Three weeks of school are over already and I am just now getting organized. I volunteered for a weekly recitation for BIO 103 between classes. I feel like I probably made a huge error. Thursdays may kill me off by the end.
Today was Bev Smith's memorial. Bev was an outstanding english instructor at LBW in the 90's. He retired due to macular degeneration and eventually moved back to Oxford, Mississippi to live near his son. He died a few months ago from emphysema. Susan just couldn't get the strength to go so we got lunch at Pic-and-Sav and ate down at the farm with the B.
I took B out for a walk this morning at 6:30. Out of character for myself but I did enjoy the morning and B was very happy. One more boring post....
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Parasitized by Virus
I have a head cold. It started in my throat on Saturday and now is centered in my nose and sinuses. Needless to say my big class prep plans for today are out the door. I am loaded up on nyquil, advil, and benadryl. I should be snoozing in no time.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Shocking
Blue skies today but cold. This morning while B and I had our morning romp I kept getting shocked by the static electricity built up in his coat. That is dry! One good thing about being fat and ample though is I don't really need a coat: two shirts and I am ready to go.
I decided this afternoon that I am not going to worry about prepping for classes until Thursday. I was going to go in today but changed my mind. I've been teaching fourteen years and I think I can handle the first week of classes without encroaching on my time off. So I spent the afternoon on the couch with a good book and a short siesta.
My therapist Fonda called this morning. I let it go to voice mail. Sweet Fonda was wondering if I had changed my meds and how was I doing. I still haven't seen Dr. Harwood and feel guilty. I will have to call her this week and fess up. What a mess I am. Ciao.
I decided this afternoon that I am not going to worry about prepping for classes until Thursday. I was going to go in today but changed my mind. I've been teaching fourteen years and I think I can handle the first week of classes without encroaching on my time off. So I spent the afternoon on the couch with a good book and a short siesta.
My therapist Fonda called this morning. I let it go to voice mail. Sweet Fonda was wondering if I had changed my meds and how was I doing. I still haven't seen Dr. Harwood and feel guilty. I will have to call her this week and fess up. What a mess I am. Ciao.
Monday, January 2, 2012
I Blame the Romans
The new year used to start in March around the equinox but since the Roman Senate started their terms a few months prior, we now start the year in January. I like the idea of the new year beginning in the Spring but I am biased toward the Northern Hemisphere. January 1st seems arbitrary.
Now that the holidays are over, we have the ordeal of January and February to survive. Leap year next month...thank you Julius Caesar for fixing the calendar. When I lived in much colder climes, Spring couldn't get here fast enough. I remember being so desperate in Idaho that I rolled on the first snow-free patch of grass that appeared in April.
Our neighbor dog Lucy is over today to play with the B. She is a Chabrador: half labrador retriever and have chow chow. She has cute chinese eyes and wrinkly skin on her face. Her tail is fluffy and her hind quarters bow-legged. Since B is taller, her wrestling manuever involves hitting him from below. It seems quite effective but she ends up with slobber all over her neck.
Recently I have been reading a book on the history of milk. I know that sounds odd but I had an idea of using milk as a problem-based learning topic to cover biology. There is little biology in the book but fascinating all the same about how humans regarded milk through history. Right now I am at the part on coming up with a milk replacement for orphan babies or infants whose mother can't nurse. It is surprising that any children survived the early attempts of formula-making. One idea that fascinated me was how important it was to people to employ a wet-nurse of character because of the mistaken notion that inherited traits were passed onto the child through breast milk.
Today is my final day of vacation. I have to start back officially on Thursday but I have a lot of prep to do before classes begin on Monday. Of course, I won't be putting in a full day that would be a shock to my delicate system. So far I have two BIO 103 classes, I also have a 104 and a 102 class. I only teach those every other year so I got to dust off some old syllabi and make sure we have the right specimens for lab. Plus I need to clean my office so I'm not swallowed up by the mess. Nap on comrades!
Now that the holidays are over, we have the ordeal of January and February to survive. Leap year next month...thank you Julius Caesar for fixing the calendar. When I lived in much colder climes, Spring couldn't get here fast enough. I remember being so desperate in Idaho that I rolled on the first snow-free patch of grass that appeared in April.
Our neighbor dog Lucy is over today to play with the B. She is a Chabrador: half labrador retriever and have chow chow. She has cute chinese eyes and wrinkly skin on her face. Her tail is fluffy and her hind quarters bow-legged. Since B is taller, her wrestling manuever involves hitting him from below. It seems quite effective but she ends up with slobber all over her neck.
Recently I have been reading a book on the history of milk. I know that sounds odd but I had an idea of using milk as a problem-based learning topic to cover biology. There is little biology in the book but fascinating all the same about how humans regarded milk through history. Right now I am at the part on coming up with a milk replacement for orphan babies or infants whose mother can't nurse. It is surprising that any children survived the early attempts of formula-making. One idea that fascinated me was how important it was to people to employ a wet-nurse of character because of the mistaken notion that inherited traits were passed onto the child through breast milk.
