Pharyngula Mutating Genre Meme

I've been tagged by Dr. Brazen Hussy with the Pharyngula Mutating Genre Meme, which honestly sounds like some kind of a disease rather than a cool bloggy deliciousness. I do like memes, and I'm so excited to be tagged.(That's really goofy, I know, but what can I say? I'm a nerd.) This meme was started by PZ Meyers at Pharyngula as a means of demonstrating evolution in cyberspace.

First, the rules:

There is a set of questions below, all of which are in this format: "The best [subgenre] [medium] in [genre] is . . . ."

Copy the quesions, and before answering them, you may modify them in a limited way, carrying out no more than two of these operations:
*You can leave them exactly as is.
*You can delete any one question.
*You can mutate eiher the genre, medium, or subgenre of any one question.
For instance, you could change"The best time travel novel in SF/Fantasy is . . . " to "The best time travel novel in Westerns is . . ." or "The best time travel movie in SF/Fantasy is . . ." or "The best romance novel in SF/Fantasy is . . . ."
*You can add a completely new question of your choice to the end of the list, as long as it is still in the form "The best [subgenre] [medium] in [genre] is...."
*You must have at least one question in your set, or you've gone extince, and you must be able to answer it yourself, or you're not viable.

Then answer your possibly mutant set of questions. Please do include a link back to the blog you got them from, to simplify trcing the ancestry, and include these instructions. Finally, pass it along to any number of your fellow bloggers. Remember, though, your success as a Darwinian replicator is going to be measured by the propagation of your variants, which is going to be a function of both the interest your well-honed questions generate and the number of successful attempts at reproducing them.

So, without further ado:
My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparent is Pharyngula.
My great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparent is Metamagician and the Hellfire Club.
My great-great-great-great-great-great grandparent is Flying Trilobite.
My great-great-great-great-great grandparent is A Blog Around the Clock.
My great-great-great-great grandparent is Primate Diaries.
My great-great-great grandparent is Thus Spake Zuska.
My great-great grandparent is k8, a cat, a mission.
My great grandparent is Monkeygirl.
My grandparent is DancingFish.
My parent is Brazen Hussy.

The best young adult novel in SF/Fantasy is: Feed, by M.T. Anderson
The best teenage movie in comedy is: Dazed and Confused
The best uplifting song in country music is: I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack
The best cult novel in classic fiction is: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The best high-fat food in Mexican cooking is: Mole!
The best dissertation related words I ever received from a scholar are: "I'm surprised your committee let you do that."

Whew.

You're tagged: Jen, Kathryn & Paul, Belle.

Flu Shot

Oh! and I forgot to mention an IMPORTANT THING that happened today. After my department's research meeting (in which we post goals and generally keep each other accountable), we all decided to head over to the health service to get flu shots. For me at least, if I go through another spring semester with bronchitis, I'll be seriously looking for a new place to live! I'm hoping the flu shot will help.

We stood in line for about an hour (frustrating) while the clock kept ticking closer and closer to the time when I was supposed to be in this semester's geology class, taking the second test of the semester. I got my shot just at the moment when the professor was handing out the tests (I imagine), and was packing up when Nurse Brunhilda said, "Now you'll have to wait 20 minutes to see if you have a reaction to the flu shot. We've got some nice cookies in the next room."

I looked at my watch.

"Shit. I have a test to take right now."

She put her hands on her hips, scowled down at me from her high horse, then shook her finger at me. "If you pass out, it's on your own responsibility. It'll be your own fault."

I can live with that. But I did spend the first 20 minutes of the test sort of checking myself. I was actually relieved to get past that first 20 minutes. Cause there's not a chance I'll have a reaction after that, right?

I think I did pretty well on the exam. Some stuff I didn't study very much, but on the whole pretty fair. I'll let you know when I get it back.

Some Stuff

I didn't attend either of the offered brown bag T&P discussion meetings this year (in which junior faculty can ask questions of members of the college T&P committee), though I have in the past. They're actually quite helpful, though the nervous energy strafing through the room is a bit off-putting.

It felt good to know that I don't need to attend that meeting, that the papers are all out, the packet will soon be turned in, and it's pretty much out of my hands at this moment.

Now if I had spent the time grading the looming stack of papers threatening to take over my office, THAT would have been perfect. But no, I didn't. I messed around with various screen video and voice recording systems, ways to post podcasts (short ones) so that my students could read them. I did end up using a free software called WildVoice to finish providing feedback to my students' memoirs (and I think I was able to provide much better and more thoughtful feedback than I ever have before because I just talked into a microphone about strengths of the writing, areas that needed work, etc.). I'm a bit put off by the posting site for WildVoice, as when I went to see who had downloaded their feedback, there were all these pictures of scantily clad women in the advertisements. Not really the kind of academic ambiance I was shooting for there!

But anyway, Slogger and I just returned from the volleyball game (we won in 4) and will be heading out for a football game this weekend in nearby military town. The weather is supposed to be beautiful.

Yes, I'm taking a small stack of papers to read in the car. Can't help it!

I think we already knew this . . .

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

What are you doing? Not grading...

I so need to get my ass to my office and grade some papers. And I'm so not doing it.

It's snowing outside!

Surprise Prize

OK, I saw this at Maggie May's and made a commitment, which I'm honoring here. Sounds cool --


By the end of the calendar year, I will send a tangible, physical gift to each of the first five people to comment here. The catch? Each person must make the same offer on her/his blog.

So, if you (a) want a gift; and (b) have your own blog on which to post this offer, then please, comment away!

Camtastic!

After a chance conversation with a fellow faculty member, I got this great idea to record feedback for my students' writing. Then I found Camtasia, which is a software that allows me to record screen shots as video and to overlay voice recording. So I've been taking my students' memoirs (recently written and handed in), pulling them up on the course wiki (http://www.uwenglishmethods.pbwiki.com/), and then using Camtasia to record video of their writing, along with my comments. I played around with posting them on the wiki, but was not able to get that to work (yet). So for the short term, I'm burning a cd for each student with the video on it. That's what I'll be doing most of the day tomorrow.

Also found this cool video: http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=119. The class apparently used googledocs to collaboratively produce the survey that they used for the video. This is interesting, as I've been talking with another colleague about how to provide ways for students to collaborate both asynchronously and synchronously.

I'm also really interested in what I might learn from the K-12 Online Conference, which is currently underway. Presentations in the Web 2.0 thread start on Monday, and I'll be eagerly accessing those next week, when I'm not teaching, recording my thoughts on memoirs, or in meetings. Sigh. Too much to do, and all of this stuff to do is getting in the way of my technogeeking.

In other news, it was not a good day for university sports as our football team and volleyball team both got beat. Interesting football game, as it was interrupted by lightning and delayed for almost 2 hours. We went home, got warmer jackets and waterproof pants, and came back to the game so we could watch our team get pounded. Bummer.

RBOC: Sunday Afternoon Edition

I haven't blogged in a while, largely because I've been freakishly busy getting ready for a conference, attending a conference, and recovering from the conference. But anyway, here are some things going on in my noggin lately.

• "Old lady." I got a bit of flak from a dear reader (and lord knows, I don't have enough dear readers, so I must respond when the few I have get upset) about the way I referred to myself in a recent post as an "old lady." Granted, I have some gray hairs on my head, but I really don't think of myself as old. Or as a lady, either, but that's another story. Really, C, I was referring to my relative oldness in relation to the very young people in my geology class.
• It snowed a bit last night, and we put the storm windows up today. Which makes me want to cry, cause I'm not ready for winter. At. all.
• I'm thinking of becoming a bit of a philanthropist, though I probably don't have the money to qualify. Back in the 80s, I taught for three years at a secondary school in Uganda. At the time, that school was a mixed gender boarding school; now it is a girls' school. I'm trying to get in touch with the headmaster or headmistress to see if perhaps I can be a conduit for things that they might need. Books, maybe? Writing materials? I am interested in seeing if my student organization would like to work with them... anyway, I'll see how that works out. It's exciting, at the least, to contemplate the possibility of renewing ties with the school.
• Football this weekend was scary. The last three minutes of the game practically gave me a heart attack. We did win, but it was touch-and-go there at the end.
• I have TONS of grading to do, that I haven't yet touched.
• We just bought a bunch of new furniture and it is making our living room much more habitable. Which makes it harder to do the grading I should be doing, in my office/dining room.

