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Sunday, October 25, 2009
Decided to stay in this weekend, after all. Still feel like I'm fighting off sick and really can't stand a relapse. Last night Bizarro and I went to see "Paranormal Activity" instead of going out of town to that party. My advice is to wait until this movie comes out on Netflix.
It's a lo-budget, indie horror movie, and I commend the filmmakers for making the most of their budget with no CGI, singular set, and only two characters. But the script was lacking - the first 45 minutes dragged, and there were character actions that made no sense based on what the film established in the first half hour. As a result, I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to be scared. For sure there were a couple moments to jump, including the end, but this felt like a short film that was dragged out to be an hour and a half simply to find theatrical distribution. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
We've been watching eps of Night Gallery on Hulu as we start preparing for conference presentations two years hence on Rod Serling's "bastard step-child" TV series. Poor Night Gallery, always taking second billing to Twilight Zone.
I've spent a good deal of my time writing this weekend, in protest of last week, which sucked moss-covered boulders. I have yet to see the end of the Plagiarizing Student story this coming week, I'm sure. I am really so over that class; I'll be delighted never to teach it again.
Here's hoping for a solid week of inspiration, seeing the glass half full, and making things happen.
It's a lo-budget, indie horror movie, and I commend the filmmakers for making the most of their budget with no CGI, singular set, and only two characters. But the script was lacking - the first 45 minutes dragged, and there were character actions that made no sense based on what the film established in the first half hour. As a result, I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to be scared. For sure there were a couple moments to jump, including the end, but this felt like a short film that was dragged out to be an hour and a half simply to find theatrical distribution. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
We've been watching eps of Night Gallery on Hulu as we start preparing for conference presentations two years hence on Rod Serling's "bastard step-child" TV series. Poor Night Gallery, always taking second billing to Twilight Zone.
I've spent a good deal of my time writing this weekend, in protest of last week, which sucked moss-covered boulders. I have yet to see the end of the Plagiarizing Student story this coming week, I'm sure. I am really so over that class; I'll be delighted never to teach it again.
Here's hoping for a solid week of inspiration, seeing the glass half full, and making things happen.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Finished off the week by having to fail a student and kick his ass out of my class because I discovered he'd plagiarized paragraphs. Ripped them off lock, stock and barrel from websites that allegedly exist to give examples of writing for students.
This is the same student who I was supposedly meeting every week, who blew me off and showed up 15 minutes late on a regular basis. He'd miss class, come in late, show up unprepared, etc. He'd already failed the class twice before. I was working hard on his behalf, and clearly he wasn't willing to work as hard.
The saddest thing is, he would've passed this semester on his own if he'd just stuck it out and done the work. His writing was getting stronger when he did apply himself, and his grammar quizzes were passing. He just fucked himself in the ass, is what he did.
Woke up nervous this morning about having to confront the student. I'd already been in contact with the Provost and The Dean, who were both very supportive of my decision. At this college, it's up to the teacher to decide upon a sanction for academic dishonesty, though there is some namby-pamby policy in place for one-time offenders vs. repeat-offenders. To me the choice was clear. He's toast. And of course he didn't show up this morning so I ended up having to break the news to him in email. He'll get a letter from the Provost soon enough.
In better news - finished off some writing of my own this afternoon, and got valuable feedback on a short script I've been working on for awhile.
I'm off to a Halloween party this weekend. My costume: dead Lt. Starbuck. Hells yeah.
This is the same student who I was supposedly meeting every week, who blew me off and showed up 15 minutes late on a regular basis. He'd miss class, come in late, show up unprepared, etc. He'd already failed the class twice before. I was working hard on his behalf, and clearly he wasn't willing to work as hard.
The saddest thing is, he would've passed this semester on his own if he'd just stuck it out and done the work. His writing was getting stronger when he did apply himself, and his grammar quizzes were passing. He just fucked himself in the ass, is what he did.
Woke up nervous this morning about having to confront the student. I'd already been in contact with the Provost and The Dean, who were both very supportive of my decision. At this college, it's up to the teacher to decide upon a sanction for academic dishonesty, though there is some namby-pamby policy in place for one-time offenders vs. repeat-offenders. To me the choice was clear. He's toast. And of course he didn't show up this morning so I ended up having to break the news to him in email. He'll get a letter from the Provost soon enough.
In better news - finished off some writing of my own this afternoon, and got valuable feedback on a short script I've been working on for awhile.
