tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-311607992012-02-15T22:44:19.236-08:00The adventures of a history adjunct and eventual PhD candidate.<BR> (Like this blog? Tell a friend!)Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.comBlogger1381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-62418160238905718922008-02-22T10:19:00.000-08:002008-02-22T10:21:19.811-08:00

If I hear the phrase "we have to do/not do XYZ for the children" one more time, I'm going to stab someone viciously with a log.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-58001117692279894572008-02-22T00:45:00.000-08:002008-02-22T02:13:11.857-08:00

One thing I've noticed since starting my graduate program is the difference between the good professors and the bad ones. Bad is a little extreme. Inadequate is more apt.The good professors see and treat me as a peer. I don't know if it's because I also teach or because I am no longer in undergrad-land, but I am treated as a colleague, not a mere ... student.The inadequate ones are so concerned

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-84726163148394635292008-02-16T19:59:00.001-08:002008-02-16T20:00:01.016-08:00

he·gem·o·ny /hɪˈdʒɛməni, ˈhɛdʒəˌmoʊni/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hi-jem-uh-nee, hej-uh-moh-nee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun, plural -nies. 1.leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation. 2.leadership; predominance. 3.(esp. among smaller nations) aggression or expansionism by large nations in an

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-82910329561923812002008-01-25T23:11:00.000-08:002008-01-26T14:28:08.815-08:00

Torchwood Background for SavageCatsWhat’s up with the rift in Cardiff?We first encounter the Cardiff Rift in “The Unquiet Dead” with the Ninth Doctor and Rose. Gwyneth1 is a servant girl in 1869 Cardiff who has a special connection to the rift. During “The Unquiet Dead,” she is responsible for both widening the rift, creating a universe bridge, and “closing” the rift. We find out later that

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-7246695361271556142008-01-24T19:36:00.000-08:002008-01-24T19:39:55.579-08:00

No, really. It is. Or at least that's what they'd like you to believe.Unless, of course, you fall ill, are admitted to hospital and your children are told that they can't stay with you in the hospital and have to be sent to the orphanage.Seriously.The good news is that the woman got her kids back. The bad news is that because they were sent to an orphanage (because people are dumb), she's now

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-87037585046897777062007-11-17T00:33:00.001-08:002007-11-17T00:35:17.467-08:00

I think, this year, when I'm home for the holidays, I might ask the cute-guy-two-doors-down out for coffee or lunch or something. We haven't really talked since we were kids. We know each other in passing, enough to say hi, but not enough to keep in touch (at all).It's probably silly, and a little insane. And he might not even be home for the hols, but I just want to have a chance to hang out

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-4364764415105578472007-11-14T22:17:00.001-08:002007-11-14T23:14:29.271-08:00

So, I'm reading along on one of my new-fave blogs (The Brit Girl) and I come across her posts on an article entitled "That Was No 'Accident'."A few things came to mind while reading this article. 1. Holy fuck. Women need to get over themselves. 2. One of my favorite shows, Coupling, deals with a woman trying for a baby without letting her long-term boyfriend know. (Granted, he doesn't seem upset

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-67601977835076683792007-11-13T22:36:00.000-08:002007-11-13T22:38:30.799-08:00

Three women were in the waiting room of a gynocologist, and each of them was knitting a sweater for their baby-to-be. The first one stopped and took a pill. "What was that?" the others asked her. "Oh, it was Vitamin C - I want my baby to be healthy." A few minutes later, another woman took a pill. "What was that?" the others asked. "Oh, it was iron - I want my baby to be big and strong." They

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-38874988004782651002007-11-10T11:57:00.000-08:002007-11-10T12:44:27.399-08:00

I love traveling. I really do. I hate packing and flying places, but I like it when I'm there.Even though my trip to the UK is going to be very backpacker, but I'm not 20 anymore and there's only so much of the hostel adventure that I can take without some level of luxury. Time to toss out the ol' link list again.I need to find my backpack from my Australia trip. I'm pretty sure it's at the

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-85779715075437505352007-11-05T20:50:00.000-08:002007-11-05T20:54:02.413-08:00

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,I know of no reasonWhy Gunpowder TreasonShould ever be forgot.Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intentTo blow up King and Parli'ment.Three-score barrels of powder belowTo prove old England's overthrow;By God's providence he was catch'dWith a dark lantern and burning match.Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.Holloa

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-74242980239183695292007-11-02T17:38:00.000-07:002007-11-02T18:29:26.543-07:00

Ahh, so much today and not a lot dealing with education in particular.Went to class today. Spoke with the wife of my professor (who also teaches at the university) after class to talk about something "personal-professional" - yes, I was deliberately vague because it was not a private forum, and I really didn't need the older guys stepping in and telling me I was being dumb. I sent Wife-Professor

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-50442362524259420422007-11-01T16:04:00.000-07:002007-11-01T16:16:55.397-07:00

In the privacy of my own home (and occasionally out on the patio), I've been reading The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury. So far, he's come up with two wonderful quotes about my profession."...But you know how it is with the Templars. It's like archaeological porn, it's virtually academic suicide to be interested in them. It's gotten to the point where no one wants it known that they take the

