Regrouping and ignoring student emails.

It's cold outside and I am breaking out the sleepy bear hot tea. MMmmmmm.....

There were a few snow flurries today and, of course, I got an email from a student wanting to know if we would have class---I ignored the email.

And I know I didn't really get that other email asking about something we covered in week 3 of the class which is uber important for the final paper which is due this week. I surely imagined that email.

Best of all, I didn't see the post on the blackboard discussion board asking about the homework assignment which I discussed for at least 10 minutes in class last week--that student couldn't be serious about asking where to locate the article that has been referenced in the last 6 homework assignments and is listed on page 1 of the syllabus with a note that says 'bring to class each week to use in class work/discussion'....

No...I'm sure I have imagined all of this.

Time for statgirl to drink her tea and go curl up in her warm bed with a book.

It's good to be home!!

Yea! I'm back home and finishing up my laundry and almost ready to 'turn in' in my own bed. Miss Kitty is still walking around 'kitty bitching' that I left her alone for a few days. What a wonderful thing it is to return home.

All in all, a good short break from reality.....but tomorrow "Reality Strikes Back"

To do list:

1. Finish class prep #1
2. Read 2 articles for class prep #2
3. Read and comment on multiple rough drafts.
4. Score homework assignments.
5. Write exam review.
6. Begin writing/revising final exams.
7. Major work on book chapter.
8. Dissertation data needs some cleaning....

Big projects on the horizen 'to do' list:

1. Revise article #1
2. Reorganize and polish article #2
3. Analyze data/write paper #3
4. Revise/add to paper #4
5. Finish syllabi for Spring semester

OK..public accountability is putting an undeniable end to the holiday---off to bed for one last evening of reading for fun.

As seen at Russian Violets. . .

Your Life is Like

Being John Malkovich

What John Cusack movie are you?

Hmmmm? ..I really liked this movie...but I hope I'm not really living it.



You have the Rossetti girl look. You are the kind
of girl pre-Raphaelite painters admired; tall,
slender, and fair as a lily flower. The
pre-Raphaelite girl had dramatic beauty; long
neck, large soulful eyes, full shapely mouth
and masses of wavy hair. The pre-Raphaelites
painted girls like this, they showed them in
dramatic situations dressed as famous
characters in legends, plays and poetry. The
favourite colours of the artists were russet,
green and gold. The following artists would
have loved to paint you; Holman Hunt, John
Everett Millais, Edward Burne-Jones, William
Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

'Pretty As A Picture' - Which Artist Would Paint You?

Not so sure about this one.....

I am thankful.... (one day late)

Now that the eating has ceased..... (wow! was it good! traditional turkey plus slow cooked in a smoker ribs....mmmmmm!)

The Thankful List:

1. My Life: I'm healthy, happy and have a great day to day existence.
2. My family and friends: I have people around me who love and care for me. I'm especially thinkful for DA, GB, and the Dice Singer who have been so supportive of me during this job hunting/dissertation finishing escapade.
3. My cat: She's the bestest, cutest, most cattitudinal pet ever!
4. My job: I love getting up and going to work (yes, even on Saturdays).
5. My home: It's small, but comfortable.

Blast from the Past.

I just spent the evening with someone I went to high school with--I haven't seen Aeroboy since our 10 year reunion? Our parents were friends for years and he is only 10 days older than I so we have baby pictures of us hanging together in the playpen. Six years of middle and high school together and then college degrees from rival universities. Both of us, oddities among our counterparts from small midwestern town (SMWT)-- we talked of how similar our lives have been: first there were wedding inivites and then baby announcements. Both of us still single ....and liking it that way for now. Neither of us willing to settle. It's good to live a single life and be mobile--he contracts work out and travels all along the east coast. I only visit SMWT once a year--he has been back twice in the past 3 years. We sit and listen to our mothers recount the local SMWT gossip and realize that although time passes quickly in our days, little has changed in SMWT. The only difference with each visit is how much our parents have aged and topics of their conversations.

Sluggish Tuesday

I was all geared up for a day of uninterrupted writing and research work..and??