Fame and Fortune; At Last They Come Home Where They Belong

In Wednesday's geology lab, we participated in a minerals/rock-identification exercise that was really a review of the previous geology course I took last fall. It was great fun, and a good reminder of why I'm so interested in geology.

So at the end of the lab, my lab partner and I were attempting to identify "unknown rock C," along with about 7 other students. Clustered around the table at the front of the room, we debated what minerals were present in the rock, whether it was more mafic or felsic, intrusive or extrusive, and attempted to locate the rock on a chart that would help us identify it.

"Andesite," I said. "I think it's andesite."

My colleagues gathered around differed, each offering a different hypothesis as to the identity of the unknown. Eventually the TA -- noticing our debate -- came over to walk us through the identification process. After this, she finally pronounced that the rock was . . . andesite.

One of the students (a member of the university marching band, I believe; probably all of 19 or 20 years old) said to me, "Next week, will you be my lab partner?"

YEAH! Score one for the old lady of the class!

Dear Geology Major . . .

who sits in front of me in my geology class:

Your swiveling classroom seat is not an easy chair or a lounge chair or your living room sofa. You are sitting in class, not in front of the TV. The professor's lecture may be boring, but I bet if you really try, you can drum up a bit of enthusiasm for understanding how the systems that make up our atmosphere work. When you slide your butt down in your chair, stretch your long legs out in front of you, and reach back with your arms as if you are participating in some crafty new-age yoga pose, your hands end up about two inches in front of my nose. I could casually reach over with my pencil and poke you in the top of the head. In other words, you are seriously invading my personal space.

I have refrained from doing so thus far, out of kindness to your kind in general (i.e. young, silly undergraduates) and because I enjoy watching the professor get astonished at your overall stretchiness and flexibility in the middle of a classroom lecture. But my patience is nearing an end. If you feel a poke on the top of your prematurely balding head, or if the backwards-pointing brim of your baseball cap gets knocked down any further than it already is, you'll know it's me.

Signed,

Old Lady Who Sits Behind You In Class

You Never Call, You Never Write

I'm trying not to complain, but since I had to miss class on Monday (because I was doing some professional development work for a school district) I emailed my professor on Friday, asking for Monday's homework so I could get started on the homework on Tuesday. Here it is, Tuesday night, and still no response.

Guess I'll pick it up in class on Wednesday.

Homework

In this semester's attempt to achieve science nerd queen-ness, I'm taking a 2000 level geology class that takes a systems approach, involves some chemistry, and really pushes on my (somewhat rusty) quantitative skills.

It's that last part that is the reason why each week's homework (handed out on Monday; due on Friday) TAKES ME ALL WEEK TO FINISH SUCCESSFULLY. Last week's assignment involved the quadratic equation. Now I do remember learning the quadratic equation back many, many years ago. But really, in my life as an English/adolescent literacy type, there's not a whole lot of call for it. So this week, as in every previous week, the homework (initially) stumped me. I got help from all and sundry, including Footslogger, my math teacher friends, the class TA, and a math professor. Eventually I did finish it, though I'm pretty sure there are mistakes in it.

We also had a test on Friday, and I'm pretty sure I did ok. As always, the content of the course is interesting, and the math points up the weaknesses in my background. Oh, and how long it has been since I took algebra (24 years, to be pointed).

On a completely unrelated topic -- but one that is on my mind this weekend -- I heard a rumor (oh, how I hope this one isn't true) this weekend about a former student caught in some reprehensible behavior with a high school student. Makes. Me. Sick. I know this behavior is not a reflection on me or my teaching, but it makes me feel that I failed this student somehow. It is a sobering reminder that my students -- future teachers -- have huge responsibilities to their students and to the parents of those students. Which makes my responsibility that much more serious.

Oh, the drama.

Just a short note to say that I'm freaking out because I have no idea how to do my homework assignment for my geology class. It involves half-life and requires manipulation of an equation.

Can you say 23 years since I took algebra?

I'm going to try to email my lab instructor to get some help. Or maybe my husband can help me. Otherwise, I'm lost.

Education? Computers?

OK, I saw the career thing flying around at Dr. Crazy and Profgrrrrl, and decided to go and do it myself.

So here are my top 10 careers, according to Career Cruising:


1.Professor

2.Foreign Language Instructor

3.ESL Teacher

4.Music Teacher / Instructor

5.Computer Support Person

6.Computer Programmer

7.Computer Trainer

8.Elementary School Teacher

9.High School Teacher

10.Multimedia Developer

I find it quite interesting that ALL of the top 10 involve either education (which I've been doing for lo these 23 years) or computers (which I'm a freakin' geek about).

If you want to go and try, the username is nycareers and the pw is landmark.

Summit video

Here's a short video of the final summit of Katahdin, the successful end of my pursuit to complete the Appalachian Trail. Narrated by Footslogger, of course.

No Need for Prerequisites

The course I'm taking this semester is a 2000-level geology course, which apparently takes an earth systems, geochemical approach to geology. The first day of class, the professor emphasized the prerequisites, including a 1000-level geology course with a lab and a chemistry course.

After class, a student came up to the professor and explained that he didn't have the 1000-level geology course prerequisite.

"But," he said, "I should be ok. My grandfather is a geologist."

Yeah, that should work.

Retreat

Yesterday's college retreat (or as I like to say "retreat" cause it's not really a retreat unless I'm doing meditation or getting a facial) was actually the best we've had in recent years. The focus was on diversity and the presenters made the experience interactive, informative, and interesting. Lunch was good, the company of my colleagues was fun, and I even had the (somewhat scary) experience of roleplaying a conversation about diversity with a colleague in front of EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COLLEGE.

Don't know why I volunteered for that one, but I was SO happy when it was over.

Oh, Hail!

Along with our typical 2:00 rainstorm came a nice bit of hail, as seen on our deck:

Advice for New Teachers

If you're a new teacher, I hope you'll read the post by Ms. Cornelius offering advice for new teachers on classroom management, supplies, presentation, and keeping healthy. FANTASTIC STUFF! Read the comments, too, because there are some great ideas there as well.

2000-Miler

It's official. As of August 17th, I have hiked all 2,175 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

I've been working on becoming a 2000-miler for the last 6 years. Here's how that endeavor has played out:

2001: This is the year in which I hiked the majority of the trail -- about 1,700 miles. I began March 17th and hiked to Damascus, Virginia. It was during the last few days of that section that I injured the muscle in my rear which forced me to come off the trail for a month and a half. I got back on in Waynesboro, Virginia and hiked to South Egremont, Connecticut, then skipped up to Hanover, New Hampshire and hiked to Gorham, New Hampshire. Then I skipped up to Monson, Maine and hiked the 100-mile wilderness and summitted Katahdin. Good chunks of trail that I completed, but still missing a few bits here and there.

2003: Footslogger's thru-hike. I hiked with him most of the section in Virginia (between Damascus and Waynesboro.

2004: I hiked the 20 miles into Damascus, from the road where I stood, crippled, and got a ride from a kind friend into town in 2001.

2005: I finished up the Virginia section and hiked from South Egremont, Connecticut to Hanover, New Hampshire with my friend, colleague, and hiking buddy, Red.

2006: Gorham, New Hampshire to Rangeley, Maine (by far, the hardest 100 miles I have ever hiked).

2007: Rangeley, Maine to Monson, Maine. This is the bit I just finished, having returned home last night after a 20-hour travel day! After we finished this 105-mile section, we took a day off (much deserved, by the way) and then got ourselves to Mt. Katahdin for a final summit. As usual, the beauty and grandeur of that mountain completely amaze me.

As I am now a 2000-miler, I've been giving some thoughts to lessons that I've learned from the trail over the last 6 years. Here are a few ideas, for starters:

1. No matter whether I hike 10 miles or 25 miles on any particular day, I always end the day exhausted. I believe it's because I don't take enough breaks. Or maybe that I know I should be exhausted, so I make myself that way?

2. The only certain diet plan I've ever been successful with is a thru-hike. In 2001, I lost 40 pounds in 6 months; unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep off that weight.

3. There comes with a thru-hike a sense of confidence. If I can hike this amazingly difficult trail, I can do just about anything. That has helped with lots of other things that don't necessarily come easily in life.

4. Anywhere is in walking distance, if you have the time.

5. Long-distance hikers are both amazingly wonderful and wonderfully annoying. There are characters; there are thieves; there are gearheads; but mostly there's this wonderful community of people who are all aiming for the same thing, and looking out for each other along the way.

