Bob is calling him "Stepford dog."

Rudy is improving of course, he is eating fine now (though he does it while laying down), he goes outside and even stays for a little while beyond what is necessary, he has weakly barked once or twice in the past day, he got in the recliner for a little while this morning (he had not been jumping up on anything), and I have been able to get him to take the antibiotics without a problem.

But he does not have his usual spark, he is fairly disinterested on what is going on (his regular state is super aware, and also he is always in the same room as me - but now he is spending most of his time off on his own), he still will not come all the way upstairs, he hasn't been looking out the window at all, he won't play with Sophie, and he doesn't want to go for a walk.

It is very quiet here, as usually he is very alert, woooo-ing over every noise (and today is garbage day, lots of activity), and I guess he is the instigator because while Sophie did bark at the mailman and the garbage truck, it wasn't for very long.

One other thing (and this is really sad), usually, if you say "Rudy" or address him by one of his nicknames, he wags his tail, even if he is laying down nearly asleep. Now, you're lucky to get one wag (the first day he wouldn't wag his tail at all) when he is wide awake!

The students continue to pester me, leaving voice mails at my campus number and sending me email. What part of "you're lucky I did not refer this to Judicial Affairs" don't they understand? But why should this surprise me? Today, in AOL, I read: "Former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair said he ''couldn't stop laughing'' when the newspaper corrected his fraudulent description of an American POW's home in West Virginia, according to excerpts of an interview with the New York Observer." Oh, so making misrepresentations about Jessica Lynch's family is funny! The article continues, "Newsweek has reported that Blair signed with literary agent David Vigliano to market his story for possible book and movie deals." I called this one. I'll bet lots of fools will line up to see it! This makes me even more sick than I said I was yesterday.

Since the weather is not right for yardwork, I think I am going to start working on a new virtual museum and website updates.

I'm sure he'll be fine eventually, but Rudy's spirit seems to be broken! The good thing about this is that he is not running around straining himself, which he shouldn't do for 3 or 4 days. But the alarming thing is that he is not at all his usual self. He doesn't care about going outside, he hasn't barked at all, and even today he doesn't want to eat, not even his most favorite treat, dried apricots. He was very thirsty last night, and so I let him have one ounce of water per hour, even though he really wasn't supposed to drink anything until today. I'm not sure how I am going to get the antibiotic into him, usually he happily takes it with food. He's easy to pill but I am not going to put him through that in his current state. Sometimes he sleeps but mostly he just sits or lays around staring into space. I know he had to have it done but I feel kind of guilty since he didn't act sick at all before this and now the treatment has turned him from a bouncy happy dog into a zombie.

I've been meaning to write something about the unethical New York Times reporter, because of my experiences with student cheating and plagiarism. I won't bother to link to any story, because this is kind of old news at this point, and also because a simple search turns up more than enough, choose what you prefer. The New York Times is charging to view its original finger-pointing article, though, which I think is low. I know it is now in their archives but I think this story ought to be accessible at their site for free, they owe that much to the readers. They owe more than that, but that's a start. Most of the other articles out there (at least it appears to me) focus on the race issue, either using the scandal to denounce diversity policies, or, on the other hand, bemoaning the fact that the scandal is being used to criticize such policies.

I think both approaches totally miss the point. I could care less about this from a racial perspective. What I see is one more piece of evidence that there are too many people who have no ethics, no pride in work, no sense of fairness, and that there is a club that promotes and condones these attitudes and behaviors, or at least helps to keep such dirty little secrets hidden. It is deeply in there in many eople, even among those who would not be dishonest themselves, and should know better: the distaste for ratting on others, the belief that everything is relative - there is no right and wrong, only shades of gray, and it is OK to use whatever ammo you can to get ahead. Be kind, cut someone a break, they just made a mistake, why are you so uptight and judgmental? So lessons are not taught, and the situation spins out of control. It's easier to look the other way. Honor means nothing, and someone's word is a joke. And if you are the guilty party and get caught, use charm, claim to be the victim, and if all else fails, litigate. Plus, there just might be a book deal, and a TV movie lurking somewhere, so for 15 minutes of fame it is well worth it. A win-lose-win!

I seem to have at least a few students every spring in my classes who share Jayson Blair's ethics. It really makes me sick.

Rudy is home! He is a bit groggy (for him), but aside from that, he seems fine. He can't eat or drink anything until tomorrow, and that is going to be a challenge.

All university classes use a multiple-choice course evaluation that is machine read - we generally don't get results for a few months and the data is not all that illuminating, although most students do fill it out. For several semesters, I have used an online assessment called the Mt. Royal College FAST. I can design 20 questions myself, and the questions can be open-ended short answer, Yes/No, etc. Usually about half the students participate in any semester.