Today is my final day of vacation. I have to start back officially on Thursday but I have a lot of prep to do before classes begin on Monday. Of course, I won't be putting in a full day that would be a shock to my delicate system. So far I have two BIO 103 classes, I also have a 104 and a 102 class. I only teach those every other year so I got to dust off some old syllabi and make sure we have the right specimens for lab. Plus I need to clean my office so I'm not swallowed up by the mess. Nap on comrades!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Winter Solstice -1
Officially my third day off work and I am in full on sloth mode. I think the rain outside is on my side this afternoon. Tomorrow it is off to Tennessee for Xmas weekend. Basil is having his great doggy smell removed today (he's getting a bath at the vet). It will take weeks for it to return. In the meantime, he will be all shiny and fluffy but stink of fur products.
I bought some fat pants today at the farmer's co-op. Incredibly they have super work clothes for sale. If I had my way I would wear nothing but T-shirts and cargo pants everyday; simple and comfortable. Dress down.
Other than the usual internet surfing and catching up on Tivo, I've spent a long time reading about trilobites. I'm reading another Richard Fortey book called Trilobite: Eyewitness to evolution. Who knew they had stony eyes? (real calcite) I got so inspired I bought an unprepared specimen off ebay. If I can summon the gumption, I'd like to finish it.
My video game Elderscroll: Skyrim was a bust. Turns out my laptop's video card is too old for the graphics. I'm going to need a newer computer. I offered the game to my nephew Elliot but I just realized it is rated M. He's folks may not approve. The Sun came out...time to nap.
I bought some fat pants today at the farmer's co-op. Incredibly they have super work clothes for sale. If I had my way I would wear nothing but T-shirts and cargo pants everyday; simple and comfortable. Dress down.
Other than the usual internet surfing and catching up on Tivo, I've spent a long time reading about trilobites. I'm reading another Richard Fortey book called Trilobite: Eyewitness to evolution. Who knew they had stony eyes? (real calcite) I got so inspired I bought an unprepared specimen off ebay. If I can summon the gumption, I'd like to finish it.
My video game Elderscroll: Skyrim was a bust. Turns out my laptop's video card is too old for the graphics. I'm going to need a newer computer. I offered the game to my nephew Elliot but I just realized it is rated M. He's folks may not approve. The Sun came out...time to nap.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Last Faculty Workday
Fall 2011 semester ended today. I posted my grades, turned off my office computer, and wished my friends John and Brian a happy holiday. Work resumes on Thursday January 5th.
I had big plans for BIO 101 this semester but it turned into a cruddy lecture-filled mess. I feel like I was more successful with last year's debacle. Of course I was shocked that three signed up for 102 in the Spring. I thought that no one would be that masochistic. I am relieved however.
Ever since I realized that lecture is a poor way to teach, I feel like I am short-changing my students. I have begun reading another "what is wrong with college today" book called Academically adrift. They argue that students are completing their first two years and even four years of college without being able to think critically, reason, and write effectively.
My big worry is that I will start up the grand plan, stress myself out and ruin Spring semester. This happens over every break. I make a list of things I want to do and then only accomplish a third. Why do I get so ambitious?
I have two Bio 103 classes next semester. I hope I have more than a 30% C or better rate than I did this semester. I start with a full class then by midterm one-third are gone and then they start to disappear. I keep hearing "where did everybody go?" Spring semester is not the best for retention, especially when warmer temperatures arrive and outside looks inviting.
Of course my big plan is to go PBL which would, in my mind, be a far richer and more lasting educational experience than what I am doing now. I've thought of three units for it so far that touch all the major concepts of biology: milk, malaria, and melanoma. I might add a missed miscellany as the fourth M. The part of teaching I love the most is the planning. The delivery is fun if it works well. I am glad I eliminated my least favorite part: grading labs. Oh well, dinner time is nigh.
I had big plans for BIO 101 this semester but it turned into a cruddy lecture-filled mess. I feel like I was more successful with last year's debacle. Of course I was shocked that three signed up for 102 in the Spring. I thought that no one would be that masochistic. I am relieved however.
Ever since I realized that lecture is a poor way to teach, I feel like I am short-changing my students. I have begun reading another "what is wrong with college today" book called Academically adrift. They argue that students are completing their first two years and even four years of college without being able to think critically, reason, and write effectively.
My big worry is that I will start up the grand plan, stress myself out and ruin Spring semester. This happens over every break. I make a list of things I want to do and then only accomplish a third. Why do I get so ambitious?
I have two Bio 103 classes next semester. I hope I have more than a 30% C or better rate than I did this semester. I start with a full class then by midterm one-third are gone and then they start to disappear. I keep hearing "where did everybody go?" Spring semester is not the best for retention, especially when warmer temperatures arrive and outside looks inviting.
Of course my big plan is to go PBL which would, in my mind, be a far richer and more lasting educational experience than what I am doing now. I've thought of three units for it so far that touch all the major concepts of biology: milk, malaria, and melanoma. I might add a missed miscellany as the fourth M. The part of teaching I love the most is the planning. The delivery is fun if it works well. I am glad I eliminated my least favorite part: grading labs. Oh well, dinner time is nigh.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Ganas
My brain has been acting strange lately in that I have been spending a lot of time thinking and even dreaming of past girlfriends. The other night I had a long involved dream of my first fiance Elaine. I woke up a little disturbed by it. I've been tempted to contact a couple of them but that would be totally stupid. I know what the cure is.
If you really want to get depressed, read the webmd section on the female libido. How do women even put up with males? We must be uber-pests to them. Natural selection is never perfect.
If you really want to get depressed, read the webmd section on the female libido. How do women even put up with males? We must be uber-pests to them. Natural selection is never perfect.
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