Cleaning out my files...

It started with Hubby's desire for more desk space. Which resulted in a trip to IKEA (for a cart to go behind him) and a new bookshelf for me.

That was last week.

It is ending with piles of articles on my desk and some career decisions...

I don't want to write about ancient philosophy any more... I know my pal's hubby loves it, and I'm glad he does, because I find it tedious and quibbling over an interpretation of some ancient term just isn't my thing. So all the Ancient Philosophy stuff went in the trash (recycle, but trash sounds better :) ).

I don't want to do philosophy of language any more... I find it interesting, but I'm not good at it. I might as well leave all that stuff to the people who are passionate about it, because I think it isn't my gig. All the philosophy of language stuff went away---

I do want to keep doing feminist stuff -- so I'm keeping those articles. In fact, I'm going to submit a paper to a regional feminist philosophy conference, so we'll see how that goes....

Of course, the whole point of this was to get a handle on my just war articles -- and so they sit in a big pile on the left of my desk -- and I've now made a smaller pile of cards to go along with them. The plan is to file the articles by author's last name and keep the cards handy, so I can look at them for inclusion in the dissertation.

I suppose I should also make cards for the stuff I have electronically only--- and recycle the stuff I have both on my hard drive and on paper... hmmm.

It does feel good to get rid of all that stuff I'm not using --- like I've finally figured out the area paper business is done and I can choose what I'll write about. That's a GOOOOOD feeling.

BNCC locals...

Do you know anybody who would like to have a very nice dog?

She's well-behaved, about 5ish years old and very, very nice. She responds to commands and is very affectionate. She currently lives with kids and is very sweet. She's a medium-sized short-haired spaniel...

One of the adults in her current household doesn't like her, and if she could find a better place to live, it would be better for her. The adult isn't abusive, but he does seem to limit her contact with the family.

So -- send me an e-mail if you'd like to know more... I'd take her in a second if we didn't live in an apartment that doesn't permit dogs. She's much more difficult to hide than our illegal cat, so it really isn't a good idea right now.

RBO ... the day....

• Good dissertation news in the middle of the night--- and some equally good feedback, so YEA!
• I've de-cluttered the desk once again.... It is more streamlined, so it is easier to work. Also, it is more cat friendly, so New Kitty (who has been here a year, but will be New Kitty until there is another youngest cat) will have places to sit that aren't right in front of me. Now, if only I could train her to actually use those places.
• I'll do a couple of dissertation hours this morning. I'm almost done with a draft of chapter 1 --- it is that boring intro / theory stuff, but it needs to be done. I think I'll hold onto it for a while, as those things may change. But -- I need to do it to get the stuff out of my head -- and so that I can easily reference it in later chapters or figure out that it needs to change...
• My goal is to have the draft done by the end of the week, so I can get a running start on chapter 2 next week.
• I'll get 23 or so papers this afternoon -- the good news is that the are second versions, so they aren't all that difficult to read.
  
• Tomorrow I'm taking my super-tutors to lunch -- they are so wonderful and have been so helpful they deserve it... and -- if I could charge a 'I didn't do my homework' fee of $5.00 for every time a logic student came unprepared, I could take them on a first-class trip to Vegas to forget the little suckers -- alas, all they'll get out of it is a nice lunch....
  
• Other grading news -- I'll have about 29 logic finals to grade -- out of about 70 logic students -- not bad... the rest earned an exemption from the final because their grades were good enough (i.e. on their quizzes they proved they could do the same kinds of problems I'd put on the final...).
• Late afternoon will find me on the deck planting --- phase 1. This is always the most fun, because I'm starting from scratch -- new dirt, new pots etc --- I didn't invest much in the pots, but I got good dirt (the stuff with the water holding crystals...it is amazing) -- and so far all I have are herbs and veggies. The plan is to give the best spots to the working plants -- and then fill in with flowers as needed. In the end, I hope to have a little green oasis on my deck. I already have a couple of comfy chairs and someplace to put a can of pop, so the plants will give me a new place to read a book -- either dissertation or non-dissertation related....
• And -- the view from my office window keeps getting better. My apartment is on the end of the building, and while my bedroom windows face an abandoned golf course and swamp, my office windows face a trailer court -- at least, when the leaves go away -- we can see the neighbors quite clearly. Just yesterday the leaves really started to fill in, thus reducing our view of the trailer court -- the plough (pond/slough) is also quite pretty this morning...
  