6. I should buy stock in the company that makes Snickers bars.

7. The human body is an amazing machine. Just two days ago I was sitting at the base of Mt. Katahdin, looking at the top, and thinking, "I got my body all the way up there and back again. How did I do that?" My body is strong and capable. That's a good thing.

8. Singing helps me hike when I'm exhausted and my feet are feeling battered and bruised. It's probably a good idea for me to sing more.

9. Uphill is much better than downhill. Or even flat, if you can believe it. I like the feeling of getting my breathing in a rhythm, pushing myself up a hill, and making it to the top. Going downhill punishes my knees; hiking on flat hurts my feet.

10. Whining about pain, exhaustion, dehydration, hunger, etc., only makes whatever I'm suffering from feel worse. A metaphor for life, I think.

Obviously, this man is my soulmate...

Just read a recap of a speech by Jim Cummins at the state NCTE conference in California. I so wish I had been there to hear him speak! Because just reading it, I gave him a standing ovation.

Some of the things I've been saying for years are in his speech. Just one example is the unconscionable amount of instructional time being lost to testing. This is something I have personal experience with, as student teachers under my supervision, every spring, spend literally weeks overseeing students taking tests. And that's just the time being spent on TAKING the tests, not the time spent by teachers (who are, yes indeed, afraid of losing their jobs if their students don't perform well) on preparing students to take the tests. I'm still waiting for the huge uprising of parents against the amount of time and the stress involved in these tests. Ridiculous. Parents, you should sue!

And then also there's the preposterous idea that the tests students are taking actually represent what they are capable of. We have those data, sure, but what other data might we also be collecting to help us understand how our students are doing?

And don't get me started on notions of "highly qualified" teachers that take into account ONLY the content the teachers have and not their actual ability to develop a classroom community, organize and carry out instruction, interact with other humans, etc.

Anyway, if you have a minute, go and read the overview of Jim Cummins' talk. That is an enlightened man.

Writing Project notes

The weekend beginning Friday, July 13th (and no, there was no bad luck associated with it) began this summer's invitational with the Wyoming Writing Project. I'm one of 12 "fellows" and -- along with several staff members -- we spent the initial weekend at the lovely Elk Mountain Hotel. The fellows are mostly teachers, with me (teacher educator), a school librarian, and a couple of principals. All education folks, anyway. We spent all day last Wednesday through Friday writing, brainstorming, and taking a field trip to Rock Springs. Why Rock Spring? you may be asking.

The culminating project of this year's Wyoming Writing Project will be writing, producing, and performing a play based on the massacre of @30 Chinese miners in Rock Springs in September of 1885. So we had a little tour of Rock Springs, so that we could more clearly envision the events and the places of the massacre.

If you'd like a little more information, here's a Wikipedia entry to get you started.

We also had to develop an essential question . . . I decided to focus on this one: "How does knowledge work?" which will allow me to do some personal and professional research related to knowledge transfer between differing types of settings.

I have a feeling that, over the course of the project (still 2 more weeks to run) we'll all get to know each other really well. I'm happy that so far no one has emerged as a complete wack job, and everyone is getting along fairly well. Perhaps we are still in a honeymoon phase . . .

I am most excited about being pushed to write. I don't take enough time to write for myself; instead, I'm constantly doing professional forms of writing, which are fulfilling, certainly, but lack a certain intimacy that I would like to have in my writing. So far I've done a scad of journaling, written a few poems, and begun reading on high-road and low-road transfer. I think that this experience will also be helpful in terms of my classes next fall; I'm hoping that I can transfer some of the community-building experiences and build teaching patterns for transfer into my classes.

Finals Week

Well, sort of. I have basically this week to finish my syllabi for fall courses, write and prepare materials to send to outside reviewers, and write my program report for accreditation. Why so much in just one week? Well, because starting Friday I'll be a "fellow" in the Wyoming Writing Project and when that finishes we'll be heading out east to hike about 100 miles on the AT in Maine. When we come back from that (much slimmer, I hope!), I'll have 4 days before the meetings and other crap begin that signal the onset of the fall semester.

So, I'll be working my ass off this week -- no slacking!

Day Hike

Yesterday's day hike down French Creek Canyon in the Snowy Range was delightful! The trail begins on the ridge of a steep canyon (the French Creek Canyon, don't ya know) and then follows that ridge down into a beautiful meadow. Going out is mostly downhill, which means that going back is mostly uphill. It was a great hike, a good workout, with lots of beautiful sights.

The trail follows French Creek down its canyon, which means our hike was accompanied by the sounds of rushing water and opportunities to soak our feet. . .

. . . and now that I'm a nerdy geology buff, I noticed some interesting rock formations that I still know nothing about. One day, however, I will understand these . . .

8 Things Meme

OK, I've seen this meme at Russian Violets, Dr. Crazy, and others. No one tagged me, but I thought it might be interesting to see what I can come up with, then to tag some folks and see if anyone actually follows through.


Here are the rules to play:

1. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.

2. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.

3. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.



So -- 8 random facts about Dr. Bad Ass:



1. I have a bad habit of picking at my cuticles; I can only keep myself from doing this by giving myself frequent manicures and keeping my nails painted.

2. When I was in third grade, I told a fellow third-grader (yes, a "popular" girl) that I had broken my leg the summer before. Somehow, I thought this would make me cool.

3. I went to Girl Scout camp every year between the ages of 8 and 14. Then I became a Girl Scout camp counselor.

4. When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a truck driver. My mother did not approve. Now I'm THRILLED that I didn't become a truck driver, since I hate driving 45 minutes to the mall in the next town over!

5. I like going to conferences, but I rarely go to sessions not presented by me, my students, or my grad school colleagues (yeah, Margaret, Gwynne, Melanie, Cheri, George, and Alison!).

6. The young adult lit course that I taught last spring was my best experience as a college teacher ever. You guys were fabulous!

7. According to my mother, when I was two years old, I wanted to do everything "my-by-self." Still do.

8. I love our Farmer's Market here in town, but I wish they would just give away baskets of cherries and forget everything else.



I know I'm supposed to tag 8 people, but .... I don't think 8 people who blog read this! So here are the folks I'm tagging:



Tessa (your mom or dad can do it for you!), Jen, Kathryn and/or Paul and of course, anyone else out there who hasn't already done it.



Connie, it's time for you to have your own blog, now . . .



8-)

Once Again, with the Old Manuscript

Now I'm finally back to revising (for the umpteenth time) that old manuscript. We got a revise and resubmit for it, and fairly good and substantial reviews, so I'm at it again. I do like revise and resubmits, for the improvements I can make to my writing. However, having been burned last year with two revise and resubmits that were later rejected, I've become a bit cynical.

Some of you may find that hard to believe.

But really, the reviewers are asking for additional data (which we have!) and it's a matter of polishing up, adding material, being thoughtful about our implications, and in general, good researchers and writers. I think we can do it. Whether it will then get accepted and I can stop messing around with this old thing (which is now called version 17) is yet to be seen.

Anyway, it's Friday, and I've about done everything I can on it.

Bullets

• Recovering from a Weird Virus. Well, first Loving Spouse (hereafter known as LS) had it. Then I got it. What is "it" you may ask? It's a weird virus that only made us a little sick, but sick enough to feel crappy, dragged down, and lie around in our easy chairs for several days. Neither of us could figure it out, but we did lots of sleeping and lots of complaining for the 3-4 days that it took to work out of our systems.


• Underwater Video Progress. I've already got the camcorder; two days ago LS ordered the video housing for me. Yesterday I ordered a battery that should last 100 minutes. Next thing you know, I'll be posting videos from our next dive trip on this blog.


• Work Stuff. Movement toward this year's T&P review is underway. I won't say more about it, but getting confirmation of a manuscript's acceptance several weeks ago leaves me feeling pretty good about it.


• More Work Stuff. The Weird Virus (see above) put a big kibosh on my work, which means I have tons to do this week and it is already Wednesday! So I should stop blogging immediately and get to work. But I won't.


• LibraryThing. Love it. I can spend HOURS cataloguing my books, which means hours not spent working.


• Window Boxes. We put up window boxes on our house and filled them with flowers. They are beautiful!

Happy Nude Hiking Day!

OK, it's really the Summer Solstice, but to long-distance hikers, it is Nude Hiking Day. In 2001, I was hiking through the Shenandoahs on June 21st, so I didn't hike nude. Why, you may ask? Well, because I didn't want to freak out the little children and their parents (tourists) that I encountered multiple times a day as the trail crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway. I didn't think that little children should be exposed to adult hiker nudity. Way too hairy, believe me!

