Just a quick note this morning. I graded 8 papers yesterday, and have another 7.5 to do today. I do not like grading, but it has to be done, so I do it. I should finish up today, unless something strange happens. I am hoping to be done early enough to get some of the administrative duties done as well.
I am looking forward to next week. I have class Monday and Tuesday, and then I am off for five days! And no grading to do! I will have a lt of other tasks to do, but nothing as crazy as this weekend. Though I will be repeating the whole thing three more times over the next few months.
I think I will,weather permitting, go to the arboretum next week. It has been a long time since I was last there. Assuming I don't have a cold. I feel questionably ill this morning. Probably due to an excess of grading.
Well, off I go.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
monday sept 29
I received my first batch of student papers this morning. Over the next week I will be busy grading. I resist grading, but it is something that has to be done.
My weekend has been mostly busy. Saturday morning the power was down so off to wholey-moley-that's-costly foods.I am glad we don't shop there very often. I think Whole Foods is suffering a bit, they have so many specialty foods that are high priced, and with the economy struggling, I suspect they are cutting out anything that is not a great seller.
Production was minimal on my thesis this past week. Out of ten hours that I was supposed to do, I managed three. I don't know if I can do any better this week considering that I have 22 papers to grade. So, no movie for me this last week. Though I did watch the big debates. I will be off to vote in a couple of weeks, how great to get a chance to change the world huh?
This week, I lead a tour of the library, then I do my usual class, assuming I can make the slog there in time. Wednesday I have a brown bag lunch thingie to attend, followed by workshop. Friday I will be observed by a peer, and hopefully get some feedback on my teaching/class.
I do believe we have begun either week 6 or week 7, nearly half the semester is complete...eek eek eek.
My weekend has been mostly busy. Saturday morning the power was down so off to wholey-moley-that's-costly foods.I am glad we don't shop there very often. I think Whole Foods is suffering a bit, they have so many specialty foods that are high priced, and with the economy struggling, I suspect they are cutting out anything that is not a great seller.
Production was minimal on my thesis this past week. Out of ten hours that I was supposed to do, I managed three. I don't know if I can do any better this week considering that I have 22 papers to grade. So, no movie for me this last week. Though I did watch the big debates. I will be off to vote in a couple of weeks, how great to get a chance to change the world huh?
This week, I lead a tour of the library, then I do my usual class, assuming I can make the slog there in time. Wednesday I have a brown bag lunch thingie to attend, followed by workshop. Friday I will be observed by a peer, and hopefully get some feedback on my teaching/class.
I do believe we have begun either week 6 or week 7, nearly half the semester is complete...eek eek eek.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
busy week(s)
I have been running towards multiple goals all week, and not making much headway, or if I am being really positive (which I suppose I am at this moment), I am making huge strides in some spaces while other spaces are suffering.
Successes: I am doing well with my eval of my student's journals. In fact, I have been pleased with most of them. I think they are far more open in their writings than I would be. What is really helping me with these is that I can see them as individuals rather than papers that have to be graded. When I stand in front of the class, it is easy to forget that each one of those faces staring at me rather blankly at times, is an individual. Between the journals and the conferences this week, I am seeing the students as people, and that is satisfying. I suppose, If I could, the one-on-one kind of teaching is what I would prefer to do, with the material that each student works on being designed specifically to help them meet their goals.
Failures: Last week I made a pact with Carol. No movies unless I put in ten hours of thesis work, and she put in 100 hours (ok, geez, 20 hours) of lit review. So far this week I have managed 2 hours (or 1, I have not looked this morning). I should manage some tomorrow, and definitely more Saturday, but the ten this week is not likely.
I also have to finish working on my CV and get that live. I suspect I have other things I should be working on as well, but I am afraid to go look.
The weather has turned miserable. We won't get back to 80 until maybe Monday. Cold and rainy weekend. Though I suppose the wetness will help the plants grow a little more.
Successes: I am doing well with my eval of my student's journals. In fact, I have been pleased with most of them. I think they are far more open in their writings than I would be. What is really helping me with these is that I can see them as individuals rather than papers that have to be graded. When I stand in front of the class, it is easy to forget that each one of those faces staring at me rather blankly at times, is an individual. Between the journals and the conferences this week, I am seeing the students as people, and that is satisfying. I suppose, If I could, the one-on-one kind of teaching is what I would prefer to do, with the material that each student works on being designed specifically to help them meet their goals.
Failures: Last week I made a pact with Carol. No movies unless I put in ten hours of thesis work, and she put in 100 hours (ok, geez, 20 hours) of lit review. So far this week I have managed 2 hours (or 1, I have not looked this morning). I should manage some tomorrow, and definitely more Saturday, but the ten this week is not likely.