I'm off to a Halloween party this weekend. My costume: dead Lt. Starbuck. Hells yeah.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
What color is your caboose?
Thankfully, yesterday is but a memory. I'm over all you fuckerz.
Grading's getting there, and I'm reminding myself that I don't have to get things done in some kind of faster-than-light nano-speed. Clearly I'm making up the technobabble as I go.
There are some residual health issues, and a new one that's cropped up, but nothing that a ton of yogurt won't cure. Or so I'm told. Don't ask.
By the way, chocolate yogurt is my new favorite thing to eat.
And the weather's more like it should be in mid-October, rather than end of November temps. That helps, too.
Grading's getting there, and I'm reminding myself that I don't have to get things done in some kind of faster-than-light nano-speed. Clearly I'm making up the technobabble as I go.
There are some residual health issues, and a new one that's cropped up, but nothing that a ton of yogurt won't cure. Or so I'm told. Don't ask.
By the way, chocolate yogurt is my new favorite thing to eat.
And the weather's more like it should be in mid-October, rather than end of November temps. That helps, too.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Bitch Session
I would just like to say I'm having a shitty-ass fucking day. Everything I touch breaks. I am so buried in work I could literally punch a hole in the wall out of frustration. I went from having 3 friends in this shitty little town to having 0 friends in this shitty town. I cannot keep up with the crap I am expected to do as a human being, and god help the next student who lays on the excuses thicker than a truck stop hooker's mascara.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
It's time to get serious
...about staying warm. Freaking snow! And it's only the beginning... just like death.
I got a rejection letter from a "journal of arts and ideas" published around these parts. As Rod Serling suggested, I will use it to start a collage of rejection in the john, reminding me that 90% of writing is not giving up.
I got a rejection letter from a "journal of arts and ideas" published around these parts. As Rod Serling suggested, I will use it to start a collage of rejection in the john, reminding me that 90% of writing is not giving up.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
What's that smell?
That's the burning rubber of my wheels trying to catch up with my life. Or the flinty smoke from my rotundus maximus trying to wedge itself through the door.
Haven't gone to H2O aerobics in 3 weeks due to: covering someone else's class, attending a department meeting, having my period, getting ready for the conference last weekend, grading, and getting a sinus infection. I am going tomorrow if I have to shoot down and stomp on my students' dead bodies and bloody scripts to get there.
Did manage to get to Yoga tonight, and that felt good, although clearly my abs have forsaken me.
I'm behind on everything but that's only going to last a few more days, then I'll have a chance to catch up.
Cleveland and the in-laws were delightful this past weekend, though as usual I ate too much bad stuff there (though not as much as usual; I was being careful). Only one piece of pie instead of four. Not so shabby eh?
A successful visit to Half Price Books gleaned me the first season of Night Gallery, a Twilight Zone Companion, a book on belly fat, a new journal, and...something else I can't recall at the moment. Best part was that, unbeknownst to me, there was a 20% off educator discount going on. Of course I had no college I.D. on me, other than a business card, and I more or less bludgeoned the clerk into giving me a discount anyway. She got her vengeance by "forgetting" to put the DVDs in the box for Night Gallery. I had to go back, wait in the damn line again, etc. But did get a coupon for 15% for my troubles (which I promptly gave to my sis-in-law since it was only good until the end of the month and I live 2 states over).
Ah, but now I have tons of grading to do and Night Gallery to distract me. Who could ask for anything more?
Haven't gone to H2O aerobics in 3 weeks due to: covering someone else's class, attending a department meeting, having my period, getting ready for the conference last weekend, grading, and getting a sinus infection. I am going tomorrow if I have to shoot down and stomp on my students' dead bodies and bloody scripts to get there.
Did manage to get to Yoga tonight, and that felt good, although clearly my abs have forsaken me.
I'm behind on everything but that's only going to last a few more days, then I'll have a chance to catch up.
Cleveland and the in-laws were delightful this past weekend, though as usual I ate too much bad stuff there (though not as much as usual; I was being careful). Only one piece of pie instead of four. Not so shabby eh?
A successful visit to Half Price Books gleaned me the first season of Night Gallery, a Twilight Zone Companion, a book on belly fat, a new journal, and...something else I can't recall at the moment. Best part was that, unbeknownst to me, there was a 20% off educator discount going on. Of course I had no college I.D. on me, other than a business card, and I more or less bludgeoned the clerk into giving me a discount anyway. She got her vengeance by "forgetting" to put the DVDs in the box for Night Gallery. I had to go back, wait in the damn line again, etc. But did get a coupon for 15% for my troubles (which I promptly gave to my sis-in-law since it was only good until the end of the month and I live 2 states over).
