Reorganizing....

Well, in the attempt to recover comments....I accidently deleted sections and ended up changing my template. Since it's the last day of the year, I'm just going to keep with this "out with the old, in with the new" theme and do a little re-arranging. Will get my blogroll up and going again soon.....

Missing comments?

???

Busy Vacation Day

• Slept in until 9ish
• Cup of hot tea in my PJ's
• Quick shower
• Off to a pedicure
• Then a dose of reflexology
• Followed by 1 hour hot rock massage
• Afternoon snack of : Tartine with chevre, pommes frites, du vin
• Dessert of chocolat chaud--the extra thick kind you can "drink" with a spoon
• A bit of shoe shopping
• 3 hours in the movie theatre for "Munich"
• Bedtime blogging.....

Ahhhh......vacation!!!!

Change of Scenery?

I have had the most productive day of all ... the first one in many weeks..AND I AM ON VACATION! My host had a prior work engagement today and I have spent the day sitting and working diligently. Is it the fact that I am not in my own home or my own office? Is it the clearer mind after several days away from it all during the holidays? Is it the sense of impending doom if I don't get my butt in gear?? Whatever it is ...thank you! I needed a day of moving forward.

Holiday Backlog..

OK...so I haven't posted in forever. The holidays are exhausting and I need a vacation from them---so I'm taking one. Visiting a friend who lives near water--big difference for midwestern me. Hanging out, sleeping in, cooking good food, and just relaxing. It's great!!

Christmas Recap: Can you say "too much to drink"? Whew...survived it with a few quality moments with the porcelin god and a lot of sleep. It was a great party...need I say more?

Christmas Eve Recap: Spent the evening baking bread and cookies, and wrapped up in a warm blankie with the kitty. It was nice and cozy.

On the horizon: 2 campus interviews!! Yes, count them..... I'm so excited. Both are in great places and have different but very good things to offer. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Back to my vacation.....

Done grading!!! Grades turned in! Hallalujah!!

So what am I doing?....avoiding writing (which was due 2 weeks ago, technically speaking. I'm catching up on reading blogs....

oh, and throw a personality quiz in too!:

Your Personality Is

Rational (NT) You are both logical and creative. You are full of ideas. You are so rational that you analyze everything. This drives people a little crazy! Intelligence is important to you. You always like to be around smart people. In fact, you're often a little short with people who don't impress you mentally. You seem distant to some - but it's usually because you're deep in thought. Those who understand you best are fellow Rationals. In love, you tend to approach things with logic. You seek a compatible mate - who is also very intelligent. At work, you tend to gravitate toward idea building careers - like programming, medicine, or academia. With others, you are very honest and direct. People often can't take your criticism well. As far as your looks go, you're coasting on what you were born with. You think fashion is silly. On weekends, you spend most of your time thinking, experimenting with new ideas, or learning new things.

The Three Question Personality Test

Yup! That's me.... what do my Friends in real life think?

Random Holiday Fun Stuff

I've been grading ALL DAY. Can't take it anymore ...just need to do something fun.

You Are Blitzen

Always in good spirits, you're the reindeer who loves to party down with Santa. Why You're Naughty: You're always blitzed on Christmas Eve, while flying! Why You're Nice: You mix up a mean eggnog martini.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

OK....hhmmm? Eggnog martinis.....possibilities???

You Are "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeerHad a very shiny nose.And if you ever saw him,You would even say it glows. For you, Christmas is a mix of tradition and fun.You're not above strapping on a red blinking nose for a laugh.

What Christmas Carol Are You?

Definitely a reindeer theme here......

Your Christmas is Most Like: The Muppet Christmas Carol

You tend to reflect on Christmas past, present, and future...And you also do a little singing.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

Muppets.....oooh! Oooh! Which one am I? Maybe Gonzo??

You Are a Fruitcake!

You taste like nothing else in this world.And get ready, you're about to get tossed!

What Crappy Gift Are You?

Fruitcake...it figures.

Thast's my fun for the day. Now I want my friend Dr. Dice Singer to do at least one of these and giggle about it....she needs a smile today.
I also think that Russian Violets has been lost in grading land too long and should also participate in some mindless quizzes as well.
Will be looking for your posts!!

.... and to all a good night. --Statgirl

G.R.A.D.I.N.G.

The grading pile doesn't seem to be shrinking very quickly. Yesterday I returned a set of papers, only to be rewarded with that classes' final exams to now grade. Still 2 more exams to give this week .....and then grade. Oh well, exams do grade much faster than research papers.

On the topic of research papers:
Hats off to my students who actually followed directions and kept up with me during the semester working on each section of their paper near the time we discussed the section topic in class. Way to go! I'm seeing great work that demonstrates a real understanding of how it all fits together.