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-92024409309050010302007-10-31T20:18:00.000-07:002007-10-31T21:04:55.767-07:00

At the risk of turning into one of those single women that does nothing but bitch about men and lament about the lack of a love life.Today, I bit the bullet. A guy in my class on East Asia helped me out by asking questions when I was giving my lecture. He bought me a few minutes more than I would have had were I just doing my lecture. I spoke with RiotGrrlJock about it on Monday and she figured

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-10318313523098478182007-10-31T14:31:00.000-07:002007-10-31T14:40:59.183-07:00

So, the classmate that was giggling over the German trees with me sent me a delightful email last night...One of the editors was a professor of hers from last semester.I can't help but think that those trees that are off-standard (or, you know, the yellow trees) are about to be sent off to the place that bad trees go.I'm actually tempted to pick up How Green Were the Nazis? It seems like it would

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-44547966239474016072007-10-30T19:25:00.000-07:002007-10-30T19:57:54.102-07:00

Today I had my environmental history class. Today's reading was Forest Dreams, Forest Nightmares by Nancy Langston. It's in the Weyerhaeuser Environmental series, which led me to come to a musing... Why does my book dealing with environmental history make no statement of being printed on recycled paper? (If you guessed that it wasn't, you win an e-cookie.)Anyway, onto the discussion during the

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-82575438909567510062007-10-27T00:17:00.000-07:002007-10-27T01:16:08.703-07:00

Sit down, dear readers. I have news.I actually left the apartment for social reasons on a Friday evening.Voluntarily.My neighbor (the music one, not the Indian engineering student or the Kiss and Ignore CBwD one, but same apartment) told me about a performance he was in on Thursday. Bettie was being a bitch on Thursday (she decided to have a dead battery), so I didn't make it to the opening night

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-72024710495240115732007-10-26T00:52:00.000-07:002007-10-26T01:16:07.834-07:00

A few weeks ago, I was talking with SavageCats about this train wreck of a TV show that's made it into my Friday night DVR schedule. Moonlight. In short, it's a show about modern-day vampires living in LA. One of the main characters is played by Sophia Myles. I knew I'd seen her in something before, but I couldn't quite place her. I knew that I appreciated her acting, but I also disliked her

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-34479288245329651672007-10-22T16:24:00.000-07:002007-10-22T16:32:32.427-07:00

Okay, not entirely "adventures," but close enough. At the insistence of RiotGrrlJock (again), I scrounged through Match.com for potential dates. Out of the many pages that came up, we only found one that the both of us approved and determined that my potential dating pool is definitely low.I find it amusing. Poor RiotGrrlJock was depressed for me.Ah well. It was a nice distraction from being sick

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-24153240079998553112007-10-21T15:57:00.000-07:002007-10-21T16:03:28.347-07:00

In further news of "yep, this is my life," I cyberstalked looked up CBwD on MySpace at RiotJockGrrl's insistence. As of 17 October, he was "in a relationship." No worries, I find it amusing and figured as much.Here's the thing that just sent me into fits of giggles. She was there!There are just no words. I find it wildly amusing because 1. I didn't do anything I was ashamed of, so I'm good. 2.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-50996912455160051992007-10-19T16:27:00.000-07:002007-10-19T17:06:56.442-07:00

I did indeed go to the party last night, and cute-boy-with-dog kissed me. Unfortunately, I've determined he's a rental.The shindig was interesting. It was partly for Homecoming (which I could give a rat's ass about) but more for CBwD's roommate. An Indian from Worcester, England, UK. Hello gorgeous British accent. Thankyouverymuch. Anyway, it was IfWEU's birthday and the to-do was in celebration

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-75717303616599963162007-10-18T18:12:00.001-07:002007-10-18T18:23:44.074-07:00

Okay, so I just did massive rantyness, I know. But, there's more to share.I consider myself to be socially inept. This is not to say that I'm socially unaware, because I do keep track of all kinds of things in order to try and figure out social interactions.I did my "OMG, out of smokes, must procure more, ASAP!" thing earlier this evening. Brought my wallet, my cell phone, and my hands-free just

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-34635551610609657462007-10-18T13:47:00.000-07:002007-10-18T14:33:32.457-07:00

Among the classes I am taking for my master's this semester is a class on Environmental History.I can hear you now. "But Adjunct Slave, you've outed yourself as a conservative. Why are you taking an Environmental ANYTHING class?"Okay, allow me to explain.1. I am a fiscally conservative, socially moderate-liberal libertarian. (Basically, I'm hated by both major US parties because they have no idea

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-39681421051676812972007-06-24T15:02:00.001-07:002007-06-24T18:55:09.950-07:00

Okay, so I've discussed my unhealthy obsession with admiration for David Tennant on here, I know I have. Even in brief. What I haven't stated is that I also have some serious love for Graham Norton. (Seriously, if the man ever called me up and said "I need someone to carry my child," I'd probably do it in a heartbeat - in exchange for cash and a way to get citizenship in the UK...)Now, imagine my

