grrr....

Hey you,

If you had a problem with X for next year, why did you suggest exactly X last year?

Please, don't change your mind without some kind of explanation.... or, at least some notice.

me

So Much for working at home....

or... why I hate Office 2007...

We have old office at home.

At school, every time I open my grade book, it tells me the file is in 97-03 format, which should work at home.

But, when I go to open the file it is an .xls file...

frack....

At least I live close -- but, I'll have to put on jeans --- grrr.

Grading Jail companion....

New Kitty is lounging on my clean but soon to be messy desk.... trying to "help" I'm sure.

Now she's staring at my monitor, it is kind of creepy, because while I know she can't actually read --- I'm not positive she wouldn't know if I wrote something bad about her....

could be an interesting afternoon in grading jail.

oh no, they didn't.....

... just say it could snow on Saturday morning ---

Really, Hubby will be home on Saturday for the SUMMER.

The prediction is for flurries, but -- Saturday is May 3.

If it is true that April showers bring May flowers, what does May SNOW bring?

Teaching Biomedical Ethics scares me...

If they can't make paper deadlines, how are they going to get me my medicine on time?

If simple directions like "bring the graded copy to my office" -- results in them bringing NEW a printout of the assignment... am I going to get the right medicine?

If giving a whole day to group organization results in groups coming to my door asking questions they were supposed to settle last week .... will they be running back to their nursing school instructors for help?

dammm--- I'd better lose weight, get to the gym and start reading up on health stuff... so I never get sick, because the future of nursing is scary.....

The semester's numbers....

4 sleeps until hubby comes home!

4 hours of 'optional time' in logic
4 hours of exam review...
65 or so Logic quizzes to give and grade
65 or so Logic grades to calculate
About 25 or so Logic final exams to grade
65 or so Logic grades to enter

1 semester in which I resist changing logic books, because I need to write my dissertation -- and don't want to prep a new logic text.

3 days of presentations to watch in Bio-ethics
25 papers to read and grade
25 grades to calculate and enter

Yea, I'm almost done.... and I'm quite happy about it.

Last weekend....

... was the last weekend I'll spend without Hubby until mid-August.

He'll be home for the summer at the end of the week, and I couldn't be happier about it.

YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watchin' Weeds....

I found Weeds Season 3....

YEA!

I doubt I'll get anything done today, and I can't say that I 've earned a day of sloth -- but, it sure feels good anyway.

RBO more snow on my toes

• The wind is howling, the snow is going sideways and the geese are curled up in little Canadian Goose shaped balls on the golf course.
• All the cats are sleeping on my bed.
  
• I have the makings for taco salad in the kitchen.... the BNstate version that includes Doritos. I'm going for the 'lite' version, with baked Doritos, turkey, lite Ranch dressing and non-fat sour cream. I'll let you know how it works out.
• I'm ignoring a sloppy apartment and a chapter that won't write itself --- although I did clean the catbox, as some things are necessities.
• I seem to have missed at least one or two episodes of Ugly Betty -- I've got to look into that, maybe I've got them on my ipod and I haven't watched them yet.... hmmmm.
• I'm happy that Boston Legal is moving to Wednesdays -- Tuesday was way too crowded -- what with Hell's Kitchen, NCIS and Deadliest Catch all on the same night.... Wednesday just has Top Chef --
  
• YEA, Army Wives will have a second season. If you haven't seen it -- you should, you'll recognize your girlfriends in the characters -- it is really good.
• Yesterday was the day of long talks with neat women.... After water aerobics, I went to lunch with my pals because one of them will be gone for a month visiting her hubby who is stationed at GITMO.... Yesterday evening was the regular (I hope) metro CC philosophy profs meeting -- it was scheduled for 7-9 PM -- but ended more like 10:30. Today my introvert-self is pretty tired....
  
• and --- when I went to the grocery store, I didn't wear my coat (hoodie sweatshirts don't count) and I wore my sandals. I refuse to accept that it isn't spring.... eventually mother nature will stop being po'd at us.
  

Neverending Winter....

