Parts-n-Pieces

An Open Letter...To Part-Time Instructor at the Copy Machine

Dear part-time instructor,

You might not actually be employed part-time, because, you know, I don't know you.  You are not full-time faculty, though, as I do know them.  Maybe you are a graduate student?  Maybe you are an adjunct?  Lecturer?  I don't know.  But the thing is, you also don't know me.

So, really, just a thought:  you might avoid telling people-- in full hearing range of anyone walking by and people you have never met-- that you think your students are stupid and lazy.  Just sayin'.   You could have made that statement in front of someone who will make decisions about your future as a  lecturer/adjunct (or whatever).  You could have mentioned this in front of the provost or president. You could have mentioned in front of someone who would blog about it.  But most of us who are in the teaching profession like our students.  We don't think they are "stupid and lazy" (maybe they are immature, maybe they make choices we wouldn't make, maybe they struggle to balance God-only-knows-what in relation to a full academic schedule), but most of them are not stupid and most of them are not lazy.  Again, just sayin'.

Oh, and one last thing:  Really, even if you don't like your students (because we all don't always like our students), that's OK.  You just might not say so out loud, you know, in front of strangers.  On second thought, if you really don't like your students, maybe you should just get another job.  Leave the teaching of students to those of us who enjoy the work and appreciate the people sitting in our classrooms. 

Just sayin.'

My "Remember the Milk" List Keeps Growing

I know I'm forgetting some things, so I'll be adding to the list over the next few days.

• Make reservations for MLA, air and hotel
• Annotate three articles for Bedford Bibliography
• Visit doctor (2)
• Read those 722 937 1277 posts in Bloglines
• Continue to edit dissertation
• Create research agenda for spring semester
• Find "Sunday in the Park with George" for my diss director.
• Create on-line teaching portfolio
• Install larger hard drive to my laptop
• Write an essay prompt
• IRB forms for spring research project
• Finalize dissertation abstract
• Post-process Photographs from trip to LA

Finished:

• Prepare for funeral on Thursday
• Grade exams
• Send out last batch of job applications
• Finalize writing sample
• Grade 9 gatrillion more essay
• Write a unit exam for another class
• Grade 1 gazillion essays
• Order academic regalia (W00t!)
• Vote
• Send out last batch of job apps
• Order books for spring
• Create course descriptions for two of three courses (and they are new courses!)
• Grade 19 gazillion essays (yes, I wrote "gazillion")
• Create course handouts for next assignment (1 of 3)
• Create course handouts for next assignment (2 of 3)
• Create course handouts for next assignment (3 of 3)
• Organize all the paper in my home office
• Schedule dissertation defense
• Course prep for the week
• Finalize statement of teaching philosophy
• Create unit syllabus for comp courses (next assignment)
• Take dog to groomers
• Purchase dog food and cat food

15 Good Things (end of October edition)

Fifteen good things at the end of October.

1. Listening to Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell."  An oldie, but an oh-so-goodie.  I'm banging my head with the music.  He is, on a side note, an awesome performer live.  Really.
2. Having my blog platform upgraded with the new Compose Editor.  If you are a typepad user you know just how sweet this is.  Sweet.
3. Knowing the Bundle is in very best city on the entire planet:  San Francisco.   She'll love it.  It's as beautiful place.
4. Eating lunch with a friend today.  Perspective is always a good thing.
5. Drinking coffee with another friend yesterday.  Perspective is always a good thing.
6. Having cooler weather.  An awesome thing.  Sleeves on clothes?  A good thing.
7. Getting a flu shot the other day ... the flu shot last year didn't keep me from getting the flu, but at least while getting these two flu shots, I was able to meet up with a super-secret blogger.  (It was a super-secret blogger meet up.)
8. Attending a soccer match tonight to watch a favorite student kick ass.  Always fun.  Football game tomorrow where other favorite students will kick even more ass.  Good times!
9. Receiving notices from universities that they have received my application materials . . . a good thing.  It's an even better thing that I can't see or hear them laughing. 
10. Having my electricity turned off yesterday due to nonpayment.  Yes. It was a good thing.  Life had been hectic and uneven and I forgot.  (Yes, I really just forgot about it.)  The technician turned it back on in about 30 minutes because I paid the bill immediately, but the good part?  When the electricity was off I could see just how dirty my ceiling fans blades were.  Gross, actually.  They are now clean.
11. Knowing Ginger is getting better.  The super-duper prescription (read: expensive) dog food and antibiotics are helping her.
12. Feeling more and more comfortable with my decisions of late (not writing about those decisions here. You crazy?  I'm not.).  But knowing from my own history that by the time I make a firm decision about something, it's a good decision.  Even if it's not a good decision (however one defines "good"), I'm good with the consequences and with the outcome.  So for me?  It's good.
13. Receiving Southside Johnny's Under the Grapefruit Moon (the Songs of Tom Wait) and "Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes' Jukebox," the four-CD set.
14. Listening to Van Morrison.  'Nuff said.
15. Seeing students engage and respond, watching them learn.  I love teaching.