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-88466289919725123852007-06-21T13:49:00.000-07:002007-06-21T14:05:27.929-07:00

Not a whole lot to report in the history/teaching realm.In other news, while I was accompanying my Division Chair on a trip to Breckenridge, CO for a conference, my Subaru died. Not badly, just enough to be a whiny little bitch and need more work done on him than he was worth. (Yes, I believe the Subaru was a little gay-emo-gothwannabe male car. Your point?) So, I traded him in and got Bettie.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-46267061444567986822007-06-03T16:32:00.000-07:002007-06-03T16:40:59.086-07:00

First hand accounts of Fijian cannibalism.Dr. Hallowell's blog dealing with ADHD in students and adults.Linklist for sources and information on Tibetan Buddhism.Suggested reading lists for history grad students (see comments).Doctor Who postery goodness.General contact information for David Tennant - possible interview for UK trip. (No, it's not specific enough for you to contact and get all

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-10272755538920462532007-06-02T00:20:00.000-07:002007-06-02T00:41:22.168-07:00

And, apparently, it's called Academic Impostor Syndrome.(Caltech has an article on the topic.)Allow me to let you in on a dirty little secret of mine. I think that every single day I run the risk of being discovered. A student asks me a question, and I give them an answer from the hip. I know the information is valid, but I don't recall an absolute cite for it. Is it true, or is it my brain

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-21258887051196232952007-05-31T16:47:00.000-07:002007-05-31T18:14:55.065-07:00

Update dates for quizzesUpdate dates for assignmentsUpdate dates for examsPlace ID section in MC examRemove essay sections/documentsRework "Format" doxDouble check Syllabus, upload .pdf versionCreate page 'o links - Adobe Acrobat Reader and Powerpoint ViewerUpdate supplemental dox for assignmentsCreate supplemental website - doesn't matter if it's rough, just get it up.Note-out mini lecturesThe

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-62734815058477423752007-05-31T15:34:00.000-07:002007-05-31T15:43:20.753-07:00

Because of my own marvelous ability to injure myself, I had to switch out my nose screw for a hoop today. Only problem was, the bloody thing wouldn't play nice and go in smoothly, so I went to the piercing and tattoo shop near my house.The owner gave me a hard time because I begged him to let me in before hours so I could pick up this hoop. Told me that if I needed help with the capture bead, to

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-28206684638285199502007-05-30T21:12:00.000-07:002007-05-30T21:17:31.712-07:00

Update dates for quizzesUpdate dates for assignmentsUpdate dates for examsPlace ID section in MC examRemove essay sections/documentsRework "Format" doxDouble check Syllabus, upload .pdf versionCreate page 'o links - Adobe Acrobat Reader and Powerpoint ViewerUpdate supplemental dox for assignmentsCreate supplemental website - doesn't matter if it's rough, just get it up.Note-out mini lectures

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-1145681585002389312007-05-30T09:46:00.000-07:002007-05-30T09:48:37.329-07:00

The eight types of graduate student (Link) Why are we postgrads here? Well, for lots of reasons, says Patrick Tomlin Tuesday May 15, 2007The Guardian When I started this column, I promised myself I wouldn't let it become a monthly whinge about how poor I am. Partly because that

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-89344419663607996242007-05-25T15:35:00.000-07:002007-05-25T15:37:20.807-07:00

I've gotten the letter saying "We're looking into your application and we'll let you know what's what" from state. I'm waiting for it to filter past the department head's desk.At least it's some notification of "we got it."

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-90698870777180719182007-05-17T16:33:00.000-07:002007-05-18T08:56:25.416-07:00

We all know the old children's chant...Ring around the rosiesPocketful of posiesAshes, ashesThey all fall down"The deadly outbreak of bubonic plague, also known as the "black death," that struck Western Europe in 1347 wiped out more than a third of the population. An event such as that was destined to be immortalized in the cultural consciousness, and many of the lines in the nursery rhyme do

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-34027215410524376922007-05-15T19:30:00.000-07:002007-05-15T19:45:36.589-07:00

Another semester in the books. I just have to turn in my grade sheets and I'm free!Well, sort of. I have a lot of things that need to be done during the interim session, I may be teaching an English course this summer if they need another instructor, I have to create my C.V. since I'm no longer in resume-land as far as careers go, and I have to start doing some hefty work on the website.And then

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-46317071939394764872007-05-14T17:24:00.000-07:002007-05-14T17:26:15.191-07:00

A student* asked me a few weeks ago: "Miss, you're one of those people who's really nice, up until the point where you're just... Well, not... Aren't you?"I hemmed and hawed for a bit before I looked at her and said, "Well, my basic philosophy on life is this: so long as we all play by the nice rules of polite society, everything is fine. The moment that someone breaks those rules in regards to

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-89032564329310309382007-05-13T16:29:00.000-07:002007-05-13T16:32:08.524-07:00

A few students surprised me. Their abilities increased over the course of the semester, and a number of them became better at communicating their information. And it's given me some ideas of how to approach my future studies.I also have a link for you... 7th grader's perceptions of scientists before and after a trip to Fermilabs. Allow me to say that I would have killed for a field trip to a

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-43768704479857798232007-05-06T19:43:00.000-07:002007-05-06T19:45:23.075-07:00

On DVD August 14.The appropriateness of the date amuses me.Need I say more?