Well, I could have had it...but it slipped away. I was so sluggish and unmotivated that I ended up clearing smaller tasks off my desk and avoiding the big jobs at hand. So??

I'm packing up articles in my backpack for the Thanksgiving holiday....

Maybe freedom from my office will inspire writing??

Whew...

Not that I was worried...but being Statgirl and all, I wouldn't want to fail at this quiz!!

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Countdown to the holiday

I only have to work 2 days this week but I need to accomplish what I would normally do in 5--so when am I supposed to get it done?

I've spent my morning prepping a class for today that several students will skip "because Thanksgiving is 3 days away"--what is up with that? The university doesn't close until Wednesday. I hereby vow to myself to not repeat anything that I cover today next week when the skippers return--I will answer any question that pertains to todays lecture with "you should check the powerpoint notes and textbook for the answer to that--we covered it last week". ---Yeah, right, let's see if I can really stick to that!?

Update: Not as many absent as I guessed there would be---I will be able to stick to my vow of not repeating next week.

Tomoroow I plan to show up in jeans and my most comfy sweatshirt for a day full of research related work... please, oh, please, let it be productive.

I am more than my soda?

OK--day 4 with no soda and therefore no caffeine (other than the small amount from a few Hershey's kisses with cherry filling--great limited edition holiday flavor!) and I am dragging......like really slow. I'm tired and kind of cranky---I'm having to work hard to maintain an acceptable attitude.

I have considered the probable causes:

1. I'm going home for a few days?--eliminated this one, because I am actually looking forward to the trip for once. I have some work to take with me, a couple good books and I should be fine.
2. The job search stress?---well, eliminate this one as well--not really feeling the crunch yet and I think I have a good shot at several of the places I applied. My CV is in decent shape for a new grad, I have pubs and I have teaching experience with great evals, I have done some service and feel like I am really prepared to be in a tenure-track position. I am confident about interviewing well (I have as much if not more personality than most 'nerds' in my field)--I just need an interview and I am secure that something will come along, it's early in the game.
3. End of semester run down?--elimiate this one too---the end of the semester is my favorite time, I'm almost done with this group of students--just one lecture plus review day to go before I give the final exams. Then I will have several days to just work on my writing/research---I can't wait!!
4. So? --Well, it must be my new found freedom from sugar/caffiene that I was loading into my body. How many days to really get through withdrawel??

I'm really hoping that after these days of "in a funk for no reason" are followed by a new found 'high' living without all the caffeine and that I get my optimism back and stop feeling so tired. Don't want to keeping dra....gggg...iiiinnnn....ggggg.......

HP

Harry Potter was great!!! Even though many parts of the book were abbreviated and many characters' roles where smaller than usual, all expected appearances occured and it was a great film. I'm placing it second in the HP series---still like the original the best.


*** PS I'm also successfully making through my third day of soda free life. Hanging in there for now.

I'm going to a movie!

I realize this is a typical friday activity for many people--however, it has been almost 2 years since I last set foot inside the door of a movie theatre. With HBO and all the regular cable television offerings, I don't usually feel the need to pay more money to sit in a room with strangers and watch the big screen. Plus, with trying to write a disseration while keeping up with my full time job--watching anything isn't really a priority. So TV does me just fine.....

However, tonight is special--it is HARRY POTTER!!!

Confessions of a soda junkie.....

Sometimes I drink 4 or 5 sodas a day and I drink "the real thing" --all the caffeine and all the sugar--39 grams in one of those little cans!! And I learned today from my dentist that I am the worst kind of soda junkie: I'm a "sipper"--I keep a can on the desk at all times and keep tipping it back all day long. I learned that even if I drank an entire case in one sitting I would do less damage to my teeth. But instead, I coat my teeth in sugar and just when it starts to wear off, I drench them again. So what to do???

I can't stand the diet stuff ---if I could take it, it might be worth risking brain cancer from the asperteme instead of rotting all my teeth.

All the other drinks I like are also high in sugar--my naked fruit juice in the morning ( 20-30 g/bottle) and yes, I checked around---the natural sugar is just as bad for your teeth as sugar in soda (well, close enough anyway---and remember, I am a "sipper" which compounds the problem).