This was an easy list to construct.  I'm feeling better.

15 Items (Random, Unfortunate, Good)

'Cuz it's all I can muster:  15 random, unfortunate, and good things:

Random Things:

• Mailed out 12 job dossiers through Interfolio last weekend. Today?  12 more.  Interfolio makes this cumbersome process much easier.
• The Bundle spent several days last week in Idaho.  (Who knew that any place in Idaho would have a soccer team? They do.)  On the way back-- in order to save the (state) university money, the team took connecting flights home (or maybe there wasn't a direct flight; I don't know).  They all slept in the airport on Sunday night (no hotel charges, I guess), boarded the plane in Boise, then traveled to Oakland, Los Angeles, El Paso, and Dallas.  Four stops.  Then took a five-hour bus ride back to LA.  The Bundle has always needed a lot of sleep.  She didn't get any.  She's tired and oh-so-grumpy.
• But she gets to go to Hawaii next week.  Soccer in Hawaii and Idaho.  Who knew?
• Bloglines is not picking up the feed for this blog.  My readership has dropped significantly.  One day, though, the feed will reestablish itself, and readers will receive, oh, 37 new blog posts from me.  Good times!
• Referring soccer each weekend, I work with approximately 80 little boys (5 and 6 years old).  Sometimes they fall down.  Sometimes they scrape their knees or elbows.  Sometimes they get hit in the head with a soccer ball.  Sometimes they cry.  They are, after all, 5 years old (kindergarten).  When I play with them to cajole them back into the game (no one is really ever hurt . . . but children THINK they are hurt), I might say something like: "Is there blood?  No?  Then back in you go!" or "Your foot hurts?  What if I cut it off, then it won't hurt any more?"  I laugh and play with them all the time while teaching them the game of soccer.  They know I'm kidding.  Their parents know I'm kidding (I make these comments in front of parents or coaches).  Except one parent.  She didn't get it, and she complained to the league:  "That referee is threatening children that she'll cut off their feet! Make her stop!!!"

Unfortunate Things:

• My dog, once again, has bladder stones.  She eats prescription dog food.  She's now eating super-duper prescription dog-food.  Last time, she had to undergo surgery to remove the very large stone.  This time, we're trying the super-duper dog food and antibiotics that might dissolve the smaller stones in her bladder.  Poor puppy.
• My car battery died when I was at the animal hospital yesterday. Then it died again this morning.   Bummer.  (But see below how it turns into a "good thing").
• Seeing a woman so very unsupportive of another woman when they are both in a difficult situation.  That shouldn't happen.   But competition can creep in just about anywhere.  And it is often mighty ugly.
• Teaching a class the other day and it just tanked, and this is unfortunate.  It was the Monday after fall break, 9:00 a.m., and I'm certain students were adjusting to having a few days off from school, but still.  It tanked.  Big time.  I must go back into tomorrow and beat them into condition.  (heh)
• Oh wait, someone might read that last bullet and believe I will actually BEAT my students.  No, they are all too fast for me.