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-90523955141649319162007-05-06T15:58:00.000-07:002007-05-06T16:01:34.022-07:00

Well, my online classes decided to implode last week. I shouldn't say my online courses, since it impacted everyone at the university that teaches an online or hybrid course, but some of them were my courses... And I've been having to deal with the explosion of "omg, wtf, bbq?!" from the students after the thing went boom...So, to recover from the mental exhaustion of the last few days, I've been

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-31547548225768061892007-05-03T21:59:00.000-07:002007-05-03T22:03:54.511-07:00

Audacity allows for the recording of audio (free, so I love it) and will convert to OGG, MP3, or WAV.(Yeah, Adjunct Slave... So what?)So? SO? So, this means that I can finally create lectures for the online courses I teach.This is beyond fabulous!Now to find a sourceforge program that will allow me to pull clips off DVDs and other video files.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-41453847205998594242007-04-25T14:56:00.000-07:002007-04-25T15:01:56.983-07:00

I was telling my students about the possible [looking for a confirmed source that it has been done] abolition of limbo for those who die unbaptized (apparently, they'll go to heaven now?).One of my students asked, and logically so, "What happens to the dead infants before now?"I gave a response that still makes my head spin (and makes me giggle like an insane schoolgirl):"I don't know if there's

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-28456634198969800132007-04-23T12:14:00.000-07:002007-04-23T12:20:25.031-07:00

I have been down with the Klendian Death Flu. Actually, it was just a really bad heat rash combined with a sinus infection. Whee.Hopefully there will be wonderful tidbits when I grade the next round of papers (tomorrow to Wednesday) to share. The semester is almost over, and I have two wonderful paychecks left before my world comes crashing down for 4 weeks while I wait for summer session pay to

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-32497702969593440652007-04-13T19:50:00.000-07:002007-04-13T19:51:37.614-07:00

Full metal ELF Parody of FULL METAL JACKET

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-88912876648873856402007-04-13T19:39:00.000-07:002007-04-13T19:41:22.594-07:00

Speakers up, people.If you don't laugh at this, there's something wildly wrong with you.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-50212834819418490332007-04-06T12:38:00.000-07:002007-04-06T12:40:27.217-07:00

In an essay dealing with the Germanic influence on the fall of Rome, a student gave this background tidbit..."In 58 BC, Julius Caesar felt compelled to meet his neighbors to the north."I laughed. So hard. And yes, she's getting extra points because of this statement.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-7254294568329083772007-04-04T12:47:00.000-07:002007-04-04T12:48:26.212-07:00

Nathan Fillion has a MySpace page.I hate MySpace. With a passion. But... It's Fillion... So torn.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-69883848997616020422007-04-04T12:44:00.000-07:002007-04-04T12:45:25.659-07:00

Wow. Just... Wow. (And it works!)

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-8445923176147838462007-03-31T20:59:00.000-07:002007-03-31T21:04:16.268-07:00

Another year of prepping for grad schools.All of the places I applied to sent me very nice "Thank you but no thank you" letters. And honestly? I can't blame them. I didn't do the legwork that I should have done, and now I know better for next application season.So, between now and then, I continue teaching, prepping for a retake of the GREs (preferably at a site that doesn't have a problem with

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-70829512203885998462007-03-15T02:57:00.000-07:002007-03-15T03:01:27.876-07:00

180.543And my Spring Break starts a week from today.I'm looking forward to seeing 5 friends as a result of this trip to the east coast. I'm also looking forward to spending some time with an old friend when I get back....I still have to send in/submit resumes/do whatnot for the grand job hunt.And I'm really hoping to get back on a sane sleep schedule soon.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-49000089151761294272007-03-14T17:42:00.000-07:002007-03-14T17:57:52.955-07:00

I forgot to point out something...While I was running errands, I was listening to "La Vie Boheme." Windows down (because it's insanely warm here), driving down Main Street. At a stop light in "downtown."Families all around.The line "creation, vacation, mutual masturbation!" came out of my speakers (and my mouth) loud as could be. And many pairs of eyes swiveled toward me.This is my life.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-91254451833599831892007-03-14T15:42:00.000-07:002007-03-14T17:39:47.316-07:00

Today I got errands done.For anyone else, this wouldn't be a big deal. Some of you may sit there and think, "ew, errands. I hate errands. I know where the Slave is going with this..."I hate errands, but for a completely different reason from most people.You see, errands are the bane of any ADHDer's existence. I had three stops to make today: Sam's Club (for a DVD and gas), State Farm (to pay my

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-62134983612127365692007-03-13T12:24:00.000-07:002007-03-13T12:34:35.235-07:00

I was just outside, enjoying some of the sunshine when a student walked by. I could tell by his gait that he was one of our "special services" students... Developmentally delayed. Mild retardation.As he walked near me, I said "hi" - because that's what's expected of me as an instructor here, and because that's what I do. He muttered a "hi" in return and kept walking a few paces. Then he turned