I also have to finish working on my CV and get that live. I suspect I have other things I should be working on as well, but I am afraid to go look.
The weather has turned miserable. We won't get back to 80 until maybe Monday. Cold and rainy weekend. Though I suppose the wetness will help the plants grow a little more.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Friday September 19
The weather has deteriorated here. The highs have collapsed to mid to high 70's, and it feels cold after all the warm weather. I wonder how far south I will have to go to remain warm alla time?
It is a beautiful morning though. Clear, smells great, feels a bit chilly, but I guess given the season, I cannot expect more. The sad part, or perhaps SAD part, is that the sun does not rise until after seven today.
I was walking to the store yesterday and knew which direction I was walking in. North. Like I am now facing South. Big steps after spending a year wondering which way was what. I suspect if I were to get out of my comfort space I would be totally lost again.
The sun really has hit the fall zone, the angle of light is so different from August.
School continues to chuggley along like always. I am busy, and getting busier. I am ready to have my MFA and move on. How strange to think of myself as a nearly graduated graduate student. Not bad for a high school drop out.
It is a beautiful morning though. Clear, smells great, feels a bit chilly, but I guess given the season, I cannot expect more. The sad part, or perhaps SAD part, is that the sun does not rise until after seven today.
I was walking to the store yesterday and knew which direction I was walking in. North. Like I am now facing South. Big steps after spending a year wondering which way was what. I suspect if I were to get out of my comfort space I would be totally lost again.
The sun really has hit the fall zone, the angle of light is so different from August.
School continues to chuggley along like always. I am busy, and getting busier. I am ready to have my MFA and move on. How strange to think of myself as a nearly graduated graduate student. Not bad for a high school drop out.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sunday September fourteen
Week five of the fall semester begins tomorrow. One third of the whole course is complete already. Talk about anxiously grinding my teeth down to nubs. Now if a wee fairy came along and offered me three wishes, I would expend one on rolling the clock back to the start of August (with all the work I have done still completed), thus giving me a few more hours to do the things I should be doing. Of course, with fairies being fickle creatures, I would likely find that the roll back would result in some major penalty and I would deeply regret having made that wish. Are there any stories out there where a person made a wish and had it work out positively?
I just stepped outside to water the lantana (it was looking a little droopy due to water deprivation) and it is hot (75) outside. Forecast high is 94 for today. Even so, I think I need to take a short walk this morning. I am working on pulling my thesis (rough draft) together so I can submit it later today or Monday morning. Lots of work, and lots of stress. I have managed to get most of the little nit-picking grad school requirements covered, now it is all up to filling the page requirement. Gack and gag, ain't it all awkward.
Because I am a positive thinker, I am thinking that soon it will be all over and I can move on to the next phase of my weird little life.
Busy week. Must begin. Work.
I just stepped outside to water the lantana (it was looking a little droopy due to water deprivation) and it is hot (75) outside. Forecast high is 94 for today. Even so, I think I need to take a short walk this morning. I am working on pulling my thesis (rough draft) together so I can submit it later today or Monday morning. Lots of work, and lots of stress. I have managed to get most of the little nit-picking grad school requirements covered, now it is all up to filling the page requirement. Gack and gag, ain't it all awkward.
Because I am a positive thinker, I am thinking that soon it will be all over and I can move on to the next phase of my weird little life.
Busy week. Must begin. Work.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sunday Sept 7
Friday night and Saturday morning we received a little over five inches of rain from Hanna. There was some flooding and fallen trees in our area, but no major damage.
Shortly after the storm I went for a walk down to the lake. Walnut Creek was flowing over its banks in a number of places, the three or four foot banks were stuffed full of water. I have never seen the creek that high in the little over a year I have been here.
Seconds. Everything is repeating now, second summer, second fall,second thanksgiving, and the luster is fading. I think I need to move somewhere new, like...somewhere warmer???
Speaking of warmer, the ac is out downstairs and today is going to be a hot one. The maintenance guy says it will be down until Monday. Blech is the word I have to say about that.
Shortly after the storm I went for a walk down to the lake. Walnut Creek was flowing over its banks in a number of places, the three or four foot banks were stuffed full of water. I have never seen the creek that high in the little over a year I have been here.
Seconds. Everything is repeating now, second summer, second fall,second thanksgiving, and the luster is fading. I think I need to move somewhere new, like...somewhere warmer???
Speaking of warmer, the ac is out downstairs and today is going to be a hot one. The maintenance guy says it will be down until Monday. Blech is the word I have to say about that.
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