Ah, but now I have tons of grading to do and Night Gallery to distract me. Who could ask for anything more?
Vladurday
This one's going out to Salty Miss Jill:
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(no, these will will never be on time. deal with it.)
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(no, these will will never be on time. deal with it.)
Thursday, October 08, 2009
It's Getting Better All the Time
As I'd thought, I do indeed have a sinus infection and with the proper drugs I am on my way to a full recovery. Today going back to work, finally. My little students - I miss them.
We're headed to Cleveland tomorrow to visit the in-laws and take a much-needed break (okay not counting my 3 days home sick which didn't feel like a break). I would like to try to enjoy myself this weekend. Our favorite spots: Half-Priced Books, Caribou Coffee, Microcenter, Marshalls. Things we can't get here. I'd also love to hit up the Cleveland Museum of Art, which was closed for renovations last time we tried to go.
Oops time to get ready for bein' a teacher.
We're headed to Cleveland tomorrow to visit the in-laws and take a much-needed break (okay not counting my 3 days home sick which didn't feel like a break). I would like to try to enjoy myself this weekend. Our favorite spots: Half-Priced Books, Caribou Coffee, Microcenter, Marshalls. Things we can't get here. I'd also love to hit up the Cleveland Museum of Art, which was closed for renovations last time we tried to go.
Oops time to get ready for bein' a teacher.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Sickly
I've been home sick for 3 days. I think it's a sinus infection and I do have a doctor's appointment at 4:00. I figure, if my left ear hurts and I can hear my blood stream going whoosh whoosh whoosh - that's bad, right? I'm hoping this is a sinus infection so I can take some pills and make it better real quick-like. After the high of last weekend, this week has dipped to a crushing low whereby I've achieved nothing but a certain over-familiarity with the couch.
I have read and emailed feedback on student scripts, and even managed to do some of my own revision last night before I fell into a dead trance-sleep and then woke up feeling worse this morning. No more worky for me.
I have read and emailed feedback on student scripts, and even managed to do some of my own revision last night before I fell into a dead trance-sleep and then woke up feeling worse this morning. No more worky for me.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
A fine weekend in the Twilight Zone
Without giving away too much that will spoil the anonymous fun here, suffice it to say that Bizarro and I attended a conference this weekend that inspired, rejuvenated and impressed us both. Of special note is meeting our new friend from U.K., DREW. Drew did a fabulous presentation at the conference, and in general impressed us both with his successful blend of scholarship and unabashed geekery. We realized after meeting him that we were, indeed, in the right place.
Drew's plane should be lifting off just about now on the journey home, so I'm wishing him safe travels. For sure we'll be seeing him again - either our visit to England or at the very latest, the next conference we all attend.
By the way, it's very hard to keep this all sanitized to maintain what anonymity there is here. I apologize for all the vague references and obfuscation.
Drew's plane should be lifting off just about now on the journey home, so I'm wishing him safe travels. For sure we'll be seeing him again - either our visit to England or at the very latest, the next conference we all attend.
By the way, it's very hard to keep this all sanitized to maintain what anonymity there is here. I apologize for all the vague references and obfuscation.
Vladurday
Missed two weeks with all the shenanigans going on around here, so:
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Friday, October 02, 2009
Reality Check
This came through via email from the community college today to everyone:
"Financial aid has disbursed $5.8 million in the last two weeks. Today we are mailing the first refund checks to 1,133 students. They will be paying their landlords, babysitters, car insurance and such with a total of about $2.3 million. Some will simply be able to eat this week."
The remedial writing class I'm teaching is getting easier to manage. My students and I have a much better understanding of each other. I have a professional writing tutor coming in every Wednesday to help me with students working on their drafts. They are starting to go to the writing center to get help in areas they need most. I know I'm exactly where I need to be.
"Financial aid has disbursed $5.8 million in the last two weeks. Today we are mailing the first refund checks to 1,133 students. They will be paying their landlords, babysitters, car insurance and such with a total of about $2.3 million. Some will simply be able to eat this week."
The remedial writing class I'm teaching is getting easier to manage. My students and I have a much better understanding of each other. I have a professional writing tutor coming in every Wednesday to help me with students working on their drafts. They are starting to go to the writing center to get help in areas they need most. I know I'm exactly where I need to be.
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