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-12729863149689638082007-03-13T01:46:00.000-07:002007-03-13T01:47:19.541-07:00

Because sometimes, you just have to wake up to remind yourself to take a breath.Because sometimes, pain is the reminder that you are living.Because sometimes, you hope that the Universe is wrong.Because it only lasts 24 hours, and then it starts all over again.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-74353900720799091982007-03-11T03:38:00.000-07:002007-03-11T03:44:59.102-07:00

I went twenty years without. I had a month and a half with. I am now without again, and I am attempting to reconcile this in the dark and swirly place that is my mind.I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop popping up with derivatives, be it in my crossword, my location hits, my television programs, or my radio.It was not my choice, but it is something I have to abide by. I have done all I can,

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-88583046151660303692007-03-11T03:28:00.000-07:002007-03-11T03:35:29.703-07:00

And out come the obligatory "I'm not doing well, can I still get a B/pass the course/wash your car until the end of time?" emails.Great Jumpin' Jehoshaphat, kids... halfway through the semester (that would be why they're called midterms) is a little past the time to go, "Houston, we have a problem."...Of course, the Slave just realized that it's 4 am where she is... Stupid "Spring Forward" time

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-76229058359181164522007-03-09T15:59:00.000-08:002007-03-09T16:00:43.626-08:00

"It's like a God complex.""What's God?""You know when you want something and you close your eyes and you wish really hard for it? God's the guy who ignores you."-- The IslandNot turning out to be a great movie, but has some good lines.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-59063640919427456982007-03-08T21:53:00.000-08:002007-03-08T21:57:17.110-08:00

There is a student that I've suspected of cheating on his quizzes.So for the midterm, I forced all the students to sit at least one seat apart.Guess who got the low score on the midterm?If you guessed the suspected student, you were right.Guess who was among the high scorers on the midterm?If you guessed the student who he used to sit next to, you were right.Guess who's feeling oh-so-vindicated

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-9643975654735971202007-03-05T18:11:00.000-08:002007-03-05T18:13:04.885-08:00

I love this... AI is practicing law without a license.Favorite quote from the article:"...ruling that the software was effectively practicing law without a license."While I'd love to be a judge in this case, I'm so glad I left law school

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-39205925446335737182007-03-01T18:35:00.000-08:002007-03-01T18:39:44.206-08:00

So, during break today, a CIS student was telling me how he just bought a Wii, and downloaded Super Mario Bros. I told him I can't think of SMB without thinking of Dane Cook and we had a good laugh about that.So we go back into class.I ask (during review) why DOS has it's own Virtual Machine under 9x/Me. A different student responds:Because DOS plays with itself.I think my approximate response

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-19143252473976206782007-02-26T21:06:00.000-08:002007-02-26T21:13:15.696-08:00

Since my last weigh in, I'm down 3% body fat (and up two pounds, but I suspect that's muscle).So, looks like I'll be staying on the low-sugar, low-flour diet and keeping up with the yoga and the other exercising goodies.Whee! Clothes are already fitting better, and I'm getting in the right mindset. I am also in desperate need of more Stash lemon tea, as the starfruit tea just tastes... odd.My

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-15060532582719974032007-02-25T23:21:00.000-08:002007-02-25T23:34:53.749-08:00

Today was grading day. Whee! (Ugh.)I actually gave out a few full points in one of my classes. Either the word has gotten out, or I've got a few students that are just with it.As a counterpoint, I had one student that, when scraping all the points I could find for her, received a 10%. But wait, it gets better. She turned the assignment in late, which is an automatic 10% deduction. Now, I'll be

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-42063581516849330042007-02-25T16:48:00.000-08:002007-02-25T16:52:43.235-08:00

Well, after much thought and deliberation, I'd like to be a size 8 again. Size 6 would be nice, but rather impossible short of shaving bone. So, in that vein, I've started doing exercise along with my "eat healthy" diet. (Need to pick up some brown rice, though.)Yoga kicked my ass today. As in sweat rolling down the face. I decided to get back into yoga because it was low impact! Have I really

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-39097208984836232082007-02-21T03:52:00.000-08:002007-02-21T03:53:59.497-08:00

It is possible to have violent, wracking sobs in the adjunct office quietly enough where students don't notice the noise. They will, however, ask after the loud nose-blowing. Thank goodness it was windy today and allergies were a valid enough excuse.It was a bitch of a day.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-46586779173254966842007-02-12T15:42:00.000-08:002007-02-12T15:43:30.703-08:00

Just o.OFurther proof that I'm a Northerner at heart. Someone says something I disagree with, I try to talk them to death, not... Well, just watch.[Thanks to Lizzu for the link.]

