Done For today

Creating this class is a wonderful pain in the tush.  Ive been working on fleshing out the readings and finalizing the structure all day long (except the break just long enough to be disappointed by the US soccer team, of course).  I'm really excited about being able to put in parts that I really get excited about, but I feel embarrassed when I take out pieces that I don't feel as comfortable with.  I generally over prepare, but I think that's a good thing.  I am a little worried about assigning too much reading.  It is a summer class, after all, but the readings are fun!  Well, maybe not all of them.  Maybe not to undergrads who are only taking the class to knock off requirements, but still... :)

US - Ghana

Well, crap.  Ok, I actually had hope of the US actually winning one.  No dice.  I'm a little skeptical of the penalty kick, but there's no doubt that the US had their chances and didn't take advantage.  They looked ok against Italy, but this was the US team that played the Czech Republic.  I wonder how long Arena will keep his job?

Honestly though, the team from Ghana earned this.  The US team played horribly, but they earned it.  They played well and deserve the win.  I'm rooting for Ghana and Korea now.  Ghana'll play Brazil though, so I guess I'm rooting for Korea.

Work is Dead, Long Live Work!

The grading is done and submitted, and now the work begins. 

Putting together a class is an exhausting job.  I've TAed one of the classes I'm going to teach twice and the other class once, so I'm lucky to have a lot of material to draw on, but still, I've got to build a lot of it from scratch.  In fact, it's a very good possibility that the only reason I'm not tearing at my clothes and ripping out my hair is that I really don't know what I've gotten myself into.  I've got the basic form and themes of the class down basically, but the readings and finer structure are still very much... hopeful.

Another odd first - a couple of 30-something students came in to talk to the 'professor of the X classes for the summer.'  I was pointed out and they came to chat about seeing if they could get in (the class is full).  First funny thing was that they didn't laugh when they saw that I was the one who was going to be teaching it.  Second funny thing is that they seemed genuinely excited about taking the class.  Now maybe that was just an act to butter me up so I'd let them in, but still.  funny world. 

The office is getting more and more private as people leave.  This one left the academic world to try her luck in DC.  This one left to take care of ill parents.  That one is going to spend the summer back home with the long-distance boyfriend.  This one is working like a madman at his local job to build up enough money to make it through another school year.  And here I am - the only grad student hanging through the summer in the office.  I always gripe about not being able to get anything done because of all the distractions, but I'm going to be really lonely in here.  Especially since I'll be moving on before the office gets rowdy again.  sadness.

8.24km - 39'04"

Feh - I Only Got 10 Right

Who said what:  Ann Coulter or Adolf Hitler?

(Give it some time, the server seems to be getting hammered)

Link Dump!

• My audiobook of the moment is Shelby Foote's Civil War, so I needed something... visual, as Dr. Frank N Furter would say. So I found these battlefield maps. Random Link, but cool if you dig maps like I do.
• VERY NOT SAFE FOR WORK OR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. (Also generally offensive to most humans, but still, kinda funny):
• If you are wondering how ESL students pick up some of the... um... manners of speaking, check out these excerpts from the Japanese English text, Adult English: Porno Smallbook Speaking, Let's Go!
• Others have already noted the psychedelic Folgers Ad, but have you seen the Slovenian condom commercial? The Virgin Airlines Flashback? How about the Match.com crusade against 'Bachelorism?' Aw, heck, just go over to AdFreak - they've got all sorts of crazy ads over there.
• This is ancient, but I stumbled on the link again recently - Have you ever wondered if Shamu could use a credit card? Will "Service Sucked" be challenged when signed on the dotted line? How about "My Butt?" Well, now you need question no longer, for your questions, and many more, are answered here.
• Files Are Not For Sharing: A Children's Book.

Last Week's Top 5

8.25km - 38'36"

Tuesday O'Meme

I'm way behind in my meme-ing, so here's a golden oldie from Chez Stewgad

5 Items in my Fridge: (it's a huge embarrassment, but I couldn't tell you what's in there. I'm never at the apartment enough to know. I only vaguely remember cooking, many many moons ago)

5 Items in my Closet:

1. Much that needs laundering
2. A couple of pairs of old beat up running shoes that I've never gotten around to tossing out.
3. An insane number of socks. I firmly believe that there is little better than a really good pair of cushion-y hiking or running socks. Oh, yeah. I don't have a chest of drawers, so the socks go in the closet. Nice eh?
4. small cobweb at the top corner
5. a shelf-piece from an old computer desk that I don't have enough room for in my room. Do I have room for it in my closet? well, no. Not really.
   

5 Items in my Car: (Well, crap. Maybe this meme just looked cool, but I don't fit it. See, I don't have a car. So... How about things on my wall in the office!)