Good Things:

• Getting a discount on my car battery ($35 instead of $75) because I had a battery that was still under a partial warranty. Whohoo!
• Hearing that a 12-year niece of a blogging friend likes to look at my photographs.  How sweet!
• Having some really great students this semester.  Truly.  I'm blessed.  They are just great people.  Oddly, I tend to get a lot of football players in my classes (thus, the dissertation), but this time?  Swimmers.  They are everywhere.  But they are awesome.  Oh, and the tennis players, and the basketball players, and the couple of football players, and the equestrian rider ... interesting mix of young people.
• Having a roadside assistance program associated with my cell phone.  It's lovely to call for assistance and have it not cost anything. W00t!
• Retrieving comforters from the cleaners ... clean and clean smelling.

Dinner (in Photographs)

Old recipe:  brown sausage, add 2 cups of white/brown rice, chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, and chicken broth (2 cans).  Yum.

Larger images on Flickr.

Constructed Beauty at an Antique Mall: A Triptych

At an Antique Mall today, I noted a number of mannequins. 
This one is oddly beautiful, in that weirdly creepy sort of way.

The triptych is best large.

To Share or Not to Share (research, that is)

To share or not to share research ideas . . . what's the general consensus?  (Really.  I'm asking.  Please leave your answers in the comment section below.)

Generally, I'm happy to share my ideas and resources, bounce potential research subjects / topics off other people, collaborate with others, work with others to strengthen a not already strong thesis.  I believe there is more than enough for everyone . . . truly.  I'm happy to share the bounty.  We are all rich when we share the wealth.

That is, I'm happy to share until what I have shared is, um, borrowed and is presented as a solo notion.  Yep.  It happens.  And you gotta know, it makes me angry. 

What do YOU do when this happens to you and the work you do?

The End of Summer (Photographs Return Edition)

It's October in Texas . . . but it feels like it's still summer.  Today it was warm, sunny, and warm.  It felt like baseball and warm dusky light.

It's been July since I have posted a photograph to this blog or to the Project 365 blog.  I thought I'd lost my mojo.  Maybe not.

Here's to the beginning of another photography project,
one that I can't yet define.

Are you Aware? (October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month)

Are you aware that when a woman reports domestic or workplace violence, others often do not believe her?

Are you aware of the statistics?

• Are you aware that in Michigan, a woman is killed by a partner or former partner about once a week?
• Are you aware that of all the women killed in 1997 in Texas, 35% were murdered by their intimate male partners. This is higher than the national average of 28% reported by the FBI. (GenesisShelter)
• Are you aware that about 1 in 3 American women have been physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives?
• Are you aware that 40% to 60% of men who abuse women also abuse children? (Domestic Violence.Org)
• Are you aware that Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year to three million women who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year. (EndAbuse)

Are you aware of the abusers?

• Are you aware that abusers are not easy to spot?  "They may appear friendly and loving to their partner and family. They often only abuse behind closed doors. They also try to hide the abuse by causing injuries that can be hidden and do not need a doctor."  (Domestic Violence.Org)
• Are you aware that abuse is not an accident. "It does not happen because someone was stressed-out, drinking, or using drugs. Abuse is an intentional act that one person uses in a relationship to control the other. Abusers have learned to abuse so that they can get what they want. The abuse may be physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological." (Domestic Violence.Org)
• Are you aware that abusers often have low self-esteem. "They do not take responsibility for their actions. They may even blame the victim for causing the violence. In most cases, men abuse female victims. It is important to remember that women can also be abusers and men can be victims." (Domestic Violence.Org)
• Are you aware that persons of any class, culture, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, age, and sex can be victims or perpetrators of domestic violence?

Are you aware that domestic violence does not just happen in the home?

• Are you aware domestic violence happens in all kinds of relationships, in and out of the home and in and out of the workplace?
• Are you aware that of battered workers, 96% experience problems at work due to abuse, 74% are harassed while at work by their abuser, 56% are late to work, 28% leave work early, 54% miss entire days of work? (American Institute on Domestic Violence)

Are you aware that examples of abuse include:

• name-calling or putdowns
• keeping a partner from contacting their family or friends
• withholding money or resources
• stopping a partner from getting or keeping a job
• actual or threatened physical harm
• sexual assault
• stalking
• intimidation

If you are in danger, please use a safer computer, or call 911, your local hotline, or the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

That One '08

Yes, I bought the t-shirt.