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-20556225391683409842007-02-12T12:28:00.000-08:002007-02-12T14:34:07.745-08:00

I am booked for Spring Break! Providence/Boston here I come!And about damned time. I've been in desperate need of getting out of this town for something other than a family-related holiday. I haven't been on a solo holiday in nearly two years. And I haven't been on a solo holiday that lasted more than a long weekend in six. In fact, the last solo holiday I went on was my trip to Australia for

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-47597488283914512182007-02-12T11:15:00.000-08:002007-02-12T12:54:55.373-08:00

For my Doctor Who fans out there, there's some decent fanart, and I'm here to present you with the links...The Doctor's Girls (by mimi-na on DeviantArt)This is awesome. It's basically a chibi rendition of all the female companions that had some emotional attachment to the Doctor.omg DOCTORZ (by mimi-na on DeviantArt)Quasi-chibi, mostly caricature. Of the two "new" doctors that don't run the risk

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-5277615083916505202007-02-12T00:59:00.000-08:002007-02-12T15:56:33.228-08:00

From Wired News: February 12, 1908 - The Great Race.This article is the win for one reason and one reason alone. This quote:"In the end, it was the Americans who reached Paris first, at 6 p.m. on July 30. Order of finish: The U.S., Germany, Italy and France. Almost like World War II."I don't hate France, or the French. Most of the French people I know are quite nice. I dislike Parisians, though..

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-6860477059130482112007-02-11T22:41:00.000-08:002007-02-12T11:20:26.412-08:00

I'm still not in love with the new Octavian. I think that Max Perkis would have persisted in doing an admirable job as the (forgive the mixed timelines this next statement evokes) Machiavellian prodigy personae of Octavian pre-Augustus Caesar.We finally get some clues as to timeline in this episode! Octavian is referred to as being 19, that puts us at around 44 B.C. - but wait, we have a problem!

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-43031314133571904172007-02-07T12:19:00.000-08:002007-02-07T12:23:52.691-08:00

March is really too far away (Thanks to Dr. D for pointing out the poster.)This movie is going to be beautiful. Here's hoping they don't try to turn it into a chick flick with a love interest that doesn't make a damned bit of difference to the plot. Give me the violence. The war. The blood. The gore. I don't need sex in my violence. Not this time.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-81057099356014740312007-02-03T15:30:00.000-08:002007-02-12T18:20:31.332-08:00

[This space was previously taken up by way random personal "I suck" stuff. I still suck, but it's uncool to blather about this on a blog that is reserved for historical, computer information systems, teaching, and other associated snark.]Back to the historical content.During the clean up, I found my Atlas of World History. Maybe my students will remember that Turkey used to be Anatolia. That

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-2701298987210130292007-02-03T01:17:00.000-08:002007-02-03T01:20:20.570-08:00

Cut and paste from an email to a friend on the day's events.On Thursdays, I have a discussion period for my face to face history course (Western Civ I). Today's discussion was on the Greeks. I ask the students to point out something that excited them about the chapter and we'll talk about it. It started off mellow enough... The role of women, the development of sundials, astronomy, the pantheon

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-76319459902863176612007-01-30T17:50:00.000-08:002007-01-30T17:51:41.310-08:00

What would happen if I Googled "binary bomb components" while on a wifi connection at the airport?

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-55068124223405571702007-01-26T20:12:00.000-08:002007-01-26T20:24:25.821-08:00

Nine hours in, and I'm hanging in there. Day two and three are going to suck, but by day four, I should be okay.My throat is really dry and I'm drinking water and tea like it's going out of style, but it will be better in the long run.The impetus for this isn't aware of it. I'm so bad at keeping secrets.The heartburn sucks like I can't begin to describe, but it'll be done with soon.And watching

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-29041635478687114292007-01-23T22:28:00.000-08:002007-01-23T23:01:16.307-08:00

Today was a bartending teaching day. When I was doing the booze-slinger gig, there were a lot of days where I knew I went to work, made drinks, chatted, and cleaned up. But the things that actually happened? No earthly idea.It was that day on campus.I know I made some inappropriate comments in CS, and I'm pretty sure I openly mocked God in History. I blame lack of food. You see, I've started a

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-59049152017597343922007-01-22T18:02:00.000-08:002007-01-22T18:08:49.177-08:00

I love Rube Goldberg machines. I just got into a discussion last night as to whether the Rube Goldberg machine in Mousetrap was a good part of the game or the only part of the game.I don't think there will ever be a satisfactory conclusion to the discussion. But I still love Rube Goldberg machines. That this one starts with a Mentos/Diet Coke fountain is fantastic.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-6211382111408097322007-01-21T01:31:00.000-08:002007-01-21T09:56:13.190-08:00

...It is a wonderful and glorious thing!Really. I promise!First, a slight rewind. I've recently come back into contact with an old classmate, one that seems to love using that word that's just right, as I do. So, my poor atrophied vocabulary is starting to go through verbal therapy and is slowly but surely getting stronger...Just in time to torture my students.Case in point.History 1x1. Survey of

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-34675141082639010192007-01-12T16:33:00.000-08:002007-01-12T16:35:22.852-08:00

Another instructor-blogger discusses the different methods of grading papers.I keep threatening the primary method that he discusses, and I'm glad to see an analytical discussion on the technique.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-61005355314481114432007-01-12T15:58:00.000-08:002007-01-12T16:04:00.883-08:00