Dear Mother Nature,

WTF!!!

What is that white stuff on the ground out there?

Seriously, my students are flipping out over finals. Hubby is done teaching for the year.

They've turned on the Air Conditioning system in our building --- thank goodness the heat also works....it seems like we'll need it.

Next week it will be MAY 1 ---

can't you read the calendar?

Is it going to snow in June, July??

What did we do to deserve this?

Love and kisses -- and many apologies,
BNState

One more thought on the debate thing....

To the 'dude' --

Let's be honest, you don't know what you're talking about.

You have the illusion of being on the inside, but even when you were on the board, you didn't work tab at the tournament. It would be IMPOSSIBLE to have you in tab, since you can't be objective about anything impacting your students. What you call being "in tab" means that you wandered in if you weren't judging.

You had no responsibilities -- in fact, I couldn't be sure you'd show up sober on either day.... and you are the HEAD FREAKING COACH.

You didn't spend ONE second of prep time chasing down judges in some strange school - and I often had to chase YOU. We also pushed countless ballots because you were having some kind of issue -- whether it was with alcohol or because you can't handle the fact that seniors get eliminated from the tournament.

Until you spend years doing the scutt work of the tournament, you just don't have a basis for making the kinds of conclusions you do...

FYI, Hubby and I were going to resign this year -- but, you and your students created a situation in which that wouldn't be possible. We're over the debate thing -- and people like you make us tired.

Also, if you love the tournament so much, why did you resign from the board to focus on policy? Why did you come back? I have my suspicions... but, writing any of them here would be pure speculation -- and they are all pretty mean-spirited, so I'll skip that part.

Suffice it to say that we've already had conversations -- and are making some changes. We've also contacted some pretty wonderful people to help us make those changes ---- what, you didn't get a call or e-mail from us? hmmmmm........

I'm out of titles.... about SNOW

Winter Storm advisory for today and tomorrow.

I'm not kidding.... and I don't really believe it. Is this an April Fool's day thing? If so-- they are LATE! Today is April 25th.

They say 3-4 inches for further north -- but snow is possible here too.

I'm not wearing my coat.

I'm wearing my sandals.

This is really, really, really silly.

Hubby taught his last class for the year yesterday -- and it is going to snow here.

Almost lease renewal time....

Next month we have to renew our lease -- already.

It doesn't seem like we've been here all that long.

The good news is that our raises ought to compensate for the $10.00/month rent hike :).... especially since they'll give us a $50.00 rent credit for renewing early.

I'm really glad not to be renting a house right now -- as something like 40% of the home foreclosures are on rental properties --- I can think of few things that must suck more than being evicted because your landlord didn't pay the mortgage, when you were paying the rent on time. You wouldn't even get all the notice that a homeowner gets when they don't pay -- because you don't own the property... some folks are just coming home from work and finding bank eviction notices on the door. They haven't had time to save for moving expenses or new deposits etc...

Really, it is renters like these folks the government should be helping out --- they really did nothing wrong and are losing their homes. At least the homeowners who signed bad contracts did something they probably shouldn't have ... these folks just rented a house and paid their bills....

Take your 'kids' to work day...

New Kitty doesn't like Freshpeople....

The boys are bored by presentations, and not all that logical....

Plus, blind kitty eats paper....

I think we ought to skip it this year.

Spring Fever..."Drive Like a Lady"

Since it is 75 today and sunny, I decided I couldn't wait for Hubby to bring the Jeep home.. I had to have deck furniture today!

So, I went shopping. If you are like me and don't want a whole set of furniture for your deck... especially if you don't want to pay more for deck furniture than you did for your living room set -- the best place to go is Lowes.

After looking at Home Depot, Target, CostCo and Lowe's -- I found what I was looking for... two really comfortable chairs. They are black iron and I found some cushions to fit them.

The real challenge was getting them into my car -- Toyota Corollas aren't exactly known for their hauling needs.... I knew that, in a pinch, I could call Sunshine -- who would have been sweet enough to bring her honey's truck to help me get them home... but this was kind of an independence challenge for me.