Now that it is getting colder I do drink a lot of hot tea and I don't add any honey or sugar so maybe this will help to control my need to sip and save my enamel? But what will I do when it is warmer? And will tea really take the place of my soda habit?--it's doubtful.....

Temperature Tantrum!

Yes! I'm having a tantrum about the temperature--first it was 70 degrees a couple of days ago, then yesterday it snowed! Now today it is sunny, but only 29 degrees!! Crazy as this is I can live with it.
What I cannot live with is the temperature controlled environments that I live and work in--
(1) Yesterday I woke up to a room temp of 52 degrees because the heat in my home was not working. After a long conversation with the maintenance man about how I was unwilling to wait until "sometime in the afternoon" for him to diagnose my heating problem because he didn't understand my polite request for help--finally after saying "dude, it's snowing outside and I have no heat", he agreed to be there before 10am. So I was very happy when I arrived home yesterday evening to my cozy kitty basking in the 68 degree comfort of working heat.
(2) Now today, I am sitting in my university office which is registering a temperature over 80 degrees! It's 29 degrees outside--I've peeled all the layers I can peel without being dismissed for indecent exposure. Do we really only have one thermostat for 3 huge office suites? Persons in 2 of the 3 suites are suffering from heat exhaustion and the HVAC people do not think this is problem?? WTF???

Now a cranky and sweaty statgirl will return to her writing....

A girl needs friends...

I just spent and hour on the phone with Dr. DiceSinger. She is also looking for a tenure track position and it's nice to share our experiences, expectations, and worries. Even though we are in different (but related) fields applying for different kinds of jobs, she is doing the same things, wondering about the same things, and dreaming about the same things. Perhaps even more importantly, we have similar world views and we tend to be very positive optimistic people. It's good to have a friend like the Dice Singer!!!

Other friends:

NG didn't come to work today...so it was quiet...and if my phone rings after 10pm--I am NOT answering it.

Beachgirl's car was stolen out of her garage!!! Shocker---she left the garage door open and the next morning it was gone. Her birthday is coming soon...hopefully I can cheer her up.

DA got to work at home all day yesterday in her PJ's--I'm so jealous.

MMMoonnnddddaayy

It's cold out today--after an atypical fall season thus far, it suddenly IS fall and according to the weatherman: tomorrow it will be winter!! Wait! I'm not good with sudden change. I need time to aclimate myself. Today I am actually enjoying the fact that my office has no windows.

Meanwhile in studentland.....

I, *statgirl* pledge to: (1) not answer any email that contains a question whose answer can readily be accessed on the syllabus --oh no, you lost your syllabus? --look at the copy on Blackboard!, (2) respond quickly and curtiously to all students who submit the rough draft ON TIME, (3) ignore and delete those rough drafts that are submitted AFTER the deadline, (4) deny all requests to turn in late homework assignments from students who just now realized that the optional homework assignments would have helped their grade.

Note to self: I will never again have a "homework optional" component to any of my courses because in this trial semester, the students for whom I designed the assignments did not do them.

Another installment of "Random Sunday Thoughts"

Sunday has defnitely become my cleansing day--literally and figuratively. I always clean my house and do laundry and in the process unwind from last weeks events and prepare for a new week. Here is this weeks top thoughts--some enduring and other just frickin' annoying.....

1. NG called me last night at 10:40 (!) to tell me that her conference proposal received the highest ratings of them all. Whoopty-f@%&in'--Do! And no, I'm not bittter--my own proposal ratings were great--I just think it's weird to announce this and it's certainly not worthing of getting me out of bed.
2. I've got a TON of writing to get done this week--too bad I can't crawl under a rock and hide from my students. Worst of all, it is literature review type work which I absolutely detest!!
3. Another round of job applications going out tomorrow and I must make a decision about applying to "good job in less than desirable location"....hhhmmm? I'm leaning toward 'no' seems like there are more than enough jobs posted this year.
4. The new Harry Potter film opens on Friday--yee haw!!

