored by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Twenty-nine percent agreed that undercover law enforcement agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations, in order to keep tabs on their activities and fund raising. About 22 percent said the federal government should profile citizens as potential threats based on the fact that they are Muslim or have Middle Eastern heritage. In all, about 44 percent said they believe that some curtailment of civil liberties is necessary for Muslim Americans.
Conversely, 48 percent of respondents nationally said they do not believe that civil liberties for Muslim Americans should be restricted.
Wow. Just wow. The actions of a handful of extremists results in the indictment of an entire religious belief system. This is the kind of thing that drives me absolutely batty. The leap of logic required to jump from "a handful of religious zealots commit horrible acts" to "all Muslims are potential terrorists" is astounding. Seriously, this is the epitome of the hasty generalization fallacy.
Why is it that the majority of U.S. Americans don't call for the surveillance of Christian organizations when an abortion clinic is bombed? No need to answer; it's a rhetorical question.
I have zero hope that our country will ever get its collective shit together.
About 27 percent of respondents said that all Muslim Americans should be required to register their location with the federal government, and 26 percent said they think that mosques should be closely monitored by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Twenty-nine percent agreed that undercover law enforcement agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations, in order to keep tabs on their activities and fund raising. About 22 percent said the federal government should profile citizens as potential threats based on the fact that they are Muslim or have Middle Eastern heritage. In all, about 44 percent said they believe that some curtailment of civil liberties is necessary for Muslim Americans.
Conversely, 48 percent of respondents nationally said they do not believe that civil liberties for Muslim Americans should be restricted.
Wow. Just wow. The actions of a handful of extremists results in the indictment of an entire religious belief system. This is the kind of thing that drives me absolutely batty. The leap of logic required to jump from "a handful of religious zealots commit horrible acts" to "all Muslims are potential terrorists" is astounding. Seriously, this is the epitome of the hasty generalization fallacy.
Why is it that the majority of U.S. Americans don't call for the surveillance of Christian organizations when an abortion clinic is bombed? No need to answer; it's a rhetorical question.
I have zero hope that our country will ever get its collective shit together.
Friday, December 08, 2006
From the Should be Sleeping Department: The Anarchist Wine Cellar
I found the following in an interview with Emily Haines, front woman for Metric, sometime member of Broken Social Scene, and recently gone soloteer (Knives Don’t Have Your Back)
Interviewer: I’m sure your hosts will be impressed when you arrive on their doorstep with a fine imported bottle of Italian red.
Haines: Most of my friends and family—we’re anarchists—so I need to be very careful. I’ll buy a bottle of wine that I think is great, but it will turn out to be from some region that was destroyed by the establishment. I’ll become very unpopular.
Awesome. Socially conscious wine shopping. Heh.
If Gwen Stefani and Sarah McLachlan weren't taking up all my celebrity crush head space, Emily Haines would be a definite candidate.
On a more serious note, STK and I met Haines a few years back at an extremely small club in Denver. She spotted us (the only alternatively dressed people in a sea of frat inspired fashion) and asked us to hang out with her at the merchandise table for the better part of the night. I'm sure she has no recollection of that evening but it meant a lot to us. Why would Emily Haines spend 2-3 hours with a couple fans in Denver? I'd like to think it's because STK and I are good people and exude authenticity with those we meet. Who knows. One thing is certain, STK and I won't forget the night we hung out with Emily Haines. She's the real deal and I'm certain she really does choose her wine carefully.
Interviewer: I’m sure your hosts will be impressed when you arrive on their doorstep with a fine imported bottle of Italian red.
Haines: Most of my friends and family—we’re anarchists—so I need to be very careful. I’ll buy a bottle of wine that I think is great, but it will turn out to be from some region that was destroyed by the establishment. I’ll become very unpopular.
Awesome. Socially conscious wine shopping. Heh.
If Gwen Stefani and Sarah McLachlan weren't taking up all my celebrity crush head space, Emily Haines would be a definite candidate.
On a more serious note, STK and I met Haines a few years back at an extremely small club in Denver. She spotted us (the only alternatively dressed people in a sea of frat inspired fashion) and asked us to hang out with her at the merchandise table for the better part of the night. I'm sure she has no recollection of that evening but it meant a lot to us. Why would Emily Haines spend 2-3 hours with a couple fans in Denver? I'd like to think it's because STK and I are good people and exude authenticity with those we meet. Who knows. One thing is certain, STK and I won't forget the night we hung out with Emily Haines. She's the real deal and I'm certain she really does choose her wine carefully.
Grading. Check.
12:20 AM. The last class day of the semester. Grading is complete. T-minus 108 hours before final exam/paper wave commences.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
blather
*The semester is wrapping up and it can't come too soon. The final two weeks of the semester are always insane in terms of grading. That said, the current grading avalanche is nothing compared to when I had 230 students a semester. By comparison, 59 students makes for easy work.
*We're making the transition to broadband phone service next week. With the recent cell phone purchase, the 911 issue is no longer a problem (power outage=no internet access=no phone--not a great combination with an infant in the house). Our local broadband company finally seduced me to the dark side with the promise of no phone charge for six months, then only $30/month for phone service including voice mail (Qwest doesn't offer the voice mail service in our area. Huh?), unlimited long distance, etc.