It turned into a geometry challenge. The backseat doors were just a bit too small. No matter how I rotated them, they wouldn't go in.

I could get them partially into the trunk, but I couldn't close the trunk.

That's when the Lowes Guy came by to help me tie them in. Actually, the rules prohibit him from tying the knots for me, but he did bring a long bunch of twine and helped me figure out how to get the in and tied down -- -

He sent me off with the advise to "drive like a lady" --- which the feminist in me puzzled over for quite a while.... but which I finally took as 'drive gently'...

Thanks to rush hour, I didn't have to drive fast, and I got my chairs home just fine...

Now, to put them on the deck!

The trunk ope

Last time in Red State....

... except, perhaps for yet as to be scheduled dissertation meetings....

This will mark the end of the second year of our LDR.

I really can't wait for it to be over, for the summer and forever.

Having two households is kind of a pain, but manageable -- it is not seeing one another all the time that I really don't like.

I suppose it is a good thing that I still love and miss my Hubby of 17+ years -- but, I wish that didn't have to be proven on such a regular basis.

We'll more than likely do it again next year (depending on Hubby's uni.. they are slow with the contracts) -- although where is an open question, as Hubby really wants a cat, and that may not be acceptable to the homeowners he's house sitting for. Of course, when they realize that it may not be a good idea to try to sell their house soon -- they may give in. There are lots of houses on the market around here, and one that has been for sale on this street since early October. A few more are listed as 'rent to own' -- and the neighborhood here just isn't all that big. Add to that the fact that they'll need to do quite a bit of work inside and out to be competitive (it is a nice place, for 1987), plus the fact that home prices have fallen a lot this year, and I suspect they'll let him have the cat. But -- it is another waiting game.

Really, the money is almost the same for us -- so he could live here or in his own place... The only advantage to staying here is not having to find a new place and put minimal furnishings in it....

So, tomorrow I'll do another Corn State drive. The weather is supposed to be decent, so it should be ok ----

Playing Hookey... kind of...

Yesterday I realized that I could take a personal day, not attend an on-campus event, and spend another full day with Hubby without canceling class. So, I'm going to do it!

Instead of driving home today, I'll today in Red State and drive home tomorrow -- I'll teach my night class, which conveniently starts at 7:00 PM this week...

It isn't as if I don't think this campus event is important, because I do, but after a long two years apart, this sounded like an amazingly good way to spend a personal day.

Favorite Bumper Sticker...

... I see it in the BNCC parking lot on a regular basis...

"I'm sorry I missed church, I was busy becoming a wiccan and a lesbian."

I have a feeling this student is already in my class, and if she isn't (and especially if she's a he..) they'll be my favorite next time....

An on-line something made me smile...

.... a job announcement.

The thing is, if the circumstances are what I think/hope/pray they are, it is happy.

No, I'm not applying. I'm not qualified and if I were, I'd strongly consider it -- but then think again and decide not to. It isn't even in my field or in my state... So those of you at BNCC can chill out :).

The thing is, the person whose job it is now / was -- isn't one of my favorites... in fact, it is one of the three non-people.

I don't know the details, but I do hope that this non-person is going elsewhere and not changing jobs within the organization or something... If they got a better job, more power to them -- and good riddance... I say don't let the door hit you....

and, a secret note to the search committee --- hire carefully, please. You've had not one but TWO 'problem children' in this job. Do a personality test at the interview or something -- really.

Outside to grade!

Red State is sunny and warm.

I've missed this weather --- and Hubby's place has a nice patio...

so, Grading Jail is going outside.

Teaching dream...

I don't blog about dreams very often, but this one needs some analysis...

There were two main points...

First, I kept a class really, really late -- late enough to infringe on the next instructor's use of the room. She was mad, which really bothered me -- especially since I couldn't seem to remember when my class was supposed to end.