I did see several hikers who hiked nude, though -- using bandanas for strategic coverage. Let's see, the trail names of those folks were Hippy Longstocking, and a couple of others I can't remember . . . maybe Stovetop? I know that my buddies Skidmark and Balloo hiked naked in 2003, cause that's the kind of folks they are. Fun-loving and crazy. Anyone who takes their three-month old on her first camping trip has my complete love and respect.

It's been a week or so of helping Continental Divide Trail (CDT) thru-hikers. Today we shuttled Sly to Cheyenne, so he could take a bus to Glacier in Montana; and we dropped Haiku off at the bus station, where he's taking a bus to Denver as I write this. None of them were naked, by the way.

I spent a good bit of time today -- no, not being naked, get your mind out of the gutter! -- checking the edits of my fantastic chapter authors. You should know that almost all of them got their edits back to me within the deadline, and they did an excellent job of addressing all of the queries posted by the publisher. I just had one clarification to make, and it was easy. All of THAT makes me a happy co-editor.

I have a manuscript to review, a dissertation to read, and a manuscript to revise, but maybe I'll get to all of those tomorrow . . . when it's NOT nude hiking day.

Near our campsite at Lower Silas Lake . .

was this big rock. Cool, huh?

Lower Silas Lake

On Saturday, we drove to Rawlins, picked up Sly (a CDT thru-hiker) and drove to Lander, where we had a lovely lunch at the Gannett Grill. In Lander, we ran into Haiku (another CDT thru-hiker); we then drove both of them to Atlantic City/South Pass City so they could get back on the trail.

More driving (on a narrow, twisty Forest Service road) took us to the Christina Lake trailhead. We hiked in about 2 and a half miles to Lower Silas Lake, where we spent the night. Lovely campsite, quiet and peaceful.

Sunday morning we saw a moose munching on bushes across the lake, and we were glad that we were out there and not at home.

After we hiked out, the driving began again -- back to South Pass City to pick up Cheers (yet another CDT hiker), to Atlantic City for lunch, and then back to Laramie. Lots of driving, a little hiking, and then back into work for another week.

Wikis in Plain English

Yipparific!

Found out yesterday that our candidate for the literacy endowed chair has accepted the position. Hoorah! Hooray! Love that guy -- can't believe he's coming here -- so excited!

Cayman Islands Highlights

Our first week of vacation was spent scuba diving from a live-aboard (the Nekton Rorqual) around the Cayman Islands. We were married on this boat (by a captain named Chris Christofferson, but that's another story) and this was our first return trip. We've made other trips (several!) on the other Nekton boat, the Pilot.

Travel to Grand Cayman was seamless -- we arrived on Saturday early afternoon, and spent the rest of the afternoon sitting at the bar at Sunset House with City Girl (Loving Spouse's daughter) drinking bear and enjoying each other's company. The Rorqual crew picked us up at 7:00 and took us to the boat.

A week of diving, eating, and sleeping ensued. Some cool diving events:

• Being 40 feet underwater when it started to rain on the surface. Did you know that when this happens, it sounds like Sizzling Rice Soup? And with the visibility of 60 to 80 feet, we could see the dimpled surface. Very cool.
• On a late afternoon dive, we came across two Hawksbill turtles circling each other. We think they were competing for access to a tasty bucket sponge. One would circle in, wedge himself against the spounge, take a few bites. Then the other one would come in, take the first turtle's place, and take a few bites. We watched this for about 15 minutes, until 1 swam away and gave the other total access. Loving Spouse took some pics, but they turned out a bit dark, because of the lateness in the day.
• Great wreck diving -- a huge Russian destroyer and a boat used to carry bananas around the Caribbean.
• Interesting people on the boat, including a somewhat fundie group of tec divers who were extremely regimented in their routines and gear. But they weren't evangelical, so that was ok.

Traveling home got a bit sticky. We had only an hour to go through customs in a big southern city before catching our next flight. Needless to say, we missed our flight, but Continental was kind enough to give us a hotel. We arrived home a day later than we had originally planned and spent Sunday rinsing gear and doing laundry.

Now back to yard work, writing, and trying to continue the relaxation. Oh, and losing the 10 pounds I gained on the boat!

In the meantime,

While I'm waiting for Loving Spouse to get his pictures burned on a CD or otherwise sent to me, here's a link to a website with photos and video from the underwater world . . .

http://www.rnrscuba.net/

Enjoy!

Coming Soon . . .

Travel tales that will make you extremely envious, because you were not there when we spent last week on a dive live-aboard around the Cayman Islands, scuba diving every day.

And pictures.

But for now I'm so pooped from traveling (and missing flights!) and rinsing out scuba diving gear -- though to be honest, loving spouse did most of that -- that I must adjourn to my own bed and begin snoring.

I'll post some stuff in the next few days.

Um, ok, but . . .

Your Power Bird is a Vulture

You are always changing your life and the lives of those around you.You aren't afraid to move on from what holds you back.Energetic and powerful, you have a nearly unlimited capacity for success.You know how to "go with the flow" and take advantage of what is given to you.

What's" Your Power Bird?

Grudge

On Sunday mornings we walk downtown to a coffee shop, where we order breakfast (plain bagel, toasted, with butter) and coffee (Chiapas, large), read the newspaper, and chat. This coffee shop has cool art that hangs on the wall, and a big bulletin board with flyers for concerts by Freak Mother, yoga retreats, lost dogs, etc. One of the flyers that I noticed today -- because I make it a regular practice to stand and read the flyers on the board -- was for a writer's group in town. They meet on Wednesday nights, they read and respond to each other's writing, and it all sounded great. I was memorizing the email address when I realized that the last name on the email sounded suspiciously like the last name of the female half of the couple who shafted us out of our dream house several years ago.

It was then that I realized I've been harboring this grudge for much too long. I mean, I get emails from her occasionally, through the faculty/staff listserv, and I regularly delete them without reading them. I've seen her on campus a couple of times and have given her a hard stare and then refused to acknowledge her (I don't think this means much, as I doubt she remembers me the way I remember her!).

But when I consider NOT joining a writing group because the last name of the contact person sounds a bit like her last name -- but clearly isn't -- this is a sign that I need to just get over it. Or perhaps write about it. Either way, now it begins to injure me, and that must stop.

When all Goes Awry

My trip to Toronto was a string of what I'll call "bloopers" connected by a few wonderful highlights:

Blooper #1: waiting to check in for my flight from Denver to Toronto on Sunday, I heard the man behind me say something about his passport, and a dreadful realization dawned on me: My passport was serenely tucked away in my nightstand drawer in Laramie, a mere 2 and a half hours drive away. I decided to soldier on and see how far I could get -- I managed to get into Canada on my driver's license and charm, and out of it on the same charm and a faxed copy of my passport from Footslogger. Needless to say, I worried about this CONSTANTLY while in Toronto. Sunday night I had to say "Everything will be ok; everything will be ok; everything will be ok" in order to get to sleep.

Highlight #1: Lunch with colleagues from graduate school at Bistro 990, where the omelette was PERFECT and the frites were all that.

Blooper #2: On Monday, I checked out of my hotel room and into my friend Marilyn's (smile). I neglected to listen when the clerk mumbled something about the room; when I took my bag there, I realized that it was a smoking room. Not good! When Marily arrived we had to do some arm-twisting to get a non-smoking room, but . . .

Highlight #2: . . . the new room was not only non-smoking, it had 2 beds instead of 1. Since I'm a loud sleeper (translation -- a bit of snoring, I've been told) this is a good thing.

Blooper #3 [connected to Highlight #1]: I didn't look at the map, and we decided to walk to lunch at Bistro 990. I thought it would take about 10 minutes, but it was actually almost 2 miles and took us over half an hour. We were late, but our friends graciously forgave us. On the plus side, Marilyn and I got an excellent workout.

Highlights #3 and 4: Dinner at The 360 Restaurant in the CN Tower, with former advisor and aforementioned friend Marilyn. Presentation with both colleagues and friends at the International Reading Association; they're so smart and cool, and they make me feel smart and cool by association.

Bottom Line:

Your passport. Don't leave home without it.

What are the chances?

So I'm in Toronto, walking down Front Street with a cup of coffee, a donut, and a newspaper. I'm enjoying the urban thing and feeling good about just hanging out in such a cool city. The weather's good, I'm from Wyoming, and I know no one.

