2 I looked around my desk yesterday and it looked like an abandoned encampment.
3 I've done steady planning and grading since August and it looks like it.
4 When you finally catch up with all your work and then the storms come in, all bets are off.
5 My solution is the same solution I use when the garage gets out of hand: large garden trash bags.
6 Most people who know me know that I would rather go to the dumps than I would Disneyland.
7 There's a reason for this.
8 First off, when I was a kid my Dad would take me to the dumps. I thought it was the best place on the planet. Tons of treasures and a smell that can't be beat.
9 I would see old beat-up toys, rockers, sofas, lamps and doors.
10 I was always intrigued by the stuff the guys who WORKED at the dumps would fish out and salvage.
11 Such glamour, enchantment and witchery.
12 I imagined Swiss Family Robinson stuff. Get the rust off that lamp and it's yours. Re-finish that counter top and you could put it in a tree house. Fix that toy car and you could drive around the neighborhood.
13 Who needs Disney?
14 I'm wondering if there are students walking around my desk thinking the same stuff.
15 I have all sorts of stuff around my desk. I have a guitar, mics, a bunch of bags that are unlabeled, which is clearly the sign of a guy whose job has swallowed him up.
16 Anybody lookin'?
17 It's atrocious.
18 The only good thing is that most of the bags are almost empty, leaving me with a bazillion mechanical pencils, staples, paper clips, staplers, and papers with no name on them. I affectionately call them "ghosts."
19 Yeesh.
20 The beauty of finals is that we have two-hour classes in which we have to talk for approximately five minutes. This leaves a LOT of room for spring cleaning.
21 Technically the kids can't cheat on my final. It is an essay.
22 If they plagiarize, their entire semester grade goes into instant distress.
23 I've busted enough kids this year that word should be out.
24 They usually apologize and accept that they were wrong, but pressured by deadlines.
25 I usually accept the apology but dish out the punishment.
26 You don't want to go as deep as college professors because you don't want to have subsequent meetings. Who has time for that?
27 I do give it a harsh sting.
28 I realize there are teachers who have zero tolerance. I respect that.
29 I try to remember back when I was a students writing research papers. My recollection is that I would change wording, give citations, but often would steal a word or two from the writer.
30 It was convenient.
31 Hopefully they won't take away my degrees.
32 Whatevs.
33 I'm pretty sure I could retire and get a better job at the dumps.
34 Pure glamour.
35 Moving On, Part One: Anybody else want to chime in on the Niners?
36 I'm tired of the entire season, and of what management has done to the team and the fans.
37 Moving On, Part Two: Okay. I'm over it.
38 Like yesterday's Merc News sports' headline put it:
FINISHED
39 It had a picture of Jim Harbaugh with that "Are ya KIDDIN' me?" face pasted on, like some macabre Halloween mask.
40 Moving On, Part Three: Can we change the subject here?
41 Garbage.
42 There are worse things.
43 There are nicer things.
44 Report an Issue.
45 No issues.
46 Where was I?
47 Oh, yeah.
48 Bekins' truck. Anybody?
49 I gottago.
50 Have a GREAT day.
51 Fly low.
52 Peace.
~H~
No comments:
Post a Comment