Second, I had the same class meet me IN a lake to discuss an optional project they were going to do on climate change. We were all in swimsuits, in water over our heads. I was standing on a canoe tipped on its side (impossible... but, not in my dream) while Hubby sat on the other end. We were in the lake I grew up on... my sister (who died 6 years ago) lead us to shallow water so we could have our conversation. We discussed a few logistical things and I sent them to get dry and changed before class.

Is this an insecurity dream?

Grading Jail, Red State style...

I'm in grading jail this weekend.

I've just finished a set of logic quizzes -- most of which are pretty good, although they are making some dumb mistakes. Since next week is the Withdraw deadline, it is good for some of them to see that they can't pass --

Now that I'm done with that set of quizzes, I get to take a nap.

I'm officially old, now that a nap is a reward... sigh. The thing is, it is a rainy and dreary day here today, so a nap is in order.... really. It would be perfect (or purrrrfect) if Hubby had a cat I could nap with. Maybe next year....

Spring Fever...

It is a nice, warmish day. The door is open and I'm looking outside....

If I owned deck furniture, I'd be outside grading... as it is, at least I can look outside.

YEA Spring!

Wind in my apartment....

The warm weather is here and with it high winds...

Our apartment is on the corner of the building and it is kind of like living in a weird woodwind section....

plus, the stuff blows around on my deck something fierce.

Another version, another swim....

I now have another version of my most recent paper.

I think it is pretty good, and I hope it will accomplish its goals...

I now need to go to the gym to think about it a while -- there is nothing better than swimming to let you think... I'm glad we moved into a new place with a nice pool -- I'll need it this summer.

pool, here I come....

Plans for your check?

So, what do you have planned for the economic stimulus check you'll get in May?

We should put it toward bills....

instead we're going to take a vacation in July...

I figure by July it should be nice and hot down here, so we'll go north.

Also, by July we'll be pretty fried from writing our dissertations, so we'll need a break.

The plan is to go go up the lake a ways... (the big lake) Staying in the US on the way to and from Canada. We're going to Rossport Canada. We visited briefly on our trip a couple of years ago -- but we've always wanted to visit again. It is an old-fashioned hotel -- with few amenities, but nice chairs on the deck overlooking the lake, and a great restaurant.

On the way up, we might stay someplace that was a hunting lodge -- that has an amazing dining room and that serves afternoon tea -- On the way back we'll probably do the Best Western, because we'll be wanting some internet and a king sized bed :).

If we plan it right, we can get the weekday rates all around -- and have a nice, refreshing vacation....

HGTV makes me wonder...

I've been watching those shows where people go house hunting on TV.

Lately, it has been mostly young couples looking for their first homes.... one in particular was looking for a 4-bedroom home with a media room, formal livingroom and dining room, 3 bathrooms etc...

They were planning to live in it for two years (he's military on a 2-year assignment), and they had no kids -- nor was she pregnant.

The couldn't find one that suited them, so they ended up building a new house --

A new house they'd live in for 2 years, without any kids... AND, he's going to be on assignment a lot during that 2-years, so she'll be there BY HERSELF, in a 4 bedroom home.

Why do they need all that space? Why heat and cool it? Why build a new huge house someone else will then be compelled to buy for his bachelor pad -- or for the dog to live in while they build a house across the street?..

They had a nice down payment and could afford a mortgage of about $250,000. Why not buy a nice condo or townhouse that fits them -- which would have cost them about $150,000 -- and with their down payment, their mortgage would have been about $70,000. Instead, they bought a place that made their mortgage $223,000 -- -over three times what they would have financed had they bought a place appropriate to their actual needs...

Am I crazy for wanting to buy something that is just big enough for me, Hubby and 3 cats? 1 bedroom + den is big enough for us. Should I be wanting a big house in the suburbs?

We'll have to do that again....

I had coffee with a pal from work this morning. She's in a different field, but there are ways we are very similar, and other ways we are very different -- but in a good way.

Coffee was the perfect excuse to get together to chat. She's pretty busy with her family and I have a paper that I'm trying to focus on this weekend --- but we still wanted to have a time to sit down and talk.

I also like doing it on Sunday late morning, as I don't usually get anything done before noon on Sunday anyway...