And then I see them: a colleague and her husband. Standing on the corner. In Toronto.

What the hell?

Now it's Summer!

My husband and I are sitting in our shorts with the doors and windows open, typing away on our separate laptops. Sunshine, cool breezes, birds chirping. The cats are outside enjoying eating the grass (and puking it up, no doubt), and we're planning a trip to Fort Collins for some dive gear in preparation for our trip to the Caymans.

Summertime, she has arrived!

Friday I completed the last of three day-long meetings on articulating our teacher ed program. OK, it was worthwhile, but . . . the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and we were sitting on our butts debating how we articulate basket-weaving in all of our courses. No, really, it was good and worthwhile. But I'm glad it's over.

Yesterday evening I dug up some weeds out of the front yard, which is looking incredibly lush right now. That's due to the massive amounts of fertilizer I've been putting on it, and perhaps to the fact that the neighborhood cats haven't started pissing and pooping in the middle of the yard yet. Yes, I live in the house whose yard serves as the neighborhood cat box.

Now I'm off to Toronto for the International Reading Association conference.

Oh, and by the way: I got an A in CHEM 1020 this semester. Let the jubilation begin!

Is It Summer Yet?

Last week we had a candidate in for an endowed chair position, that is, a position funded by the state designed to bring in a big-name scholar who will provide leadership to the college in his or her area of expertise.

Or, if you're my spouse, an endowed chair is a kitchen chair with big boobs. Take your pick.

Anyway, we had this person in for our endowed chair position, and then I spent the next couple of days agonizing over whether or not the candidate would take the position. When. We offered it. Because if we don't we're insane.

Now that I have that off my chest, I want to mention that snow in May is not cool, but it is so Wyoming. It was drizzling on Saturday as I walked to graduation, but during graduation it started to snow. And it snowed all day and all night. There's still snow on the ground. Damn. I'm so ready for some summer, I've got my shorts and t-shirts out and everything. I've bought planters to put flowers in, I want to do yard work! But I must be patient. This too will pass.

Graduation was -- as usual -- super cool. My students (now graduates!) are awesome; 75% of those who walked graduated with honors!! The way we do graduation is that as students in particular programs walk across and off the stage, faculty in those programs are there to greet and congratulate them. It's the typical time for me to be bawling like a baby, so proud of my students as they become professional educators. As I was hugging and congratulating one of my students, she took off her brown satin UW stole and hung it around my neck, saying "This is for you, Leslie, for everything you've done for me." Oh. My. God. Couldn't stop crying for several minutes after that.

So now I'm just mopping up -- finishing a few grading tasks and putting my grades in the system. Then the writing will commence.

Hokie Nation

Last night in my Young Adult Literature class we were talking about Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson and the topic of the killings at Virginia Tech came up. I haven't said anything about that here, because I've been trying to sort out my own perspective on it. Initially, I was horrified and kept imagining it happening here, which caused me to burst into tears at odd times imagining my students and colleagues being attacked by someone who had come unhinged. I have a friend who teaches at Virginia Tech, and she talked about being locked down in her building (right across from Norris Hall) and watching as police and medical personnel swarmed the building.

I was especially touched by the groups of Virginia Tech students who focus on the campus as a family and support each other through their sorrow. What a sad and sobering commentary this event is on our world today. But along with the horror, there is much that is good about the human spirit being exhibited in Blacksburg.


And can I just take a moment to go on a tangent? Kudos to my Young Adult Literature class members this semester. They are a great group of students who participate in class with a serious but communal kind of demeanor. I tend to teach in ways that some students don't appreciate -- big focus on "how are we making sense of this together" -- and they always go with me. Last night I asked them to role play a character from one of the novels that we have read this semester and they all participated very well. I can't say enough about how much I appreciate these great students.

Spring Update

I know, I know. It's been a very long time since I've posted. I'm not going to make excuses, but here are a few things that have been going on:
*The Wyoming Cowgirls basketball team won the WNIT championship. NATIONAL championship. We went to every single game, and I was in tears at the end, because of the courage, heart, and determination of every member of that team. We have been season ticket holders for the last three years. Now we are fans for life.
* Chemistry 1020 is coming along well -- I made an 82 on the last test, which in this class is the equivalent of an A++. Lab is over, but I still have one chapter quiz, the lab final, and the course final to complete. I'm setting aside one hour every morning to study, and I feel pretty good about what I've learned in this course.
* Student teachers are in their last week of the student teaching semester. We made our last trip to Casper (!) for the semester, and much of the grading is completed. No serious meltdowns, no major crises, and most of my students are getting job interviews and job offers. Graduation is next weekend and I'm looking forward to dressing up in my fancy robes and celebrating with our graduates.
* The daffodils and snowdrop bulbs that I planted last fall are starting to come up and bloom, which is so beautiful and exciting. In spite of the fact that it is currently SNOWING, I feel certain that spring will arrive soon.

This summer I have so much to look forward to -- a week in the Cayman Islands scuba diving, finishing my last 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail, participation in the Wyoming Writing Project, and a reunion with my English education graduates (date still to be determined). It's going to be a good summer for traveling and I hope that it will be a good one for writing as well.

Thanks for continuing to tune in ....

It's Official: I'm Only Slightly Above Average

Got my chemistry exam #2 back on Thursday, and as I expected, my grade was a 54. Out of 100. Which is 2 points above the average for the exam.

Of course, I still have issues with the test, including the fact that it took me two and a half hours to complete, that it included questions on material we were not directed to study, and that obviously most of the students in the class (including me!) don't have a clear sense of the information that we should have learned.

But what the hell. Exam three is coming up this week, so I'm pushing on. I've decided to take a break from chemistry next fall and am taking a 2000-level geology class. That's not to say that I'm not learning a hell of a lot this semester, because I am. There are things I never knew I didn't know -- and those are the things I'm learning in this class. I find the material intrinsically interesting, (that may have something to do with my age) and I'm struggling to keep up with the fast pace set by the instructor. I do feel sorry for those students who are not interested, because I know the role that affect can play in helping or hindering learning.

I went to a presentation on quantitative reasoning Friday afternoon (not well attended, but then what is on a Friday afternoon) as I consider myself the poster child for lack of development of quantitative reasoning. In fact, my spouse says that my junior high and high school math teachers should be taken out and shot (do you hear that, Coach Chauvin?). It was interesting, but I would have liked a bit more that was relative to HOW we can help sudents to develop quantitative reasoning -- I think that some of the folks who were there teach college algebra classes, and I got the feeling they would have liked some help as well.

Things I Like about Spring Break

1. shopping with the girls
2. dinner with former student and his girlfriend
3. chance to make some extra money and do professional development for an alternative high school
4. judging debates, speeches, and duets at the district speech meet (held at the local high school)
5. no chemistry class for a week!
6. chance to study chemistry for a week!
7. sleeping late (only one day, but what the hell)
8. gradual recovery from bronchitis
9. time to grade mid-term exams
10. new nighttime reading material -- novels by Terry Pratchett (the Discworld series)

Average: 52

Chemistry professor announced in class today that the average grade on exam 2 was 52. "But don't worry about it," she said. "You've got lots of other chances to do well, and that exam covered the core of the course, so every year lots of people fail it."

Ahem.

To a teacher? When that is the average on the exam? It's a sign that something is wrong with instruction, perhaps with the exam. It's a sign that one should go back and re-teach or at least think about how one might change instruction and/or the test for next year's class. It's a sign that even those students who studied their asses off (me!) weren't adequately prepared for the test.

I'm pretty sure my grade on exam 2 was about average for the class, though I haven't gotten it back yet.

Not-so-good Grade

Got my first chemistry exam back this week, and -- though I didn't want to publicize this -- I made a 75. That's not good enough for me, but also I should say that it is actually a B in this class, and it is exactly the class average for this first exam.

But can I also say that I got several questions wrong because I hadn't memorized conversation tables? Such as, how many micrometers are in a meter? I took a guess at that, and got it wrong. If I had had my note card with the conversion tables, I would have been able to do the problem without error. I just don't think it's that important that I have those things memorized, but that I can do the conversions and figure out units for the problems. I also had to memorize the solubility and insolubility rules for a quiz. I can only imagine that chemists have those things memorized, but because they use them so frequently. But first-year chemistry students? Just knowing that we need to refer to the solubility rules and how to apply them should be enough.