I get a lot of valuable feedback this way, and I have used student comments to make revisions to the class, but you really have to develop a thick skin! I never review the responses until after the grades are in, because time is limited, but also because I don't want the assessment to color my attitude toward the class. Anyway, this semester, in my on campus section, two students responded that given the choice, they would not take the class again. This may not disturb me so much except that it probably is not related to the expected grade (the lowest grade in the on campus cohort was C-), and one of the students wrote the most nasty comments whenever there was the option! Just an example, one question was "what did you like most about this class?" The answer? "Nothing, aside from the fact that it was once per week."

Why is it that all the other wonderful comments, and the constructive criticism, never have quite the same impact?

Rudy is at the vet right now. I am trying not to freak out, but I am on pins and needles. I have to call at 3 p.m. to see if he is alert enough to come home. Sophie cried for a few minutes and watched out the window for a while after Bob drove away with him this morning. When she went outside I could tell she was looking for him. She seems OK now. Something funny, Bob asked the human resources office if he could take the afternoon off and charge it to family sick leave! He was making a point and a joke at the same time, since his co-workers call in every time one of their kids stubs a toe, someone else has to pick up the slack, and then those absent prance around afterwards with a sense of entitlement. Of course they told him he must use his personal leave instead. Now he says they probably filed his request in the "nutjob" file!

I emailed all the students with the outcome of my evaluations. About two minutes later, one of the worst students in my class - someone who put in zero effort, missed every deadline, and quite obviously did not take the class seriously, emails me, demanding a grade change (I failed him) because he is a graduating senior, all set to go to grad school in the fall - until now. He had accumulated less than 50 points in the class (about half were a gift), and his paper was either plagiarized or if it was his own, it had been written for a different class last semester. I didn't report him to Judicial Affairs, only because I didn't feel like going to the mat this time around, since if it was a plagiarism, it wasn't a carbon copy of a paper already handed to me, like the five cases last year. But his situation is supposed to be compelling to me; "oh yeah, I cheated and did no work, but I understand where you are coming from, and I am supposed to graduate, so why can't you do me a favor? Thank you in advance..."

On the other hand - the many wonderful students in my classes more than outweigh the lazy, unethical jerks - but the jerks sure do keep it interesting (and stressful).

Grades are done!! Hooray!

Evaluating the groups takes a lot of time. I am chipping away, getting there. I have to be done by Friday, and this semester, I am not going to miss the deadline, or make myself sick.

We both had discussions with the vet, and determined that Rudy's infection will come back once he is finished with the antibiotics. Also, the opinion is that it is indeed his prostate, even though there remains a slight chance that it could be something more serious. So, we made an appointment to have him neutered on May 19. I'm relieved that he won't have to stay overnight. Rudy is still himself, very mischievous, dashing around the house with slippers, laundry, things he snatched from the table, the trash or my pocketbook, daring us to chase him, playing with his toys, wrestling with Sophie, sniffing Edna, wooo-ing at the mail carrier, in every way a seven-year-old puppy. Although the procedure must be done soon, it isn't an emergency, so it was good it could wait until the grades are in. I will be a nervous wreck all day and I know I couldn't focus on spreadsheet analysis. So please have a good thought for my "Mr. Wuja" on Monday.

I spent Saturday, which was so beautiful, working on student grades. I wanted to be outside, digging, getting ready to plant, maybe putting up the deer fence we got for the garden. Anyway, I resisted that treat and instead I was "good." I made a lot of progress, but there still is a big stack, and a smaller virtual stack, to go. Yesterday I took a break from it to work on the kitchen. We still have odds and ends to finish up in there; a little painting here, a piece of border there. The big project that still is in progress in that room is the closet under the stairs, where we tore the floor out down to the joists and are now putting in tongue and groove pine. It seems a luxurious treatment for the floor of a utility closet, but it was in bad shape and something needed to be done. It trumped working on evaluation because of the disruption - I am tired of fishing plastic wrap out of a box, and having to walk around the carpet shampooer to get to the stove.

All the tests Rudy had have not turned up anything, so he was supposed to be dropped off today for an additional test, and then possibly surgery. He's "intact." I don't have any problem with having him neutered, especially if that fixes the problem - and I suspect it would. But for several days his urine has been clear, and in terms of energy, he is a ball of fire, as usual, maybe more than usual. So it seems the second course of antibiotics is working. We have been carefully monitoring him (I think he is getting tired of it) and anxiously considering the options, and today I summoned my courage, called the vet, and told them we are going to hold off for now. If it comes back (and I know that might happen, because urinary tract infections are hard to beat), we will proceed with additional tests and/or treatment. I don't know why it was hard to do, maybe because of the fear of being wrong, thinking that they suspect something they are not saying, but on the other hand feeling like I know Rudy best, and I don't want to subject him to a bunch of unnecessary procedures, not to mention the expense. But I feel good now having made the decision.