RBO Last day of class...

• Today was the last teaching day until August. Amazing. A few finals to grade, an office to clean and then it is dissertation all the way to August...

• It isn't as if I'm actually ready for next year -- my book order is a week over due, and I've made no decisions about the class with International Womyn. In fact, I've ordered a few more books to look at -- oh the decisions.... I love having a new class to think about.

• I've also lined up a new tutor for next year -- and I'll have one of my super-tutors from this semester.... although she'll be in a different class. I think she'll like a break, some new material and some different challenges. Of course, she'll probably be right sick of me by December... but, I suppose if she didn't get that way when she was on my debate team, seeing one another for two classes T/Th won't do it to her...
  
• The cleaning person came today. It is such a luxury to have her come clean -- just because I don't have to think about it -- it is sort of like having someone style your hair and fuss over you... it is a pampering thing.... and the fact that she likes my cats is a bonus. I try not to feel guilty about hiring her to clean, I reason that she's independent (and may not pay taxes.. who knows, not my business), she makes a nice hourly wage -- nearly as much as I do -- and she has a pretty flexible schedule that accommodates her college and family schedule. I also trust her -- probably because I liked her as an ethics student well before she came to clean. I do worry that the economy will make her lose some customers -- and since I'm blessed not to be in that situation, I wouldn't stop having her come---
  
• I did two solid dissertation hours today, so I'm caught up for the week.
  

How dumb can they be?

Really, it isn't hard to understand.

My classroom is impacted by outside sound.

I've been complaining about music from student events interrupting my classes for 5 years.

How hard is it to understand that they can't put up huge speakers in the area outside the windows and expect it to be ok....

of course, they really don't give a f-ck. And that is what has made me so angry. The events are stupid and really ought to be held in the cafeteria, as all they do is provide a venue for cheap food. Nobody really finds them a source of school pride or spirit-- they just go outside and eat, then go to class...

Well, that isn't exactly fair -- a bozo student from several year ago manages to make every one of these events... it is really pathetic, he sits out there and talks to people until they make their escape. Really, if you are so nostalgic about BNCC, you are a sad, sad, sad person... go elsewhere and get a life. You only imagine we liked you when you were here...

Yea for my state...

I just found out that couples who get married in my state are able and allowed to change his last name to her last name when they get married.

In 40 states, the only person doing any name changing is the female...

... now, if only they'd let same-sex couples marry here.... sigh.

No -- no way, no how.... really, no.

A couple of bozos in my logic class weren't happy with their final points total.

They decided that they only had to fulfill half of the assignment, so they should get half the points -- right?

umm -- no--- because...

1) when they got the original assignment back, they had the opportunity to do it right and turn it in again for full credit -- they ignored that opportunity.

2) When they got their quiz back in late April, I wrote a note about missing that assignment... which they ignored.

3) They also ignored my 'drop dead date' -- i.e. the date after which I will not accept new work. That date was Tuesday -- So I could do an end of semester grade and have a chance to correct any data entry problems.... this, folks, is NOT one of my (rare) data entry errors.

So -- No, bozos 1 and 2, you can't get credit for that. To be honest, had you come to class more than 50% of the time -- and had you not been stoned when you did show up -- maybe you'd have taken my warnings seriously... .as it is, you'll be lucky to get a C or D in the class...

ps -- I dare you to go to my dean to complain... yep, go -- in fact, I'll know when you go up there and try to plead your pathetic case -- because she'll laugh you out of the building... really, you need a logic class more than most.