Bronchitis

I went back to the doctor yesterday and found out that I have bronchitis. So, I'm now taking just about every medication in the book, trying to get myself healthy. My department members went off for our research retreat, but I decided to stay home. Partly to keep myself healthy, but also because a bit of bad weather came in and the roads were getting slick and icy.

So I'm staying home, again, coughing. But now I have the feeling that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Coughing. And Not Traveling.

For weeks I toyed with the idea of writing a conference proposal for the NCTEAR conference, which is taking place this weekend in Nashville. I did write a proposal, which was accepted, and then came a commitment that was important to a family member, so I had to cancel.

This morning, we packed up our things to drive down to Leadville, Colorado, only to find that all roads out of Laramie were closed. We tried 287; we tried the interstate; nothing doing.

So we came back home. No conference presentation, and no fun day spent with spouse and other hikers. I've spent the day (again) sitting in my easy chair, playing solitaire and watching TV. And coughing.

So I'm about finished with my antibiotic, but I'm wondering what else I should do. I've been drinking water and gatorade like they're going to stop making it. I've been hanging my head over a pot of boiling water. I have a humidifier going in my bedroom. And still, the cough and the shaky breathing is bothering me.

Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow.

Sick, Sick, Sick

It's spring semester in Laramie, Wyoming, so that means it is time for the yearly crud. In past years, the yearly crud has attacked my ears (2004), throat (2003), and chest (2002, 2005, 2006). This year, it's again attacking my chest like a bank vault that needs to be dynamited. It all started on Tuesday when I woke up with a sore throat and coughed my way through visiting student and mentor teachers in Casper. Then on Wednesday it was a fever of 102 and an iron band around my chest. I staggered to the doctor's office and got a prescription for antibiotics, but it's now Thursday evening and I'm still feeling shitty. Better than on Wednesday, but still pretty shitty.

Anyway, I cancelled class on Wednesday night, didn't go to my discussion section on Wednesday or lab today, and it looks like I won't make it to chemistry on Friday either. So . . . lots of time off but with no energy to get any work done. Chemistry exam on Wednesday, lots of papers to grade, but I doubt any of it will get done in a timely fashion!

I've watched lots of movies, though, and got a lot of extra sleep. So that's a good thing. That's me, seeing the silver lining . . .

Science Literacy

I've been doing some thinking lately about the kinds of learning that are taking place for me, especially this semester as I'm pursuing a general chemistry class for the first time. I've discovered that -- though I am usually a quick study -- chemistry takes much longer for me to get comfortable with, to digest to the point that I don't feel hesitant about my ability to answer particular questions. That plays very much on the affect, as I am usually easily frustrated when learning information and skills doesn't come quickly. I'm learning, as a result, to allow myself plenty of time to master even what might seem to others as the simplest of problems.

Take balancing chemical equations, for example. I began working problems from the textbook, as preparation for the exam, but found that I wasn't sure about how to proceed, even after hearing how to do it in lecture and reading about it in the textbook. I decided that I needed some simpler problems to work, so that I could work my way up to the slightly more complex ones in the textbook. So I got online and found some sample problems -- really, they were designed for a high school chemistry class -- and spent an hour or so working those. I also read a couple of different sets of directions for balancing chemical equations. After this practice, I went back to the problems in the textbook and found them quite easy. I also found that, along the way, I had developed my own preferred method of balancing equations -- a mixture of suggestions from various sources along with my own twist.

I hope that I can remember this experience and be patient with myself in future. The reality is that I'm probably going to be spending much more time studying for this course than I have for any other. Except perhaps my first qualitative research course, when I had to read and re-read and re-read in order to understand the theoretical frameworks that were presented in that course.

Luckily, I'm pretty serious about being successful in this endeavor. I'm going to need every bit of luck and hard work I can get my hands on.

Bad Manners

Hey, blog world. Don't you think it's bad manners when someone puts you on the agenda for their meeting and then doesn't tell you a) that you're on the agenda; b) when the meeting is; or c) where the meeting will take place?

Cuz I do.

Dear Band Nerds:

Yes, I'm talking to you. The pair of you, who sat behind me in geology class and talked non-stop; the same pair that sits in FRONT of me in chemistry class and talks non-stop.

If you don't stop talking about nonsensical crap in class I'm going to be forced to resort to extreme measures. I don't know yet what they will be, but I'm thinking about one of the following:
* sitting between you and elbowing you both smartly in the ribs when you start snorting and giggling
* standing up behind you and "accidentally" dropping my $140 chemistry book on your heads
* posting about you on my blog.

Oh, wait, I've already done that last one!

Sincerely,

Bad Ass Turtle (serious chemistry student)

2006 in Review

First line of each month's post from 2006:

January 3rd, 2006: We returned home from our Christmas extravaganza at the home of my brother, his lovely wife, and their oh-so-precocious triplet boys (2.5 years of age), graced by the presence of Mom, Sam, assorted in-laws on either side, lots of booze, neighbors, parties, gifts, etc.
[Wow, was that a crazy Christmas! But so much fun to see the boys.]

February 2nd, 2006: Face Plant
Lest you think that I have some new kind of ivy or rhododendron growing from my visage, here's the gruesome story.
[This was my bloody noise accomplished by trying to ski too fast down a slope in some seriously slippery snow. Whew. Makes me look forward to skiing this weekend!]

March 6th, 2006:
Spring Break is Coming! Spring Break is Coming!
Here's what I'll be doing over spring break . . .
[Ah, our Belize diving trip. This year, it's the Caymans!]

April 3rd, 2006:
Change is a Good Thing
Lately I've been pondering changes to my junior-level English methods class, which focuses on teaching writing.
[The changes to my class were fantastic! Such a vast improvement, and it made the class a lot more fun for me, as well.]

May 2nd, 2006:
Exciting Stuff!
Yesterday was my last day of involvement in a year-long professional development project in a large city in my state (now called "Center City").
[Now that the professional development is over, I'm working with a colleague on getting a publication out of it.]

June 2nd, 2006:
Hiking Journal -- Monday, May 22nd
My loving spouse dropped me off at the Blue Ridge Parkway (not sure of the mile marker, but it's near the Peaks of Otter Lodge) at about 10:30.
[My 100 miles in Virginia by myself. The heat just about killed me.]

July 17th, 2006:
Hard Hiking
Um, those Mainers? When they say a trail is hard, you should listen.
[No shit. That was the hardest 100 miles of hiking I've ever done. Bar none.]

August 3rd, 2006:
Boring as Life
I received some harassment from a friend (yes, you, Jennifer!) about not updating my blog, so I am writing an entry under pressure.
[No comment. My life can be pretty boring.]

September 1st, 2006:
As a Freshman . . .
Since I'm now taking a freshman level class, I'm technically both a faculty member and a freshman.
[A freshman who got an A. Damn skippy.]

October 2nd, 2006:
Not Enough Sleep
I woke up countless times during the night, worrying. About friends who are ill, about a manuscript that I'll need to revise (again!), about my students, about my upcoming bid for tenure, about my husband, about my geology class and my inability to find a class to take next semester, etc. Worry, worry, worry.
[My mom says that if I don't have something to worry about, I'll worry till I find something. Hmm. She is so smart.]

November 4th, 2006:
What's Up?
Several colleagues have asked me recently what's going on with my adventures in geology.
[Next semester should be even better.]

December 1st, 2006:
Science Nerd Test #3
In about 30 minutes, I will take my third test in physical geology.
[Hoo-yah. Aced that test AND the final exam.]

The End of the Semester

Holiday Parties Attended: 2
Secret Santa Presents Given Out: 5
Final Exams Taken: 1
Graded Writing Workshop Descriptions: 4 (out of 16)
Graded Unit Designs: 0 (out of 8)
Graded Writing Portfolios: 0 (out of 16)

So, it becomes clear what I'll be doing this weekend.

No more death-wish skiiers

On Sunday, we went to the first weekend of skiing at our local ski resort. Lots of fun, though we waited in line too long to pick up our season passes, and we only did two runs. It was icy, and the ski resort was selling $10 lift tickets, with only 2 runs open. So we felt that we were putting our lives on the line as we made our (relatively slow) way down the slope only to have skiiers with death wishes come zooming at and past us along the way.

Afterwards, we dropped off our skis for a tune up, and I fell in love with this jacket. It's red, it's warm, and best of all, death-wish skiiers can see me well and perhaps choose to run into a tree instead of me!

A Student

That's me. An "A" student. Got a 92 on my geology test.