Back to work.

Rudy seems a little better.

Most nights I read for a little while before going to sleep. I am still reading A War to Petrify the Heart, and have finished several other books while working on it. It is fascinating, but not an easy read. I am up to October 1864, about 75 pages left. In one letter he (the soldier) wrote to his future wife, he tells her:

I do believe in view of such task [she was spending time with her young nieces] and a review of old school days you begin to feel old, a natural recurrence to anybody. But don't borrow trouble or think no one else has nothing to look after or think about, for everyone has his or her burden to carry through this world - it may be real or imaginary. A cheerful disposition to throw off fancied ill and not make much trouble when it comes in reality, is everybody's duty to do, if we should enjoy life as [it] is meant for us to do. Hasn't every picture a bright side? Should we continually be looking at the dark side? These "some things which you wish I could know" and which are making you old, if not important to write about, why think about it? Why let every would-be pleasant hour be blasted by the thought so unpleasant. Am I right or am I mistaken. It is the principle I go upon.

I say he was right.

I haven't been able to write (time, technical problems, and other priorities). Rudy is still sick, he had to be seen by the vet again on Monday. He continues to eat, drink, eliminate, watch, play, bark, sleep, and be mischievous as always, but the blood in his urine remains. He has had two thorough exams, urinalysis, a blood test, and x-ray. So far, the results only show that he is in outstanding shape for a seven year old dog, and that he has UTI. So he is on a second course of antibiotics. Friday a specialist is going to look at the x-ray to see if it could be a problem with his prostate, although he has no other symptoms. Well, I figure the other Rudy had prostate problems, so maybe this Rudy does too. Anyway, it is a relief that it probably is not too serious, but the blood still preoccupies us both, although the vet said it is not an emergency situation and Rudy seems fine. But we can't bear to have anything at all wrong with the animals, especially Rudy, who has always been the picture of good health and good nature.

Then, I am in the midst of the end-of-semester crush, and I still have to resolve what to do about the potential cheating I detected.

Tuesday Too, late again

1.) Are you trying out, or do you know anything about these new blogger [thingies]?

This link was how I learned about the new "thingies" (after reading the FAQ I have no more precise word either). You know for years, I was considered something of a techie - not a super techie, but at least an early adopter, and technically literate. By having a website and writing this journal, I continue to be considered kind of cutting-edge by people who don't keep online content. But here in the land of blogs (yes, a word I still hate) I don't know nuthin'! I just haven't spent the time to learn more than necessary I guess, and at the moment it isn't in the plan. *But if this means improvements in Blogger's stability and speed, that's great.

2.) Have you tried other weblog systems that you would suggest that blogger folks switch to?

No, only Blogger since March 2002. Not that the thought hasn't crossed my mind. Blogger wouldn't let me log in on Monday and Tuesday of this week. And right now I think I have to do that tiresome no archive/republishing thing. Again. But the one or two times I investigated switching, it seemed the learning curve might involve investing too much time to bother. So see * in #1.

3.) Lately it's been reported there is so much spam filling the inboxs that people are going to stop using email. On average how much junk email do you get every day? Is it so much that you would consider giving up email? You could make up a funny sentence or two just using the email subject lines, if you're really feeling creative today.

Ugh, I hate spam. I get so much, and the amount has grown a lot over time, especially recently. I have five email accounts. My main AOL account gets the most junk mail, yesterday I got 13 junk messages. I have been ignoring/deleting it unopened for ages, and reporting/banning it for several months, but I don't see that doing this cuts down on the amount, which is frustrating. My two secondary AOL accounts get some, not nearly as much. The ones that come into AOL are: Viagra, Porn websites, Mortgage offers, Online drug offers, Incomprehensible "feedback forms" (less of these lately, they were the majority in the past), Various financial schemes, Some product offers, Scams of ebay or paypal, trying to collect passwords or credit card information, and Body part enhancement. Lots with strange letter combinations in the subject line.

My regular university Outlook account gets some, and what it gets is the worst type - the lengthy pleas for money (that are not always obvious from the subject) and generic ones with scary attachments. My learning network Lotus Notes account gets no spam (although once a few years ago a virus came via this account). Although it is very irritating, I will not abandon email over spam, because it is my preferred mode of communication.

I get paper junk mail also, which immediately gets tossed in my paper recycling bin. Spam wastes time and jams up the Internet, junk mail wastes time and natural resources. So I really hope the no spam legislation passes!!! It worked wonders for telemarketing phone calls here in New York. Let your representatives know you support this. I have been on the do not call list for a couple of years and I rarely receive such phone calls any more, when the phone used to ring off the hook with automated dialers and sales pitches waiting on the other end. Here is a link to help in getting rid of spam, junk mail and telemarketers.