Tastes Meme

Dr. Crazy invented this one and since I need to go to the grocery store today this seems like an appropriate post.

Favorite food on a cold, rainy, fall day: Soup, of course! Chili, maybe? or perhaps aspargus soup made by DA ?--> mmmmmmm!!
Favorite food on a hot, humid, summer day: No food, just beer--Corona with lime. OK, if I have to have food with that---I like country ham and a couple cornichon on a baguette with just a touch of butter.
Favorite food when I'm feeling depressed or PMS-y: Chocolate and California Rolls (no--not together! Yuck!) Anything really greasy and bad for me is a close second.
Favorite food that is an embarassment to enjoy eating, because for some reason a lot of people find it gross: Mashed potatoes, with peas or corn, all covered in chicken gravy.
Favorite dinner made by my mother: Thankgiving/Christmas--traditional style : turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, blueberry pie.
Favorite dinners made by my grandmother: I used to love to back blueberry muffins with my grandma when I was young and she taught me how to make the best pie crust ever as well. I like it with peach or blueberry the best!
Favorite dinners made by me: I have lots of recipes I like--just depends on my mood. And I love preparing something new that I find in a cookbook or food magazine. Cooking is a very grounding process for me and helps me to unwind.
Favorite desserts that I make: Red Velvet Cake, White Wedding Cake, Chocolate Mousse, and Gingerbread.

And I need to add a category:

Favorite Appetizer or Snack-y Food: Cheese! Boursin, comte, port salut, chevre, bleu . . . (and a glass of red wine, please!)

The Waiting Game (A Job Quest Update)

This one is a request from Sheepish. . .

Several apps. are out the door, a few confirmations of 'full app. on file' have been received.
I contemplate a few more recent postings with looming deadlines. But mostly. . . . I wait.

My Earliest Memory

A request from Jo(e). . .

This one is rather difficult in many ways. As I thought back and reflected on my childhood memories, I was plagued with thoughts of "is this really MY memory?" or "is this a story someone in my family told me about my early years?" The more I contemplate this, the more intrigued I have become with memories. Which ones are really 'mine' and which ones feel like they belong to me because I have heard the story repeated so many times by my family?

So finally arriving at a memory that I am certain is my own. . . I was about 2 years old and playing in my sisters room (a corner of which was my room), I remember a lavender color for some reason, although I'm pretty sure the room was pink? Maybe it WAS lavender when I was very young. I was on my sister's big bed and noticed a stuffed horse at the end of the bed. It was tall enough that I could see the white tufts of mane on the top of the horsey's head. I don't remember the action of getting to the horse, although I'm sure it consisted of my sliding off the edge of the bed and onto the horsey's back. What I do remember vivedly is approximately 2 seconds of joy as I sat atop the horse before one of the horse's stuffed animal legs gave way under my two-year old body and I fell to the floor.

The interesting thing about this memory is that it stays with me because of guilt, I knew it was something I should not do but I did it and I most likely left the toy 'broken' by adding some additional flexability to a stuffed animal that was meant to have a ridged form. I do not recall being 'in trouble' as a result of this incident or any memory of my sister even finding out what I had done. There was no punishment (or at least no memory of it) for this incident and yet I know it happened. What does ths say about me? My earliest memory is such an insignificant incident (perhaps not even noticed by others) and it is fixed in place by feelings of guilt?

I've lost that blogging feeling....

Sorry...just nothing too exciting going on right now.

I explained the difference in the t test and the F test to someone today...... uh...... I graded some not so exciting homework assignments from my students. I'm working on writing an exam. I've got 2 papers bumping around in my noggin'.....but nothing exciting to write on my blog. >sigh<

I guess I could go with Profgrrrl's latest stategy...what do you want me to write about? It's not really my style....but maybe I need to rely on someone else's ideas for now.

Monday Movies....

I had no time to watch a movie today, it was just a typical Monday--busy and long. Nothing exciting to blog about so I'm going to do that movie list that has been seen EVERYWHERE by now.