1. Big calendar from the campus student group (major circled day was thesis turn in day. Next circled day is due date for grade turn in)
2. Bunches of pictures of my two beau-ti-ful nieces.
3. Postcards - 1 from Profgrrrrl, several from Jayfish & Zerodoll and a couple other random ones
4. A thank you note from a student from last class. I know - I was shocked too.
5. a cartoon printed from Phdcomics.com (this one)
   

5 Items in my Purse: (how about backpack?)

1. Waaaaay too many books.
2. Laptop (in padded compartment) with various cables and such
3. Pens and highlighters beyond number
4. Hand sanitizer
5. point-n-shoot camera

5 Items in my Desk: (This'll have to be 'on' my desk, because I'm not cool enough to have a desk with drawers.)

1. Nike triax dongle (to download my runs to the computer)
2. wicker basket that is supposed to be full of nutritious fruit goodness, but has been suspiciously empty of late.
3. Kleenex for crying students and allergy-ridden TAs
4. A stack of several things that need to be translated with a quickness
5. Giant teddy bear (free gift with purchase of $100 or more at the campus bookstore) wearing my mortarboard. He's actually on the filing cabinet, but I couldn't leave him out. Him? Maybe it's a her?
   

'Nother Bit of Grading Joy

When I said that I highly recommended that you students get together for group study sessions, I was hoping that you wouldn't pass around incorrect information like some kind of ignorance virus. 

From the Bluebooks

It seems that the main activity of revolutionaries is not 'revolting' but 'revolving.' 

I mean, I'm sure that Lenin and Mao are spinning in their mausoleums, <twirling Groucho cigar>but this is ridiculous. </twirling Groucho cigar>

Maybe it's lack of sleep, but the image of George Washington on a hilltop slowly spinning with arms outstretched (with or without the musical accompaniment) is very difficult to dislodge.

More Procrastination

Long run:

11.3km (7 miles!) - 54'54"

Waiter, There’s a Quiz in My Soup.

The quick like a bunny quiz!

 

1.

Smack, crack, bushwhacked

Tie another one to the racks, baby

2.

I’m in a mood for you

For running away

Stars come down in you

And love...you can't give it away

Inside you the time moves

And she don't fade

3.

Who broke my heart?

You did, you did

Bow to the target

Blame cupid, cupid

You think you’re smart

Stupid, stupid

4.

Open fire on my burning heart

I've never been lucky in love

My defenses are down

A kiss or a frown

I can't survive on my own

5.

I'd lay in a pile of burning money that I've earned

and not even worry about getting burned

I'd climb the Empire State Building, fight Muhammad Ali

Just to have you baby close to me

6.

If you took all the girls I knew when I was single

And brought them all together for one night

I know they’d never match

My sweet imagination

7.

Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers

Turn around and say good morning to the night

For unless they see the sky

But they can’t and that is why

They know not if its dark outside or light

8.

Morning, just another day

Happy people pass my way

Looking in their eyes

I see a memory

I never realized

you made me so happy

9.

Anybody could be that guy

Night is young and the music’s high

With a bit of rock music, everything is fine

10.

Now I’m towing my car, there’s a hole in the roof

My possessions are causing me suspicion but there’s no proof

By The Power Of Greyskull…

Thanks for all the happy thoughts and congratulations everyone. You guys are so sweet to me.

It’s all over but the paperwork. I am a Master. By the way, don’t you think that ‘Master of X’ should be a higher degree than ‘Doctor of X?’ I mean, hey, if I’m a Master, why should I keep studying, right?

Thoughts from the commencement ceremony:

• I like the symbolism of the hooding ceremony for the PhDs. I think it’s important to show the world that after decades of study and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, that newly minted PhDs still need help getting dressed.
  
• There is more evidence of this in the way that the people dressed themselves. Ratty tennis shoes and frayed blue jeans? Flip-flops? I mean, c’mon now, at least try.
  
• When getting hooded, kneel or squat, do not bow! Plenty of people bowed – it only makes it harder for your hooder. Now, that’s fine by me, I had a great time making fun of everyone, but it might cause embarrassment for you. Another important lesson is to choose tall advisors.
  
• The quality and variety of robes was just wonderful. I think that the European schools had the best ones though. I swear one of the professors looked like he just stepped off the stage from a community theatre production of Merchant of Venice (Scrivener? Was that you?)
  
• Commencement speakers need to be able to speak well. This goes back to my firm belief that all potential educators need to take a public speaking class (or 3)
  
• On the other hand, I feel awful for the name-readers. Phonetic spellings can’t help you out of everything. Bonus points for all of them. Also full points for the hand-shakers – you just know that they’re going to come down with some kind of cold or something.
  
• Nobody tripped. Pity.
  