I think I'll need to do it more often during my dissertation summer, as it will get me out of the house and give me reason to chat with someone who isn't writing their own dissertation.

"Into the Wild"

I suppose I can identify with the kid's wonderlust -- but, for cripes sakes, be a bit smarter about it... and, burning that money was a bad idea -- it could have bought you more FOOD, danged Generation MEer....

Really, the movie was beautiful and touching at some points, but I find the not calling the family part inexcusable. He didn't have to make them wonder if he was alive or dead, that was a terrible choice on his part.

still snowing.

drat -- the snow is just kind of cruel at this point.

Also, instead of planning a quick tropical trip, we are now planning to go to the big lake up north.... which is really ok with me, as the hassle factor of flying just doesn't sound like fun.

Summer school wasn't worth it...

Although I'm really happy we moved, it turns out that my additional summer school income increased our taxes by bumping us into the next tax bracket.... thus, adding about $5,000.00 to our tax bill.

After getting refunds for many years, we now owe about $1300, between two states and federal taxes.... ick.

That's after they take a lot out of my check-- those of you from out of state would die if you saw the comparison between my gross and my net.... union dues, retirement and taxes take out quite a bit.

Well, with hubby working at his current job, I've learned not to do summer school -- it really doesn't pay.

Sig or Gibbs....

The question is Sig Hanson of the Northwestern (on Deadliest Catch) or Gibbs from NCIS... both are hot in their own ways --

Both shows are having marathons today -- I've seen all the episodes of both, so they are great to have on in the office while I work.

It is a happy problem to have....

Thurnder Snow

Yep -- here in BNstate we have it all,

Snow, sleet, rain, snain, ice pellets --

and thunder and lighting... as it snows sideways.

Mom and I think alike..

We've both decided that it has to be spring, because we aren't going to wear our winter coats anymore.

This is more reasonable for me than for her -- she lives in the northern part of BNstate, up where they still have a couple of feet of snow...

but, since it is April, we just won't let it be winter anymore.

Home before the snow....

As I left campus today it was raining sideways.

Now it is snowing sideways.

The wind is whipping and it looks like mid-November out there.

I'm planning to have a work weekend this weekend -- but, I may end up going shopping for patio furniture, just to continue the illusion that it is really spring.

or, maybe I'll just bury my head in a book.

Shopping for deck furniture....

Tomorrow I might just go shopping for furniture for my deck.

That is my response to the "Winter Storm Warning" that starts today.

The forecast is for 4-6 inches of snow... much more up north.

really, I don't think it will ever end.

well.... that sucks...

I got some not so great news about a paper today...

but, the changes aren't impossible and the objection is reasonable, so I'm not crushed.

Of course I wish it were different, but it isn't.

I also really appreciate the tact, honesty and optimism of the person delivering the not so great news. As I go along, I'm seeing that I can learn many, many things from this person -- and that a choice I made quite a while back was a very good one.

Now -- I have some work to do....

I need some feedback on a feminist ethics course...

So, I'm thinking about a feminist ethics course I'm lucky enough to be able to teach.

It is in a Learning Community -- paired with a course that is both women's studies and international in flavor.

So, I have kind of a double challenge -- above and beyond the usual Ethics course. I need to include basic ethical theory and some applied ethics issues of my choosing to fulfill the course requirements. That part is easy enough for a normal section of this course and the basic ethical theory part is something I can (and probably do), do in my sleep.

I also need to include some basic feminist philosophy/theory, some basic feminist ethics of care -- So if you have some suggestions for articles or freshman level books, I'd love them. I have a copy of "Full Frontal Feminism"- but I haven't read it all yet. I've also found several articles by Virginia Held -- which seem to be on the right level for my students, because she writes very clearly :).

I'd like some suggestions on general applied ethics issues that are relevant to feminism. I'm thinking of discussing some assortment of abortion, sexual morality/sex workers/porn , use of reproductive technology, same-sex marriage and affirmative action... but I'd welcome other issues I haven't considered.