Here are the subject lines of the spam I have received so far today:

As Seen On TV Miracle Youth Pill QfXeOL2t

Do You Need Extra Cash? Get It Now! tgbrcyic

~Mortgage Lenders Fight For your Business...ANZXG

kjim,A Chance for Financial Freedom

Online Medications...Shipped Overnight !!...

hey hun

icd,Hi, Grand Opening - Save 10% on all Products

Email Confirmation [krz}hugrCdro1frp11111]

Making great progress on grading, and then I hit a brick wall. I think I have uncovered at least one case of plagiarism. Must be something about Spring, when thoughts turn to cheating. It is such a mistake to risk this in my class.

I've started to do the grading. I vow I will not procrastinate this semester!

Here's an interesting artistic site from the Catskills! (Thanks, J. for the link.)

Rudy is still sick (not that you'd know it from any of his behavior, if anything the antibiotic is making him more playful), but I think he is finally getting better.

Yesterday, instead of the Tuesday Too, jf wrote after a post that contained a bunch of questions: "Maybe, because it's Tuesday you'd like to answer some of these questions for yourself, or maybe not, because that would require too much thinking." Yesterday, it would have taken too much time - not necessarily too much thinking. So here goes:

1. Wonder what?

I wonder what it means that I haven't heard from the publisher yet? I wonder what it will feel like if my proposal is accepted this time? I wonder what I will do if it is another rejection?

2. What do you mean, when thought takes over?

I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes when I am doing some mundane task my mind is so elsewhere, deep in thought - thinking in a creative way, thinking in an anxious way, thinking in a focused, figuring out something way. Then I'll snap out of it suddenly, and look at what I am doing - washing dishes, sorting papers, walking somewhere, digging around plants - and it's almost like I couldn't see it before. Couldn't really hear either, the sounds of birds or the dogs barking or cars going by. Or feel my hands in the water or the wood handle of the shovel.

This is reminding me of Don Quixote.

3. Are you saying thought is not a good thing?

Well, I can understand the importance of really appreciating the flowers in the garden, or listening to the birds singing, or the feeling of your sneakers on the sidewalk, or watching people in the street (I could do without the sounds of cars and airplanes). I am sympathetic to the idea of a clear mind and the benefits of skilled relaxation. In fact, I am trying breathing exercises, I hope to stick with it and achieve some benefits. However, I think this means eliminating not just intense thought but also the whole notion of "seeing" things that surround us.

At the same time, I really love intense thought while digging in the garden and walking somewhere (dish washing and paper sorting remain a drag), and to some degree, it is relaxing. I love music, but I often don't play a CD as background when I am working on other things, and I never have the TV or radio on. Except in rare circumstances, these things are too much of a distraction; in my opinion, they drown out both deep thought and the ability to see clearly. This is true of the television in particular. Of course, Castleton is fairly quiet, and Samsonville is very quiet. If I had to tolerate a lot of sirens, horns and assorted other noises I might feel differently.

The last day of the online class was today, one more week and the on campus section is over. The next two weeks will be filled with that end of semester joy, evaluation!

Sometimes I have a hard time posting on weekends. Too busy with other things, especially when the weather is nice.

Thursday night we went to the movies. We saw Anger Management. The reviews have been all over the place in newspapers across the country, from outstanding to a bomb, according to the little chart in the Times Union. I admit to being an Adam Sandler fan. Both Bob and I were not crazy about him when he was on Saturday Night Live but now we adore his movies. It's a guilty pleasure, because although I do like comedy I am not much of a fan of most of the comedy movies from former SNL cast members. Anyway, we both really liked the movie!

Poor Rudy has urinary tract infection. I noticed two drops of blood in the kitchen on Friday. After inspecting all three animals I figured out that is wasn't a cut and it was coming from Rudy. The vet didn't seem too worried because he has no other symptoms. You'd never know he was sick if he wasn't dripping on occasion. He isn't straining and he is eating and drinking. He is seven years old but he is almost as energetic as a puppy. So he is taking antibiotic. I also bought him some dried cranberries, which he loves.

On Saturday we went to NYC for Bob's brother's 40th birthday. He said he was surprised, and maybe he was. I'm never sure. Bob's parents came back from Florida early to attend. It was a nice time, we did a round trip on Amtrak, which was a pleasure. On the way to the restaurant we stopped at the Guggenheim museum. We wanted to see the Impressionist paintings in the permanent collection and they have several Picassos, etc. That part alone was worth the price of admission ($15) and the wait on line. The bulk of the museum was devoted to one very complicated, huge exhibit by Matthew Barney. It was detailed and must have taken a lot of effort to make everything, using so many different materials, performance included. It was a combination of photography, film, and large objects. Many violent and disturbing images that seemed unrelated. That's not what the brochure and labels said but I was more confused after reading them. I can't say I didn't appreciate the works, but I just don't share the artist's bleak view. Maybe the whole thing was supposed to be life-affirming and not dark but overall that isn't how it grabbed me.