So, SSU has decided to put all the courses, online or not, with an online shell. Why? Because of the fear of a bird flu pandemic. (Seriously? If there's a pandemic, do you think people are going to log on to classes when the university is shut down? Seriously?!)Here's the rub.For the instructors that do not normally teach an online course, they have no idea how the dogma or the pedagogy of the

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-49890107802573296422007-01-08T21:52:00.000-08:002007-01-08T21:58:13.634-08:00

...to engage another group of students in an exciting new semester.I'll be more excited once I'm unpacked and resettled. I have a strong suspicion that grad school may be delayed a year, which kinda sucks, but isn't absolutely horrid.Here's hoping that my flight goes without a hitch, that the new year brings prosperity and good news, and that this semester is met with excitement and wonder.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-51011381482260370602007-01-08T14:30:00.000-08:002007-01-08T14:47:50.749-08:00

The Crazy Years are upon us.Haiti still has no stable form of government, two years after a coup.Dhaka, Bangladesh is rioting over elections and lack of proper representation.Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, India, and a number of other countries are creating or in the process of creating nuclear (possibly weapon) capabilities.Russia and Belarus are in an argument over oil.The United States

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-25870262127163841482007-01-06T17:18:00.000-08:002007-01-06T17:59:00.865-08:00

Another history instructor I know is transcribing her grandfather's diary from WWII. You can access the entries at Nite_Sheigo, they start in 2005.Recently, I've been watching Band of Brothers, the HBO miniseries that focuses on the Easy Company of the 101st. First, it is remarkably well filmed, and, I believe, historically accurate. As historically accurate as it can be made based on the

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-48826144550531353502007-01-04T14:39:00.000-08:002007-01-21T02:23:58.969-08:00

After reading through SavageCat's posts1 on Bond, I've been thinking about how the Bond flicks, while based off the writings of Ian Fleming, have always been relevant to the world at the time of filming/release.Now, there have been many movies that reflect the issues going on at the time, but they seem to skirt around the real issue. MASH was really about the Vietnam War, but it was set during

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-20254987867090934012006-12-30T05:25:00.000-08:002007-01-22T14:10:02.839-08:00

T and I went to the bar, I had recently finished a sock for her, so I brought my knitting for the second sock. I figured I'd sit and knit while we chatted, drank, and listened to music. It was worthwhile, I got about 5" into the leg of the sock...Of course, knitting in a bar brings its own troubles...1. The favored server, M, thought it was cool, but it is in her nature to flip shit, so she

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-76716239808062141932006-11-10T12:47:00.000-08:002006-11-10T12:52:20.188-08:00

Between moving (again), taking the GREs (did well enough, especially for not cramming my ass off), and the hellish lull between midterm and finals, I'm getting back to standard.In other news, I hit an all time low for attendance. a little over a third of my students showed for class on Thursday. And it was the students that aren't in desperate need of in class time. Ah well...And for your viewing

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-47206929875333078642006-10-26T18:01:00.001-07:002006-10-26T18:01:32.612-07:00

Posting will resume as soon as morale has been beaten into improvement.I hate midterms.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-16086074747943569072006-10-17T22:25:00.000-07:002006-10-17T22:29:36.263-07:00

You know, when the opinion handed down by the court includes a paragraph like the following one, it's going to be a good opinion... Or at least an amusing one."Both attorneys have obviously entered into a secret pact — complete with hats, handshakes and cryptic words — to draft their pleadings entirely in crayon on the back sides of gravy-stained paper placemats, in the hope that the Court would

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-42084524419957109412006-10-14T18:00:00.000-07:002006-10-14T16:57:15.099-07:00

For those of you who don't know what the DSM IV is, it's the psychologist's tome of disorders.Now, I'm not big on self-diagnosis for anything (except for recurrent medical things that you've had before, like sinusitis or bronchitis... If you've had those a number of times, you know what it feels like and what the symptoms are), but damn is it nice to label people, even if it's just to

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-45181903693576150442006-10-14T12:21:00.000-07:002006-10-14T12:46:25.147-07:00

I hate being called a feminist. I don't put women above men, I'd just like to be seen as a person.And then I run into the students that deliberately place themselves as inferior because they display a need to identify themselves by who else is in their life, rather than who they are.Me?I am an instructor.I am a historian.I am a college graduate.I am an avid reader.I am a voter.I am a sci-fi

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-77437628354161110252006-10-12T21:53:00.000-07:002006-10-12T22:04:18.135-07:00

Gallaudet students effectively close down campus in protest of new university president.The article states that some students don't feel the new university president is "deaf enough" because, while she was born deaf, she grew up in a hearing household, speaks, and didn't learn ASL until she was 23. While there is a divide in the deaf community between those who grew up in hearing households and

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-22008342926255090022006-10-12T21:08:00.000-07:002006-10-12T21:14:48.313-07:00

I really must make an effort to get more sleep.The students today were interesting. No, no more announcements of psychological disorders. Nope! Today was a discussion of why a student might miss the midterm. "I have a court date, miss, but I'll try to stay out of jail until after the semester is over."Yep.I just shook my head. And laughed. Because, what else can you do? Recoiling in horror is a