Right then. A return to grading!

It's Done.

A massive white-out of blog posts is ended with these words:

It's Done.

The masters thesis, warts and all, is filed and very soon I will be walking across the stage in my silly black dress and backwards necktie (MAs get hoods - who knew?).

I'm still not thinking very well, but I think I could use a nice long nap. 

I followed Jayfish's advice and got some ice cream - Mint Chocolate Chip, and it was so very very good.  Ah yes, did I mention that I still have ~50 essays and an equal number of finals to grade by next Tuesday?  No, I'm guessing I didn't.  Oh, yes,  then there's also the prep work and reader-building for two classes this summer that start the week after next.  So, there's not even time for a debauch trip to Vegas.  All for the best, I'm sure, but still.

My hopes are for quizzes and regularly scheduled blathering to be back up to speed by next week.

Oh, one last note of interest -  One of the 'things I do' is shoot sports.  I've been taking pictures for the athletics department here for the past couple of years, and, I've gotten a couple of good shots, if I do say so myself.  Anyhoo, the uni I'll be attending in the fall has a massive sports program.  They regularly compete and win playoffs of all sorts and flavors.  So, I chatted with the Media relations guy here, and, guess what?  He's got some connections over there.  He says he'll get me an introduction and figures that I should be able to shoot down there too.  Woohoo!  Fun fun!  Now I think I really may need that new lens :)

On The Trail Again

8.23km - 39'45"

Oh yeah,

The US Soccer Team makes me sad.  I mean, I never thought we would beat the Czechs badly, but I figured we wouldn't get blown out.  So sad...  And like we're going to do any better against Italy - Pheh.  I'll need to find another team to root for here in a couple of games.  England?  Mexico?  Korea?

Egg-Sauce-Ted

I think I'll I can handle are bullet points right now.

• Ok, yeah, no quiz this weekend.  No blogging at all. I've just been beat.  So very tired. 
• The upside is that I've gotten signature 2 of 3 on the thesis and the last one should be just a formality (watch - I've just jinxed it). Still plenty to be done - especially in the proofreading department, but closer and closer
  
• Here's a good way to not endear yourself to your TA:  If the exam is at 12, and you aren't going to go to the exam, then your TA should have the exam prompts in advance so that he or she can make copies so that the students can take the test.  It is a good idea not to breeze in at 11:45 and respond to the question, "Do you have the tests?" with a shrug or an "Oh, yeah," especially when you don't have the tests.  There is a chance however that your TA will have foreseen your not taking care of things and he or she will have pieced together a retyped version of the draft so that there will be something to give the students on time.  Seriously, I like this prof, but I don't see any excuses here.  I mean, a simple email would have saved a lot of stress and panic. 
  
• Last night was the official 'Goodbye Grads' party.  There was an obscene amount of food and booze.  I got home at around 3am, which ain't my usual thing.  I had many many many beers (and toasts of champagne) which is also not in my general habit.  Perhaps that's why I'm exhausted?  Many dark secrets were discovered after the professors went home and the booze flowed more freely.
• There's no way I'm running today.
• Exam proctoring results:
• 3.12% are left handed
  
• 5.22% wear hats
• 20% turned backward
• 20% turned sideways
• 40% trucker hats
• 2.08% wear hoodies with the hoods up
• 21.84% wear glasses
• 2.08% wear sunglasses on top of their heads
• 1.56% have beards
• 4.68% are long haired dudes
• 2.08% are short haired gals
• 2.08% have long braids
• 17.68% wear their hair in pony tails
• 7.28%  wore clothing with our university's name on it
• 1.04% wore clothing with the names of other universities.
  
• Beverage count
• 17.68% of students had a bottles of water
  
• 2.08% coffee
• 3.12% soda
• 3.12% sports drinks/juice
• Of the last 15 students taking the exam
• no lefties remained
• only one had curly hair
• 7 men 8 women
• notable shirts:
• "I hate myself and want to die"
• "Tennis 1994"
  

Rarbie

Rarbie
Originally uploaded by Overread.

My Thesis Will Go On (Sing It, You Know You Want To)

Well, what did I say?  That I was going to turn in version 1.5?  right?  Well, I think I just sent version 1.45 off to the chair of my committee.  There's still a bit of friction coming from my advisor in charge of the 'data.'  It's well-deserved friction, to be sure, but troublesome anyway.  Oh, yeah, she's gone out of the country too -yeesh.  In any case, I still say this with a bit of incredulity, but it looks like I'll be able to get it in - on time, even. 

I'm thinking I need to buy myself a treat.  What do you guys think?  Camera lens?  Video game system?  Wild weekend of debauchery in Vegas?  Spinning rims for my bike?  Scratch 'n Sniff stickers?