Yesterday we had a barbecue - the first of the season. I sat outside for a little while today, mostly to watch Rudy's behavior, but it gave me the powerful urge to grill food again!

I have agreed to some more contract work, this time writing reading comprehension questions for the ACT.

We finally got to take the dogs to Schodack Island State Park. Wow! It is a beautiful place, right on the Hudson River, and certainly was well worth the $6 parking fee. There are bike trails, hiking trails, and a picnic area. There were only a few other people there, a couple walking and another sitting on a bench near the boat launch. I'm guessing this is because it is early in the season, and a weekday. Midsummer it will probably be mobbed. The dogs loved it, they were straining at their leashes because they wanted to go in the river!

Tuesday Too, on Wednesday

I.) How are you going to honor, or what are you going to give the earth on Earth Day?

It would seem that someone like me, a proponent of recycling, less consumption, composting and organic gardening, would have done something to honor Earth Day, but I'm sorry to admit that I didn't. The truth is, Tuesdays are my on campus teaching day, and I am busy from morning 'til night (the reason the Tuesday Too waited to Wednesday). Plus, here in upstate New York, despite the blooming forsythia and sprouting tulips, we have slipped back into wintery temperatures.

However, I spend some time on many days giving back to the Earth. Today, from 6:30 am to 7:30 am, I sorted corrogated cardboard, office paper, boxboard, metal, plastic, and glass for village pick-up. The midday USPS mail brought my spring Gardens Alive order (beneficial nematodes for the lawn in Castleton). Once Spring really arrives I will be planting like crazy, and on my agenda is picking up litter along the road near the house, especially in Samsonville.

2.) How come there's only one "real" question, and how come there are three Tuesday Toos in a row?

Do tell! My guess is that jf is busy with other things.

Easter was nice, weather and family-wise. It's a big crew, more than 20 people. A few times we have split up and had smaller gatherings, and although that is nice sometimes, I always miss the larger, noisy, boisterous group.

I didn't check my email at all this weekend, so this morning I must have had 50 spams! I don't know if blocking and screening works at all really.

I just finished evaluating essays, and I'm more than a little concerned. About 1/3 of my online class is not doing very well this semester. This is a first, I have never had a group like this, and it is making me remember the unpleasantness last year, with all those students plagiarizing. My fear is that the procrastinating and other forms of poor performance that I am witnessing will translate to desperate and stupid actions on their parts. Looks like I am going to have to lock myself in this room after the semester is over and go through the papers with a fine tooth comb.

This is one problem with online classes, there is no opportunity to be stern in person, where you have a half chance that maybe they are paying attention and will act accordingly. (That's assuming they are attending at all, which is a difficulty in the face-to-face world.) Oh, I can write up a rant and post it - unfortunately all the good students, and some who are struggling but making an effort read it and panic. Oh no!!! She must mean me!? Am I going to fail? The slackers don't bother to read anything, they just skip the message. If they do read it they do not see themselves, or care I guess, but they still email me excuses at the end of the semester.

I've heard this is what happens - at least generally speaking, sometimes you land a good class, sometimes a not so good one. Makes sense, it goes along with the work culture group theories of sociology. People will not significantly over or under perform peers.

I've been (mostly) lucky. Time for weekend.

I am making two apple pies for Easter, and tomorrow is pie-making day.

My niece, who is a twin, is going to have twins!

More on elementary school: I was part of this experiment!

Building on my last entry, I thought I would post a sample. Of course, there is my gym teacher from hell episode, so now I'll move on to academic subjects and third grade, when half the day was spent learning English and science with a strange teacher, and the remaining half was sanctuary, or social studies and math with a nice teacher.

Two creepy memories from that year, I remember the weirdo walked around with a pair of pliers in his back pocket, and every so often he would whip them out, and yank a couple of teeth out of some deer skulls he kept in the supply cubbyholes near his desk - and threaten us with the same if we didn't stop talking. He would walk right up in front of a student's desk, clicking those pliers together. I also remember he had a deer or cow heart floating in some solution - and we had to go up in pairs, reach into the container - I think it was one of those plastic jugs that paste came in - and pick it up, then drop it back in. Eeeewwww! Splash. In a macabre way, it is sort of funny. You know he did it just because it was disgusting, I mean what did we learn from that?