Science Nerd Test #3

In about 30 minutes, I will take my third test in physical geology. Aside from previous posts, in which I attested to the lack of difficulty that this class presents, I've still been spending every evening this week studying. Why, you might ask? Well, because I'm a serious grade freak. I admit it. I like making A's. On the first test, I had a high A. On the last test, a high B.

What?

I'm planning to make an A on this one, dammit.

I got up extra early this morning to study, came to the Union and am now surrounded by other students, most of whom are also studying for tests. Cool. Had myself a sesame bagel for brain food, and now I feel pretty ready for the test.

In other news, next year's student teaching applications are due today at 5, which has resulted in an unexpectedly high number of panicked phone calls to my office. That's ok, but I wonder about what seems to me to be the racheting up of the stress level around those applications. I don't think it is healthy; however, I also don't think there is much I can do about it, except to provide as much advice as I can and be willing to help students out when they ask for it. The problem for me is that that is a reactive response, not a proactive one. Maybe I should make an attempt to talk to the powers that be about our process? I don't think most of them would want their own children going through this level of stress. And I don't think that's what partnership should be about.

I'll be working this afternoon on revising a manuscript that has (so far) been rejected by three different journals. I've still got two potential publication sites for it, though, so I'm not giving up on it. It does get better every time I work on it!

Thanksgiving with Mom

We bought Mark's mom a new tv for Christmas. She is almost completely blind, but with the larger tv she was able to watch some home video of her parents' 25th wedding anniversary party.

Home, finally

I want to say just a few more things about the conference I attended, and particularly about the conference presentation.

Our presentation was a bit of a preview for an edited book that will (hopefully) be available in November of 2007. It's an edited book on secondary reading and writing, with chapters written by talented and wonderful people on interesting topics. Our presentation was part commercial for the upcoming book and part information on research on secondary reading and writing. My part was on research on secondary writing, and I had three sections:

1. What do we already know about instruction of writing in secondary schools?
2. How does the upcoming book add to that knowledge base?
3. What questions are we (really, just me) still asking?

I tried to make it both interesting to secondary teachers and useful, with a bit of humor thrown in. I DID make my opinion of five-paragraph essays and 6-Traits of Writing painfully clear. After the session, in our discussion time, there was a discussion among several teachers of how assessments in this country, from state assessments of writing to the SAT and ACT seem to push students into formulaic writing. It was a heated discussion among audience members at our session that I was happy to see.

I just wish I were more of an activist. So many teachers tell me that they just go in their classrooms, shut the door, and teach the best way they can. OR they do some kind of balancing act between teaching to the test and good instruction (I've been there myself, so I can really relate).

I want to see teachers banding together and arguing for quality instruction, for learning that indicates depth, and for encouraging the whole child, not just the child's ability to perform on standardized assessments.

What did you say?

English teachers are a funny bunch. There are thousands of them here, and they are all different. Different accents, clothing, body shapes, colors, hairstyles, etc. But they all have one thing in common: They like to talk.

I'm surrounded by English teachers, they all have something to say, and I can't get a word in edgewise. At dinner tonight, the cacophony of voices, all striving to be heard, echoed off the ceiling and smashed into my ears. This went on and on and on, and the whole time, I was leaning over the table, shouting "What? What did you say? I can't quite hear you" to the guy mumbling into his buffet plate beside me.

Fun times in conference land!

Ready to go Conference

Yes, I just verbed a noun. Too bad, Trout!

I have just returned from a walk around the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center. I like it much better from the outside, because there is actual air to breath. Liked it. That may just keep me from going insane here.

On the other hand, inside the massive Disney-like structure, they have ducks. Mallards or some such shit. How do those ducks live all inside?

Nayushvuhl

Here I am in Nashville, Tennessee, hanging out with 27,000 or so English teachers. That's either someone's worst nightmare or . . . someone's worst nightmare. I've already run into an old friend from grad school (hi Leslie!) and had a nice dinner of fish tacos (they weren't that great). Tomorrow is my presentation and a presentation by one of my former doc students (now graduated), along with a luncheon that features Sherman Alexie. Coolest!
A busy day tomorrow.

Only one little spot to mar my conference happiness. I'm supposed to be rooming with a former student who now teaches in Dubois. She hasn't shown up yet. I'm hoping she didn't bail . . .

We shall see what happens.

My thoughts, exactly . . .

My Beloved Monster & Me: An Important Message to Democrats, from an Independent voter and swell guy

Rob clearly and succinctly states exactly how I feel about the election switcheroo.

Flexibility

On occasion, I consider the possibility of going back to teaching full-time. I miss the kids, the focus; sometimes I even miss the colleagues I taught with over the years. I'd like to try out some of the ideas I've developed over the last few years about teaching and see how they work. I'd like to have that great feeling of helping kids develop reading and writing skills and stronger vocabulary, and responding positively to great literature. I miss those things.

Then happens a day like today, when I'm suffering from a bad cold. I can decide to work at home pretty easily, can get almost as much done at home as I could at work (because I don't teach on Mondays) AND I don't have to prepare any sub plans or feel guilty about not going to work.

Flexibility is a good thing.

What's Up?

Several colleagues have asked me recently what's going on with my adventures in geology. Apparently, I haven't been talking about it much. I guess that's because I've realized, in spite of my lack of background in the science, that there's a reason it's a 1000-level class. It's easy. Go to lecture, take notes, go to lab, take a quiz, take a test every now and then . . . I'm learning a lot, don't get me wrong, but this class is just dead easy.

Perhaps things will be different in the spring when I take chemistry. But it also is a 1000-level class, so I'm not sure.

In the meantime, last week was advising week. Advising week is hell, aside from the entertaining moment when one of my advisees described her major (majors changed to protect the innocent):

"Well, I'm a science education major, with a minor in German. And I'm thinking of getting a double major in engineering."

Focus, grasshopper. Focus.

What is Boring?

Froshboy in front of me in Geology class this morning:

"This is the most boring class I've ever been in. I have trouble staying awake." (Pulls sweatshirt hood over his head and proceeds to nod out.)

This comment and others like it are regular fare from students in my Physical Geology class. I can understand this, because I remember being 18 years old and only interested in the next party, the next date, the next time I could be the center of attention.

But now that I'm in my 40s, and am learning things that are intrinsically of interest to me, the only time I'm truly bored is . . .

[wait for it]

. . . in meetings.

Now those are boring.

Climate of Fear

I apologize for not posting recently. The only excuse I can give is that I had a test on Monday, and a football game on Saturday, so my mind was all awhirl and awry. Anyway, now that the test is over -- and I think I did pretty well on it -- I thought I would post this poem that I wrote over the weekend. I hope it makes some sense.

Fear of Freedom

A kernel, a core, a seed
has long ago infiltrated,
overthrown and occupied her system,
blood, bone, sinew, and muscle.
Placed there by --
Institutions, perhaps.
Schools and churches.
Families, yes,
our mothers and fathers,
brothers and sisters;
our pastors and teachers
with loving care
imparted to us the offshoots of suckers
emplaced in their guts
by others.

In the gut, this tiny crumb
occupies space and
makes brittle and thin and rigid
what should flow and pulse and beat.

Movement slows, fluids dry,
Dust collects in the veins and organs,
lithifies into a clastic sediment of
blockages and boundary lines.

And the breaking begins.

Dear one, I recognize in you
the endstage symptoms
of my own disease.

My dust calls to your dust;
my brittle breaking bones
sound an echo to yours.

Let us seek a greenhouse, a waterfall,
that oasis of health where
rules should be broken,
good sense need not apply,
and our boundaries
become
thoroughfares.

Yesterday evening I was privileged to be part of the crowd listening to Wole Soyinka, Nigerian Nobel-Prize winner, speak about the politics of art. Quite impressive, thoughtful, and funny at times. It was actually reading his book, Climate of Fear that gave me the beginning image for this poem.

Today I'm off to Center City to visit with some high school English teachers. Should be interesting!

Poetry Galore

No, that is not a sideways reference to a Bond film.

I spent Friday evening and Saturday with several Wyoming Writing Project folks in Center City, planning a course for new teachers on teaching writing, eating a lot (A LOT) and writing poetry. Fun was had all around, only a little pretentiousness and self-promotion was to be had, and we all had a great time. Even got some planning done, too.

I wrote a new poem, but I'm not going to post it here just yet. It is not yet worthy of your eyes, oh dearly beloved. Oh, and I also dreamed that I wrote a poem that solved all of the problems related to applying information from my dissertation research in classrooms. Finally! A breakthrough!