Blogging Disclaimer (not that I need one)

As we move into the job search season, it's smart to think about blog content.  Chris had a very interesting post a few days ago about the content on his blog, and I'm going to follow his smart lead and state something similar here.

I blog.  Sometimes I blog a lot.  Sometimes, not so much.   Sometimes my posts are astute reflections on my profession, on the state of education, or pedagogical methods I've found useful in the courses I teach.  On the other hand, sometimes my posts are narratives of the seldom noticed detail, the beautiful, the inane, the real.  They often contain pictures of my dog.

The past six months or so-- because of time constraints-- I've been reduced to producing random bullets in lieu of anything substantive.  Over the six years I have been blogging, however, I have produced a good mix of post types:  personal, cultural, sociological, professional.  Those can range from writing about writing classes, writing about writing, writing about the pedagogy, writing about students as a whole (never anyone individually named).  I think I have something to contribute to this profession, and I do it through this blog.

I am fortunate, highly fortunate in fact, that I have a good audience for this blog, people who understand the rhetorical function of blogs.  Many folks in my profession keep their own blogs and they read (and comment on) this work.  We have dialogues.  We have conversations.  It was been a wonderful professional tool.  That said, I do not write anything here that I would be embarrassed to acknowledge publicly.  In fact, there is nothing here that I would not tell directly to anyone who would ask.  There are no secrets, there are no cleverly hidden clues to "real stories."

So, if you are new to Parts-n-Pieces, welcome!  Look around in the archives.  Take a look at my photography.  There are links to student-produced work in the gutter.  There are a few video updates that I did not have time to continue, but I'll get back to that.  I stand behind all that's here, as I believe this method of writing is valuable.  Very valuable.

The Only Good Dissertation is a Done Dissertation

If you follow me on Twitter and Facebook updates, you know that I submitted my completed dissertation to my committee this afternoon.

After months and months and years of working at this degree, and feeling as if I would never come to the end of the work given all the other responsibilities in my life, I have.  I'm almost at the end.  My director's comments were that the committee will read over the work for the next few weeks, makes notes about what I need to modify, then we'll schedule a defense for early November.  Between now and the first of December, I'll make whatever changes are necessary to the work.  But it's possible that by early November, I'll be a Ph.D.

I write that-- "early November" --and it doesn't seem quite real.  Holy crap.  Digression:  when I lived in Tokyo I used to just walk down the street-- minding my own business.  I would have these sudden attacks of surreal moments:  "I'm walking down the street in Tokyo, Japan," I would tell myself.  It didn't seem right.  Me.  In Japan.  Completing the dissertation and being a Ph.D.?  It's like that, surreal.

Suddenly, I'm very, very tired.

Things I will do now that I'm not writing about alternative programs and pedagogies for underprepared student-athletes (but I'll do them starting tomorrow):

• Take photographs.  I have missed my camera and using photography as a way of seeing the world.  Maybe I won't go back to Project 365-- as I did that for 18 months-- I think I'll start something else.
• Visit with my family.  I'll see the Bundle in a few weeks when I go to LA.  Can't wait!!
• Apply for a job ... a lot of them, actually. 
• Wash my car.  Really.  It's bad.
• Read blogs.  I have 837 blog posts in my feed reader that have been ignored for the past few weeks.
• Write blog posts.  I've missed writing here.
• Grade student essays.  I'm sure students will be happy to get them back. 
• Celebrate the submission, the revision, the defense, and the graduation.  Lots of celebration going on in these parts.
• Visit San Francisco (see applying for a job above).
• Clean my house. 
• See San Francisco (since I once lived there, I want to visit the places I used to visit).
• Get a haircut.
• Referee soccer.
• Buy another graduation present for myself, something not quite as expensive as the first present I bought myself.  (hee hee; click the link and go to the last item) 
• Exercise-- yes, it's been a while --and I want to get back to it.
   

But for now, it's time for bed. I'm bone tired.  Tomorrow starts a whole new chapter . . . ok, the new chapter will be planned tomorrow. That new chapter will actually begin . . . early November.

Cross posted at Dissertation Boot Camp.