I'm thinking about making the international aspect of this the subject of their presentations/final papers... This will let the paper assignments form a connection between the two courses and allow them to work on something of interest to them... In order to make this work, I know I need a good set of issues -- and thus this is where I need the most help in terms of suggestions...

Also, what do you think about having the students present the international version of the issues... the idea would be that their work at the end of the course would build on the applied ethics issues discussed in class and include analysis using ethical theory... It is also kind of necessary, as the textbooks I have piled in my office are VERY US-centric.... sigh.

Hell's Classroom....

...is just a fantasy, but what a fantasy it is. The general idea is to run a classroom like Gordon Ramsey runs Hell's Kitchen.....

Imagine, just one class where you could tell-off the slackers, the eye-rollers, the high ones and the sleepers.

Imagine demanding answers to questions that should be obvious to any moron who has done the reading..... and humiliating the ones who don't know the answer, sending them upstairs to study until they get it right.

Imagine getting to fire one student every class period --- until you are left with only the ones who deserve credit for your course.

Imagine getting to give the losers icky and time-consuming tasks and rewarding the brilliant ones with lavish trips on yachts and stuff.

... what a perfect fantasy for the last month of school.

Update from grading jail...

I'm reading drafts -- and they aren't as bad as I thought they might be. That isn't to say they are good -- but they could be worse.

Of course, I have the following papers to go....
3 papers on Female Circumcision
1 paper on Chemical Castration
1 paper on forced sterilization of the mentally ill.

The papers on Female Circumcision could give an interesting perspective, as they are written by African males....

The last two are written by a couple of my favorite students, who will probably have something interesting to say.

Wish me luck!

more snow...

I live in the land of perpetual snow.

It is currently snowing.

They are predicting another snowstorm starting the end of the week.

Up north they got 2 more FEET of snow.

..... and they wonder why some people are skeptical about global warming.

I'm going back to bed for a while.

Spring progress report...

Spring is catching up to me... it is still kind of brown and very muddy out there, but the ice on the little bodies of water is almost gone, the ice on the big lakes is looking really icky and there is only a bit of snow here and there -- mostly in the shady spots.

It is also raining today -- which should take care of a lot of that leftover snow and ice.

I've been wearing sandals, shorts and a sweatshirt recently -- I really should get a pedicure and leg wax.... otherwise I'll look more like a dirty hippie than I'd like to :) --- not that I don't love some dirty hippies.... but, I'm not sure it is my best look.

Odd family traditions...

Hubby's home for the weekend...

Last night and this morning I picked up, cleaned a little, tamed the laundry and changed the sheets.

As I did so, I remembered the flurry of cleaning activities that would happen at our house before my step-dad came home from working in Chicago. My mom and step-dad had a long-distance marriage for 16 years (until he retired, moved in with Mom and almost made her divorce him). I used to resent the increased attention -- and the fact that we were cleaning for the man... I was a feminist child...

Now, I see it differently. I like having my sweet Hubby come home to a neat place....

He's in the tub with a Lush bath bomb right now -- then we'll go out for a sushi linner.... when the neat new sushi place opens at 3:30.

Funny how rumors work....

for those of you at BNCC -- this IS NOT related to work...really, I promise.

no -- really... don't show up at my office on Tuesday asking for the inside scoop, I've found that being department chair doesn't get me any new things off the grapevine... I swear...

A rumor is going around that X is going to happen.

The thing is, the forum where X is being discussed is being ignored by the people in charge of deciding X.

and the people in charge of deciding X haven't even discussed it.

As one of the people deciding X, I'd almost rather poke out my own eyeballs with a hot poker than actually do X in the way they are saying is probably going to happen....

If the people on the forum hadn't been mean to the people deciding X, then perhaps those people would be hanging around the forum and giving them better information.

As it is -- they're wrong, and when the decision is first discussed and then announced, y'all will look like fools.

RBO my day....