And then I woke up. Dammit.

NCTEAR

Got another email reminder yesterday about an upcoming conference -- NCTE's Research Conference, which can be found here. As you can see, the topic for 2007 is "What Counts as Literacy? Living Literacies of the Body and Image." Now THAT is exactly what my dissertation was about, and I have yet to get a good article published from it. Well, I did get an article but it was an invited one and not a peer-reviewed one. So, I'm thinking about framing a proposal that would use the research I've already done in terms of developing implications for classroom practice. That has ALWAYS been my difficulty with that study, is making the connection between it and the classroom. Perhaps the round-table based format for this conference would help me to get something going with it. On the other hand, I'm already so FREAKING busy with classes and other research projects that I'm not sure it's a good idea to get started on something else.

I'll think about it. The proposals are due November 1st.

Not to Worry . . .

. . . the sleeping problem is over. I have, however, been obsessed with my list of things to do and have been steadily crossing those items off while also attending loads of meetings, teaching, etc. Actually, my obsession with my to-do list is probably the only thing that's allowing me to sleep. Somehow, writing down all of those things swirling around my head helps me to shut off my worries.

Soon it will be time to register for classes again; I'm thinking of taking an introductory chemistry class in the spring. Should be a challenge!

Not Enough Sleep

I woke up countless times during the night, worrying. About friends who are ill, about a manuscript that I'll need to revise (again!), about my students, about my upcoming bid for tenure, about my husband, about my geology class and my inability to find a class to take next semester, etc. Worry, worry, worry. My mom says, and she is so right, that if I didn't have something to worry about, I would worry until I found something.

What's called for here, I believe, is more exercise. So I got up this morning and did 20 minutes on the gazelle (love that machine!) and 50 sit-ups (with a 10-pound weight). I hope that will do the trick. During the day, I'm good. Reason allows me to focus on the task at hand and to enjoy my day. It's only at night that my worrying side takes over -- sometimes -- and keeps me from sleeping.

Freshmen Are Rude

This morning in lecture, I had serious difficulty restraining myself from casting hairy eyeballs, uttering loud sighs, and coughing in (mostly passive-aggressive, I admit) attempts to shush the loud freshmen around me. The loudest bag of cookies ever opened, conversations about how boring the class was, and people dropping CPS units in class were all ganging up on my patience quota, attempting to frustrate me right out of my gourd.

I restrained myself by promising I would tell you reader(s) all about it.

See, my professor was not in class today, so the lab director (also with a doctorate) who just happens to be fairly young and female, took his place to lecture. I noticed a DISTINCT difference in the way students were behaving toward her, talking away as if she was not lecturing in the front of the room, etc. Perhaps there is something going here in terms of gender? Hmmm?

Anyway, it annoyed me and I wanted to tell you about it. And I wanted to cut off the ears of the cookie-eater behind me, but that is for another time.

Drum Roll, Please . . .

I. Made. The. Highest. Grade. In. The. Class.

Seriously.

And another thing . . .

I have a test on Friday. Think of me, please!

An Elephant

Rough draft of a poem written recently in a meeting:

A monstrous elephant
is rampaging through this meeting room,
thrusting his tusks through the upholstery
and battering away at the polished tabletop.
His massive head butts up under
the lip of the table, overturns it
and tramples heedlessly on the meeting
minutes, paper clips, and agendas.

The conversation glides quietly on,
with barely a ripple to mar
the calm surface.

Nuclear huh?

You might be wondering, dear reader(s), how things are going in the science nerd sweepstakes I have recently entered. Well, everything has, in fact, been going along swimmingly. I had to change where I sit because the band dorks turned out to be non-stop talkers -- very distracting, when I'm trying to figure out science for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE. I do have a huge bruise on my arm: on Wednesday in class, because some guy came in late, everyone in his row had to stand up to let him squeeze into the really tiny row. The girl who sat behind me stood up and DROPPED HER NOTEBOOK ON MY ARM. Ouch. But I am willing to take the beatings and the torture, just to be a science nerd.

I will say that my lack of science background caused me a momentary problem on Wednesday, when the professor -- who is really great -- was lecturing on the origins of the universe. He got the nuclear fusion part and showed us this diagram:



It looked like this to me:



but I went straight home and asked my even more science nerdy husband about it; I think I understood his explanation.

Today in lab we had to identify rocks, and that was somewhat difficult. The girls at my table and I kept looking at rocks and saying "Is that metallic? It's kind of shiny... but maybe it's not." Then there were issues with whether this rock would scratch glass, or could be scratched by a penny, or was metallic, or fizzed when an acid solution was poured on it, or tasted like salt, for god's sake. Complicated, especially for me and the other freshmen.

But now I can definitely identify galena and pyrite and probably plagioclase feldspar. Which is good, because we have a quiz next week!

Fern Envy

I got this fern from a colleague who said it had outgrown her house. Now it's in the process of outgrowing mine. It's huge and beautiful, of course, but the question is, where do I put it? It needs to be in a bright room without direct sun. And it needs to be up off of the floor, or my cat will eat pieces of it and vomit a lot. Right now, it's in a room on the north side of my house and it's on a baker's rack that's really too shaky and small for it. I'm thinking of buying a plant stand, but probably in that room, which I think will work ok.

Any suggestions on the care and feeding of unknown ferns?

Nap Cat

 
This handsome guy is one lucky cat. His name is Loner, and he's been with me since he was found abandoned as a young guy. 

As a Freshman . . .

Since I'm now taking a freshman level class, I'm technically both a faculty member and a freshman. It's been an interesting experience (now that I'm so experienced, with a week of class under my belt!), reminiscent of My Freshman Year by Rebekah Nathan (that's actually a pseudonym for Cathy Small at Northern Arizona University). I've sat in class and listened to interesting discussions like this one that took place between a couple of band dorks (I can say that, cause I was in the band in high school) behind me:

Male Band Dork: Wow! It's really crowded in here. I can't wait till next week.
Female Band Dork: Why next week?
Male Band Dork: Everyone goes to class for the first week. Next week, they'll all be skipping, and we can spread out a bit.

Skipping class? WTF? Why would anyone do that?

Also, I've noticed that, towards the end of class, these kids (and I say "kids" because I'm the only grey-haired chick in the bunch) start closing their books and putting them away just like my high school seniors always did, religiously, in the last 5 minutes of class. It always bugged the shit out of me then, and it still does, even though I'm not the teacher.

By the way, the website associated with this course is freaking amazing!! I'm completely impressed.

My class looks to be great, although my lack of background in chemistry is going to bite me in the butt, I believe. It took me quite a while to work my way through the section of chapter 2 on atoms and their accompanying electrons, neutrons, protons, etc. Luckily, my husband has long been a science nerd, so I was able to close the book and say "OK, here's what I just learned about electrons. . . is that right?"

We'll see how I do on the first test . . .

Ulterior Motive

Just saw a commentator on CNN remark that one motive for John Carr's weird declaration of his involvement in the Jon Benet Ramsey murder (ok, he said he loved her and she died by accident) could be that he was charged in Thailand with some other sex crime, and he preferred to deal with the police in Boulder, rather than those in Thailand.

OK. That makes sense.

Or, he's just a wack job. It's a toss-up.

Global Warming Ads

OK, I've seen the "tick-tick" ad on television, advertising www.fightglobalwarming.com, but this one is even more striking. Take a look:

Obsession with P.R.

I don't know what it is about Bravo's Project Runway but I seriously cannot get enough. I've got my DVR set to record new episodes, and then I have to watch some of it every morning before I leave for work. Perhaps it is that the next round of work is due to begin in LESS THAN A WEEK and I'm substituting obsessive behaviors for the real work of getting ready for it. I mean, I'll get the work done, don't get me wrong. But for some reason, Project Runway allows me to forget about it for around an hour a day. AND it's not harmful!

However, on the drawbacks side of the equation, is last night's dream about Laura, one of the contestants on Project Runway. In my dream she was building a sleigh. Yes, she was dressed in one of her characteristic glamour gowns, but she was hammering and welding and working with metal. Interesting.

On the issue of books, I did pick up my geology text yesterday afternoon and started reading the first chapter. So far, so good. But, knowing myself, I'm pretty sure I'll need to read every chapter twice . . . .

Hang Onto Your Hats, Campers!

TODAY is the day I pick up my geology texts. Calloo, callay! More later . . .