Other memories are of various teachers singling out a student for specific humiliation: poking fun at handwriting and other minor details of assignments, encouraging others in the class to laugh at the unfortunate. I was rarely, maybe never, the target, but I remember students who were.

Amazing I stuck with it - and even became an educator!

I've been corresponding with a friend about elementary school. Specifically, we have been writing about teachers and other things we can remember from class. Our stories are sparking more and more memories. I don't know if being a kid magnifies what were really mundane experiences, or if some teachers are cruel and unbalanced - or if we just had a large crop of the cruel and unbalanced - or if that's just the way things used to be.

But we both have memories - and many of them are shared - of truly terrible things happening, of too many teachers who seemed to take pleasure in scaring and humiliating little kids. I'm thinking about the students in my classes - the majority are pursuing certification - and although (sadly) there have been a few, I have not encountered very many who would fit that description. What gives? Have times and methods changed so much? Or does gaining teaching experience, and all the associated hassles, breed such contempt?

Tuesday Too

1.) How would you explain the impossible?

I wouldn't even try. Some things are best left a mystery.

2.) Invent, and define a new word for the dictionary of the future?

How about an acronym? RPS: Reality Program Syndrome, a disorder that afflicts people who have fried their brains watching reality programming. Early symptoms include obsession with other pathetic greedy individuals and their behavior, a naive belief that such programs are true rather than staged, and an admiration for televised romance. Eventually, fascination with eating insects and endurance contests will be evident. Warning: end stage manifests itself as glassy, unblinking eyes, and one or both hands frozen around a television remote control.

3.) Was the media coverage of the war bias? Did you watch the coverage? Why, or why not?

I think individual reporters were biased; I think the regular networks were (relatively) fair; I think Fox was and is biased in the "pro" sense; I think NPR was and is biased in the "anti" sense; the other stations are a mixed bag. I think depending on one's perspective, news coverage seems biased based on whether you agree or disagree with it. I did watch sometimes; other times I did not. I prefer to get my information from the newspaper, although there are various biases there too, but it is easier to be analytical, and turn the page. Since the advent of cable news, there is far too much coverage of some ratings-grabbing events. Sometimes I tune it out, sometimes I prefer silence so I can focus on my own thoughts.

We got back to Castleton rather late yesterday, as it was Daddy's birthday and we lingered at my brother's, having cake and making Easter plans. He got a cute new little dog, a blonde cocker spaniel mix. Today, I took advantage of the weather this afternoon, and did some yardwork. I am always happiest when I am digging! I was looking forward to the first barbecue of the season, but the hard winter took its toll on the gas grill.

Taking a short break from tiling the floor (while waiting for the primer to dry). It's a beautiful day here in the Catskills, not quite warm yet, but clear and crisp and tasting of spring. Our new deck is outrageous, the dogs are thrilled to have another door where they can get outside, and I am pleased that the railing and gate means they are still safely contained.

My friend who died was cremated and had no memorial service. Perhaps she eventually will have a formal internment, and I'll write more on that if it does take place. She worked at a factory where American flags are manufactured, and she ran the machine that produced them. So this, from my collection, is for her.

I was going to finish painting the stairs last evening, but instead we took the dogs and went to Papscanee Island Preserve. Our original destination was a new state park in Castleton, Schodack Island State Park. For years the park was in the planning stages, and it seemed it would never open. It was to be called Castleton Island State Park, but the folks in the rest of our town, a patchwork of rural mixed with track house developments and early sprawl, just couldn't stomach it being named after our musty old village, and naturally, they won.

Anyhow, it finally opened last year. When we got there, we discovered it closes to traffic at 6:30. Last time Bob tried to go, it closed at 5 p.m. The first time, he parked the truck along the road, and took a walk into the park. He walked for a while up the access road, and then turned around and came back. This time, a young woman, surprisingly made and dressed up for a job as park attendant, who was on her way out when we arrived, told us the park was closed. We just wanted to walk the dogs, so we parked near the entrance, and proceeded to do what he had when he went before. We hadn't gone very far, when she started blowing the horn to her car wildly, and yelling that we had to leave. She sourly reiterated that the park was closed. So we left.

Disappointed and wanting to take advantage of the first hint of spring, we decided to check out Papscanee instead. It is part of the Hudson River Greenway. The sign has been there for years, and we had never checked it out. What a wonderful place! I feel almost in that park attendant's debt for throwing us out of the paved and sanitized park. The trails lead up to the Hudson River, which we are mostly cut off from on the eastern bank, despite the village being right on the river. The reason are the train tracks that hug the shore, and the frequent Amtrak trains that zip by in an effort to arrive in NYC in under 2 1/2 hours. You'll never hear me complain about Amtrak like so many others here and elsewhere, I approve of most forms of mass transit and I especially love trains, but it is a drag that the river is not more accessible. Near Papscanee, the tracks are a bit inland, and there is a long dirt road that eventually crosses them, and nearby a small parking lot.