Raspberries to those students who thought they could write their first ever research proposal the night before it was due. You are doing silly things like: eliminating variables through sampling, citing the actual point of your study as a threat to validity, failing to consider the ethics of your study, not demonstrating any potential impact or importance of your study, failing to show how your study builds on prior research, and running short on time (I hope this is your excuse) and lifting entire sentences from published research in your attempts to summarize other peoples research. [FYI: This is PLAGIARISM.]


Now...back to the stack of papers and the comedy of errors....I just wish I were laughing.

Focus Factor

Well, even thought the list of 'to do's was long...very little was accomplished today. Other than minimal organizing and much procrastination my time in the office was wasted. This was immediately followed by a near panic attack when I arrived home and began assessing what all must be accomplished in the next 2 weeks. Of course, most of this anxiety was brought on by the attempt to "make my list"--no need to check it twice--there is much shopping to be done. Geez I hate shopping ..especially when it involves cold weather and long lines.

Back from a blogging break.

Yes, I am still alive....if anyone even noticed I was gone [besides Seeking Solace who gave me a 'shout out'--thanks :-) ]. I have had a few days where I felt I needed to be a bit more introspective and let some things brew. Furthermore, nothing more exciting going on in my academic world that what has been covered brilliantly by the rest of my fellow academic bloggers.

Follow-up to birthday blogging of last week: I left work early with DA and went grocery shopping and then spent the rest of the afternoon cooking a spectacular birthday dinner with her. Very fun! I love to cook and I find that it is much more fun sharing the kitchen with others and talking and laughing as you go--hard to do when you live alone and have a tiny apartment kitchen that is not conducive to guest chefs. Thankfully, DA and GB have a wonderful kitchen made for friends and my birthday dinner was great!!!

Weekend update: Spent the weekend getting caught up on household chores and laundry--first real chance to do so after being out of town for Thanksgiving. Also spent much quality time with the kitty.

Beginning of this week: Furious end of semester grading, updating Blackboard, and dealing with various student issues. Cleaning of the office --had to get rid of some of the dead balloons and sagging crepe paper in my office as well as find the bottom of my desk (yes, we go a bit crazy sometimes with the birthday decos). Used some of my blogger buddies suggestions to put together gifts for my secret santa. So far so good---although I think she may have figured out already who I am. Actually, I'm thinking that my secret santa gifter may also be my giftee. Not sure yet...but I have defnitely eliminated a couple of possibilities. Good sign of the week: Now that application deadlines have passed for some of the jobs I applied for, I got my first phone call this week which has rescued me from the "what if no one wants me?" syndrome which creeps up on me at unexpected moments.

Middle of week: SNOW!!! Lots of it--so much that my very last class didn't happen because the university canceled classes. Should be interesting getting the final papers turned into me now--wonder how many students will ignore my email about turning them in by tomorrow and will just show up at the final exam next week with the paper in hand saying they didn't received the email and just couldn't figure out what to do ---but they had the paper done, of course.

Today: Pajama day--I have been so tired and just D. R. A. G. G. I. N. G. I spent the entire day at home in my PJ's (well almost, put on sweats to go outside and clean my car off and dig a path so I can get out of my parking spot tomorrow). I slept over 14 hours in the past 48. Did I work on the book chapter that has to get finished ASAP? No. Did I finish writing my final exams? No. Did I work on something that would progress my dissertation? No. I played video games. Actually just one game--Crash Twinsanity--Is it just me, or are the save points really far apart in this game???

That's it for true confessions today. I'm finishing my tea and going to bed I'ved jotted down my 'to do' list. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.

Secret Santa Ideas?

I have 2 weeks to spoil my Secret Santa person at work---who has good ideas for little inexpensive gifts???

Birthday Blogging!!!

It's my birthday!! And I'm done reading ALL my students rough drafts---only the final set of papers in one week!

Hey!! It's my birthday!!! It's my birthday!!!

Funniest note left by someone on my door--> "How many degrees of freedom in a happy birthday?" ---yes, I'm a nerd. :-)

Ignoring my blog, too......

Not only did I manage to ignore all the ridiculously stupid emails I received in last few days, but I have also negleted my blog and received a few email prods to post.

Well, what can I say? It's the same song and dance as everyone else here in the academic corner of the blogosphere--things are winding down and there is much grading to be done.

My favorite student writing of the day--> An entire section in their research proposal about "constant variables"--this followed, of course, the section about the independent, dependent, and extraneous variables. Hello!? Got brain??? What do those words mean (in ANY context)?!

I will try to get more in the blogging spirit very soon.

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?