• New Kitty won the litterbox contest.... she gets to keep her automatic litterbox all the time now.... She really is hubby's kitty--- down to her preference for a technological solution. Of course, I won't get credit for this, as Hubby will be home tomorrow morning -- so I'll still rank below both Hubby and the Cat Sitter on her list of minimally-acceptable human beings.
• You know how I was contemplating getting sick and avoiding the 'event' -- well, lunch really didn't sit well with me. I'll leave it at saying it was probably best for everyone at my table that I didn't stay...
• The plough is melting. Ducks and geese are swimming in it and Canadian Goose mating season is in full swing.
• Hubby is coming home for the weekend -- and his finals week is the last week of this month. To say I'm excited just doesn't capture it.
• Now I need to go to the store, clean up a bit and do some laundry...
• When I go to the store, I'm going to wear shorts and sandals... because I've declared it officially to be spring!
  

I have some questions....

Using Gish rated language, please define the following terms...

1) "Hook Up" -- does this involve more than just kissing? Is a relationship required or is the point that you don't have a relationship?

2) "keeping it real"-- How could I 'keep it un-real' -- if that's the alternative... metaphysics isn't my strong area, but I have a funny feeling that whatever constitutes 'real' can't be avoided...

3) "that's how I roll"-- Are we talking driving or sushi??

4) 'da bomb' -- huh? Is it good or not? If I bomb a speech or a class, it sucks -- but the context seems to indicated that it is a good thing to be 'da bomb'... so, what does 'da' do to change the meaning of 'bomb'?

I can feel 40 sneaking up behind me, most of my friends are about my age and thus no help and hubby has just turned 40 ---

help!

New Kitty survived the day...

New Kitty, after being banished from the office for a while (for trying to kill my only plant), calmed down and thus survived the day.

She's even made nice with me -- or let me apologize to her --

I don't want to go....

... to the "thing" tomorrow.

Really, can't I just have my normal mellow Thursday of teaching and office stuff?

These 'things' have been pretty awful in the past. Highlights include a venue that really didn't work, getting cars stuck in the muddy parking lot, and being insulted by the hired speakers.

I'm actually kind of sad that I don't have an illness that would let me call in sick tomorrow. In the past, I was fortunate, as this 'thing' sometimes happened during or right after debate nationals... So I could miss it because I was out of town, or because I'd caught some bug at nationals.

aargh

Hubby saves New Kitty's life --- long distance

I was grading logic exams -- not paying attention to what New Kitty was doing when I hear a crash.... and feel dirt hit me.

New Kitty managed to make contact with the ONE plant we have -- it is on top of a tall bookcase and in order to do this, she needed to jump from the top of hubby's rolling office chair.

She managed to pull the plant down, scattering dirt everywhere.

I really thought that cat-a-cide wasn't such a bad thing....

Instead, I called Hubby --- he reminded me how much he likes her, so now she's just grounded from the office for the day.

26 students --- 94 excuses

Dang it, people -- how hard is it to write a draft of a paper?

and -- if you don't have a draft, how hard is it to send me an e-mail with your central ARGUMENT (not your question == and actual flipping argument).

Not to mention the tragedy....

One kid's girlfriend sent an e-mail from her work because their power went out and his brilliant masterpiece was trapped on his computer. We don't live in the sticks, folks -- if the power is out, it will come back in a couple of hours... if you are cutting it that close, you deserve to have tragedy strike.

Another girl's boyfriend supposedly had an accident at work and almost lost his hand.... really, I'm pretty skeptical, as she was a slacker last semester as well. I did let her e-mail her paper -- but I'm sure it isn't complete. News flash, honey - class is at 12:45 -- if your sweetie's accident was this morning, you should have had the darned thing done, or it was going to be crap anyway.

Sometimes I wish I could go all Gordon Ramsey in Hell's Kitchen on their pathetic little selves.... really, I admire the man for telling it like it is. Even with tenure, I can't have "Hell's Classroom".... sigh.

Tired....

Something upset my tummy last night....

I'm sleepy today -- thank goodness I'm giving a quiz, talking about a fun book and much later giving another quiz.

Maybe I'll be able to sneak home this afternoon for a nap...