Here it got the Capital Region's Best of 2001 for place to swim the Hudson. Now, you won't catch me in my bathing suit down there any time soon - and not because of the patchy snow on the ground. The river retains its beauty - nothing can take that away - but regarding pollution, well, yes it has improved a lot since I was a kid, but not enough for my baquicil-swimming-pool-only body, thank you. I mean, I have to hold my nose even at the new YMCA, OK?

Afterwards, we took the dogs to Chubby's, a seasonal place that serves burgers, fries, soft ice cream, etc. I was glad we did all this rather than being "productive," especially since today it is raining. Tonight, it's off to S'ville, and the other kitchen project.

The University has an updated logo. I like it!

Caught up on work-work, and so I'm indulging myself a bit. It's fun to take a peek at what search terms people use to arrive at this site. Variants of "gully" are common, as are "boycott Target;" another that comes up frequently is "Marilyn Monroe" (I've only mentioned her once, now twice), then, of course there's "Trafficmaster vinyl tiles," and my favorite, "gym teacher" paired with "squat thrusts" or "humiliation."

A sampling of others: "wringer washer women" (:-)) "recipe for raspberry viniagrette" (I guess I write about meetings more than I realize, next should be "pasty chicken ala Marriot"), "groundhog cartoon images" (another :-)), "larks and owls" (what else?), "Gina Giuliano age" (really MYOB, and kind of scary too, but it's no secret, 41 until September), "research on the image of vocational education" (interesting, though not really my area of expertise), "I want to do my own taping and spackling" (believe me, so do I, but you've come to the wrong place for advice), "Rudy Giuliano" (yes, this is the right place, but somehow I think data on the most wonderful tri-color hound/collie is not what they were seeking), "Georgette Heyer works online" (great idea), "movie star images protesting Iraqi War" (I promise I have never written a word on that subject, but I will now, and just one: yuck), "table enamel topped" (I believe I have the nicest one ever made, gracing my newly remodeled and almost finished '40s kitchen), and the favorite from this group, "example description paper on being a slob" (I really really hope the intent was not plagiarism).

At the two meetings I attended recently where online learning was discussed, one common thread involved how long it takes to teach using the electronic delivery method. Those of us who are proponents of online classes rarely dispute that the time commitment is greater than in traditional classroom teaching. Developing a new course is particularly time consuming, and it does become easier with experience, but even routine course management takes a long time.

On the other hand, I have learned that teaching, in general, takes a big commitment, if you want to do a good job. Sure, there are tricks to streamline things, but there's no getting around that you need to invest a lot of energy to achieve a good result. One method that helps a little with the burden, in both the online and in-person appraoches, is group work. Plus, everyone agrees that having students learn to work in groups is beneficial for learning, and for adapting to what will be expected in the land of jobs. Everyone, that is, besides a significant number of students. Some students like group work, but some hate it.

I was among those who hated group work when I was a student. But I respect research, and research is persuasive on this point. So this year I decided to add it to my classes, using the suggestions in the research to address student (and my) concerns. If find it is a challenge to design a worthy assignment, both for the on campus and online sections. I had to adjust both after last semester; although on campus the vast majority of students felt the group experience was favorable, I was not all that satisfied with the results. Online, I felt the outcomes were excellent, but most of the students intensely disliked the group project. The students in the classroom now have all semester to prepare for an end-of-semester presentation day, rather than having a short time to whip something up, with each group presenting once during the semester. And in the online class, I have taken a more visible role in terms of facilitating. The instructor is privy to much more of the process in the online world, and the students know that. So being hands-off is not really possible.

I'm pleased to report that so far, both classes seem to be performing much better in the group work. This is a generalization, of course; recently there was a minor melt-down in one of the online groups. In the end they pulled it off, but it did take my intervention. This (my involvement, not the melt-down) is not likely to have happened in the classroom, because the instructor does not have as much access to the process, and students have gotten the message from years of group assignments that working out difficulties is the group's problem, too bad, go away. So on presentation day they suck it up and will muddle through somehow.

Seeing the Saddam statue topple, and the jubilant Iraqis involved, was something I will never forget. It was powerful and poignant in a way that words cannot be.

Earlier this week I went to a meeting that had to do with technology. Actually, when I accepted the invitation, I thought it was going to be the second in a loosely-related series of workshops on online learning. As it turned out, the meeting was longer than I anticipated, and the general technological status of the school was the focus of the first half of the meeting. The second half was about online teaching and learning. Lunch was included.