*I should be grading papers tonight but we've lined up a sitter and we're heading to see Casino Royale with Dr. OneDink and J. I've always loved Bond and can't wait to see what appears to be one of the best critically received Bonds. Did I mention it's free popcorn night at the local theater? Gotta love the small town mentality.
*We won't be making it back to Colorado for the holidays. STK works until the 22nd and we both return to work on January 3. If we factor in two days out and two days back, that doesn't leave a whole lot of time to actually enjoy the Big City. So, we've decided to stick it out until we're both off for summer break.
*I'm thinking about submitting an abstract, one that's been refused a couple other places, to the 2007 SW/Texas Popular Culture Association convention (Albuquerque). I still have some travel funds available and might as well use them up, eh?
*We're making the transition to broadband phone service next week. With the recent cell phone purchase, the 911 issue is no longer a problem (power outage=no internet access=no phone--not a great combination with an infant in the house). Our local broadband company finally seduced me to the dark side with the promise of no phone charge for six months, then only $30/month for phone service including voice mail (Qwest doesn't offer the voice mail service in our area. Huh?), unlimited long distance, etc.
*I should be grading papers tonight but we've lined up a sitter and we're heading to see Casino Royale with Dr. OneDink and J. I've always loved Bond and can't wait to see what appears to be one of the best critically received Bonds. Did I mention it's free popcorn night at the local theater? Gotta love the small town mentality.
*We won't be making it back to Colorado for the holidays. STK works until the 22nd and we both return to work on January 3. If we factor in two days out and two days back, that doesn't leave a whole lot of time to actually enjoy the Big City. So, we've decided to stick it out until we're both off for summer break.
*I'm thinking about submitting an abstract, one that's been refused a couple other places, to the 2007 SW/Texas Popular Culture Association convention (Albuquerque). I still have some travel funds available and might as well use them up, eh?
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Hero
STK recently overheard an anonymous third grader utter the following in her classroom.
"Save the cheerleader, save the world."
Brings a tear to my eye when I hear a youngling embrace geek speak.
"Save the cheerleader, save the world."
Brings a tear to my eye when I hear a youngling embrace geek speak.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Grinder v2.0
As almost any of my family, friends, and acquaintances know, I am a coffee geek. I love coffee. Good coffee. Really good coffee. Serving me a cup of Folgers, Maxwell House, Hills Bros or any other brand of bulk robusta crap is a personal affront. If you visited my house, I wouldn't offer you a drink from the dog dish. Why would you offer me the coffee equivalent?
Anyway, several years ago I learned one of the simple secrets of brewing good drip coffee: the proper grind. Coffee geeks will confirm my assertion: a good grind totally changes the taste of coffee. When I learned the secret of all coffee secrets, I ran out and purchased a decent burr grinder. And grind the grinder did. That particular grinder served me well for the better part of three years. Last year, however, I noticed the little grinder that could wasn't grinding so well. Yes, I managed to wear out the burrs on a burr grinder. I poked around the Internets a bit and, much to my dismay, learned the burrs aren't all that easy to replace (or to even find).
With the holidays around the corner, I decided to use some of my holiday bank on a new grinder. It should arrive tomorrow afternoon. In all seriousness, I'm not sure I'll sleep well tonight.
Next year, I add the espresso machine.
Anyway, several years ago I learned one of the simple secrets of brewing good drip coffee: the proper grind. Coffee geeks will confirm my assertion: a good grind totally changes the taste of coffee. When I learned the secret of all coffee secrets, I ran out and purchased a decent burr grinder. And grind the grinder did. That particular grinder served me well for the better part of three years. Last year, however, I noticed the little grinder that could wasn't grinding so well. Yes, I managed to wear out the burrs on a burr grinder. I poked around the Internets a bit and, much to my dismay, learned the burrs aren't all that easy to replace (or to even find).
With the holidays around the corner, I decided to use some of my holiday bank on a new grinder. It should arrive tomorrow afternoon. In all seriousness, I'm not sure I'll sleep well tonight.
Next year, I add the espresso machine.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Feastolicious
Appetizer--Have you ever flown in a helicopter?
Nope.
Soup--What color is your warmest coat or jacket?
You know, none of my jackets are really warm enough for the weather in these parts. I typically wear a black Navy peacoat with a fleece vest layered beneath.
Salad--What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Sleeping?
Main Course--Describe your hands.
Smallish, slender, and in need of some serious moisturizer.
Dessert--If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut would you pick?
Pistachios, pistachios, and more pistachios. Even though I love pistachios, I typically eat more peanuts and walnuts. Go figure.
Nope.
Soup--What color is your warmest coat or jacket?
You know, none of my jackets are really warm enough for the weather in these parts. I typically wear a black Navy peacoat with a fleece vest layered beneath.
Salad--What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Sleeping?
Main Course--Describe your hands.
Smallish, slender, and in need of some serious moisturizer.
Dessert--If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut would you pick?
Pistachios, pistachios, and more pistachios. Even though I love pistachios, I typically eat more peanuts and walnuts. Go figure.
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