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-56345750347744832252006-10-11T23:01:00.000-07:002006-10-11T23:13:54.690-07:00

Someone asked me, "do you miss law school? Do you regret not staying past your first year?"Yes and no, on both accounts.If, somehow, I came into a few million dollars and had the ability to not touch the principle and live off the interest and afford to go to back to law school... I'd do it. Under one condition. If I'd get to audit all the courses.You see, I enjoyed the learning part of it. A

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-42166339441923764462006-10-11T17:51:00.000-07:002006-10-11T17:56:23.334-07:00

A co-worker has a furry in his class.She's only part-time furry when she's on campus. You know, just a tail and a dog collar.Which brought up dino porn. And my comment that there's a fetish for everything. I'm waiting to see a corset-training man here at SSU. Apparently, last semester heralded not one, but TWO! transvestites.Ah well, it's a choice.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-59166979172070937762006-10-08T20:46:00.000-07:002006-10-08T20:50:53.074-07:00

I hate this place!I was just fine with the crazy students, the bizarro radio adverts. But today? Today topped the fucking cake.Doing my laundry this evening, all of a sudden, my bathroom started spewing shit. Literally. The bathtub overflow drain, the toilet, the sink. All started spewing sewage.If this happens again, I'm leaving. Fuck my lease. He can deal.This goes under the category of

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-73247941230321347292006-10-07T21:15:00.000-07:002006-10-07T21:36:06.087-07:00

After the piteous showing of Troy and The Last Samurai, I'm hesitant to see movies with a historical overlay. Most of the time they're either poorly done (Troy) or utterly unrealistic to anyone with knowledge about the subject (The Last Samurai)... But 300 is based off Frank Miller's graphic novel. So, therein I'm torn.I love Frank Miller's work. Brilliant storyteller.But I'm afraid it will suck.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-92010416548186557712006-10-07T11:21:00.000-07:002006-10-07T11:24:38.878-07:00

One of my students emailed me and asked me:"Have you written any books? You are an excellent writer."I will admit, when I write for my students, it's a professional thing. When I blog, it's another form of talking.I love it! I have a suck-up! And compliments on my writing are so much cooler than "hey, teacher, you're pretty/funny/have a cute wrinkle in your nose"This almost makes up for the

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-14196729115689613712006-10-06T11:55:00.000-07:002006-10-06T21:16:52.710-07:00

As many of you can see by my link list, I'm fond of Teacher Lady and her blog, Sex Ed in Higher Ed.Recently, she made two posts that just, well, made my non-existant baby Jesus cry.The first was "Have we come a long way, baby?" where she recounts the lack of anything smacking of feminism, as she refers to it. Personally, I think it's the lack of young women doing anything that resembles being

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-12557409285937825982006-10-06T08:40:00.000-07:002006-10-06T08:42:49.127-07:00

Lies Graduate Students TellThanks to the OP and Savage-Cats.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-40543204957620427032006-10-05T20:26:00.000-07:002006-10-05T20:34:10.646-07:00

Believe me, I wish this was a joke.Remember Grunting Woman?Okay, let me backtrack.I have a student that loves his iPod. Every time he comes to class, he's got those tell-tale white earbuds in... Except today. So I asked him, "hey, where's your ears?"iPod Boy:"Oh, miss, I forgot to recharge my iPod. So I'm without it today, I'm so out of sync."Adjunct Slave:"Too bad. Well, you just gotta listen to

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-1159848704873424722006-10-04T22:46:00.000-07:002006-10-02T21:11:45.096-07:00

Main Entry: cal·li·pyg·ianPronunciation: "ka-l&-'pi-j(E-)&nVariant(s): also cal·li·py·gous /-'pI-g&s/Function: adjectiveEtymology: Greek kallipygos, from kalli- + pygE buttocks: having shapely buttocksI love new words.I've frequently mused that I would marry the man who tells me I have sexy elbows. However, if I was told that I was callipygous, I'd grin.

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-26235939203306539782006-10-03T22:11:00.000-07:002006-10-03T22:12:31.461-07:00

I just upgraded to Blogger Beta and it appears that ALL my posts had to be relisted.(That is all. Move along.)

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-1159932821794221442006-10-03T20:19:00.000-07:002006-10-03T20:33:41.806-07:00

Another fabulous day at Small State U.I hear you now. "Fabulous? Adjunct Slave is saying 'fabulous'? Was there some massive head trauma sustained over the weekend?"It was a fabulous day because I have to go reprimand a student for her use of colourful metaphors while in class.Allow me to explain.I was giving a lecture and the slide said "Check the documentation" - I figured this was an excellent

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31160799.post-1159833208242457232006-10-02T16:46:00.000-07:002006-10-02T16:53:28.243-07:00

You know the girl who has the lovely luck of being in a bar, having a conversation with a good friend about anything and is speaking loudly to be heard over the music, and then, right as the music stops, she loudly shares something like "...and then they cut away part of my cervix!"Yep, I'm that girl.Case in point.Once a week, my department has a lunch that one person makes and the rest of us

Adjunct Slavenoreply@blogger.com2