I think I'm breaking the rules...it's supposed to be 15 films from the past 15 years.....some of these are older and maybe I won't make it to 15. I haven't been to a movie theatre in over a year--so movies don't really have high priority in my life; however, there are several that I enjoy watching over and over. (And I'm too tired to link them, sorry.)

1. The Shawshank Redemption
2. Dangerous Liasons (any of the 3 versions around --athough my favorite is the 80's version with Glenn Close and John Malkovich)
3. What Dreams May Come
4. Life is Beautiful
5. American Beauty
6. Like Water for Chocolate
7. Less than Zero/ St. Elmo's Fire ( really like Andrew McCarthy---he's a 'hotty body' and those soft features---the lips....OOooooohh!!)
8. The Hours
9. Out of Africa
10. Harry Potter films
11. Au Revoir Les Enfants
12. Heathers / Jawbreaker
13. L'Auberge Espagnol

OK..made it to 13. Lucky 13! And with that, I'm off to dreamland.

Random Sunday Thoughts. . .

1. I should be ironing clothes for this week but the pants I laundered today are not yet dry. I can't put them in the dryer because I am 'the woman with 8 foot legs'. (see Jo(e) for details).
2. I am counting down the number of class periods remaining in the semester. Is is over yet?
3. My 'to do' list for classes this week doesn't look to bad--I may actually make some progress on my own research/writing. Could that even be possible?
4. NG called me last night at 11:30!!!! If I am not out at a social gathering, I am defnitely tucked under the covers by 11pm (usually with a good book) and I DON'T want to be bothered.
5. The leaves are really pretty and a recent lack of wind/rain is keeping them hanging around longer than usual this year. Why do I spend my free day inside cleaning etc. when I could be out enjoying Fall?
6. I tried to call my friend Cat Lady last night, and about 4 times today. I also tried last weekend. Considering the only communication with her lately has been short and sweet emails, maybe I've angered her (again?). How do I always do this?
7. I will have a great week this work week, I can feel it.

Getting started again is the hardest part.

It's Friday and I've taught all my classes this week, finished all the grading and even have prepped (well, about 10% remaining) for next week. So I'm finally ready to get 'back into' my work, meaning my research, writing projects. Why is this so hard??

I have terrible difficulty picking back up where I left off. What was the next step going to be? How do I get back into that mindset where I was really thinking about this project? Hmmm....

My Life

Saw this at the amazing Russian Violets page (she is also a "buttmunch" at love--hmmm...common thread among academic types???? ).

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	6.8
Mind:	7.2
Body:	7
Spirit:	5.9
Friends/Family:	4.5
Love:	3.1
Finance:	7.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Music Meme

I found this at Brightstar --music and memories--how fun!!

Song I always put on mix CD's: "Walkin' on Sunshine"--Katrina and the Waves
Song I try to woo people with: hmmm...music...wow, never thought of that-I'm always trying to get people to like me for me--what's wrong with that???
Song that reminds me of my childhood: ?? no answer for this one
Song that takes me back to high school : "Lean on me"--Club Nouveau
Song that takes me back to college: "I think we're alone now"--Tiffany (Ok that was even embarassing to type)
Song that always makes me cry: "Silent Lucidity" --Queensrych
Song that takes me to my happy place: Anything 80's
Song I play to get the party started: depends on who is at the party....
First concert attended: Michael Jackson-Victory Tour/Thriller
last concert attended: Last 3--Elton John, Sarah McLachlan Alanis Morissette
artist I've seen most often in concert: Easy one...Melissa Etheridge
first record/CD I bought: Culture Club--Colour by Numbers
last record/CD I bought: Tori Amos--The Beekeeper
album I love falling asleep to: Sarah McLachlan-- Mirrorball
album I love waking up to: no music in the morning...news.
Best after-hours album: not sure what "after hours" means here---after the party is over? Pink Floyd--The Wall, of course!
Best song/album for falling in love: Now, if I knew the answer to this one I would be in love, no such luck. :-(
best song/album for breaking up: Alanis Morissette
Guilty pleasure music: Musical music --Rent

>sigh<

Dear Stu Dent,

Why do you come to my office and talk to me about how much you care about your grade and then leave class early during the break?

Statgirl