It's been a while since I was at a longish meeting that included the perk of a working lunch, a commonplace occurrence when I was an academic administrator, but very rare now that I wear the hat of adjunct college instructor-slash-shut-in. It's funny how quickly I had forgotten what such meetings are like, with an agenda set by the head, and the goal of sharing. Now I brainstorm alone, and share it with no-one, or sometimes in finished products with my students, or perhaps occasionally in my public or private journal, or maybe with Bob, when we are having dinner. Plus my role at this meeting was different from when I was an administrator. Finally, because it was not routine, it was enjoyable. This summer, when my class is not running, I have a lot of food for thought (and yes, the free lunch was delicious).

The NCES has put out a report on the subject of technology standards. Could be worth a look.

I'm feeling sad today.

I found out a friend from high school days died yesterday. We hadn't kept in touch that much; in fact, I had seen her only a few times since high school, most recently at the yard sale we had last Memorial Day weekend at the old house in S'ville. She bought a comforter from me. She asked what I wanted for it, and I said 50 cents. She forced me to take a dollar instead.

I think her life circumstances were not great but I am not going to speculate on that here. Instead, I am going to remember that she had musical talent. She came to a party we had years ago, in Oneonta. I remember her sitting on the front steps, playing her guitar for a few other friends.

In high school she was "a character." She was always doing or saying something funny. Her life circumstances weren't easy then either, but you rarely saw her with anything but a smile. Like me, she wasn't a part of the whole clique scene. She would never have been accepted into it, but it didn't matter because she was an individual. She had one really close friend, which I think is typical for teenagers. It wasn't me, we weren't in the same grade in school. But I always liked her, and we hung around together sometimes at school, but especially on the bus ride to school and at the town park down the road from where I lived. She helped to brighten what often was either a dull or unpleasant high school experience.

I know this is superficial, but it's true and she wasn't a bit conceited. She was always pretty, and she got prettier and prettier as she aged, in spite of life circumstances. I'm talking model pretty.

I take comfort in knowing that God has something better waiting for her.

It snowed. Again.

Tuesday Too

1.) When was the last time someone surprised you? What did they do?

Two things come to mind, one was Christmas 2002, one was Valentines Day 2002. Both involve gifts purchased on ebay related to Mark Twain. At Christmas, my mother gave me an old Harper's Weekly, it was the issue commemorating Mark Twain's 70th birthday. Valentines Day, Bob gave me a first edition set of Mark Twain's autobiography. Both gifts were unexpected, I would never have guessed what was inside the package!

2.) Alright then, it's similar to a googlewhack, but different. You must come up with two words, spelled correctly and within quotes that google will produce only 1 result for, and that result must be your site. Unless you're already a rather unusual wordsmith it might take you a couple of days for goolge to find a combination you invent and find no result for currently.

Well, I don't know if proper nouns count, but "Myrtle McSpirit" works for me.

3.) Give a link to the funniest site you've come across lately; it may or may not be a weblog.

The funniest thing I've come across lately was a Dilbert cartoon in Sunday's paper, but here in electronic land, how about A Minute Longer - A Soldier's Tale; this guy writes well, managing to be irreverent and funny about something deadly serious.

Searchable databases, virtual exhibits, you name it, there is so much good stuff here at NARA, I would need to take a week long vacation to explore it all!

Still Sunday night to me! Another long day spent working on the Castleton kitchen, and there is still more to go! I painted the stairs white and grey. Bob continued wallpapering. I am tired. I don't mean sleepy exactly, or mentally drained, which are my usual forms of exhaustion. Instead this is a physical soreness. That can be a "good" kind of tired, because it is a novelty. So much time - too much time - is spent sitting at a desk, under an artificial light, staring at a CRT. I'll sleep well tonight.

That's in spite of daylight savings time, of course. It always takes me a while to adjust to the unnatural time. It's just wrong, wrong, wrong. Oh, I do like it being light out later at night in the warm weather, but I hate "springing ahead," and losing a good weekend hour - 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. no less! My body doesn't like waiting until October to get it back. One of these years I plan to start my own crusade, and I'll be like that state (which is it? Some place in the midwest I think) and stay on real time, just to be contrary. So there.

Outside the living room window, there is a pussy willow tree that was just beginning to bud. It is now encased in a coating of ice, as is everything else. It looks like it might be January out there, except that in January '03 there were two feet of snow. As always, Rudy is delighted, rolling and flipping and sliding. The Hotdog, on the other hand, ventured just outside the door - there is an awning over a concrete slab by the kitchen, and then quickly returned to the couch.

My Road Runner cable connection is down, and I am using the phone line right now instead. Maybe it is from the ice storm, so I should be more patient. But it irritates me that regardless of service interruptions, I still receive the same bill every month.

Ten years can seem like a long time ago, or a moment. On this day in 1993 Mimmie died. When I think of the things that have happened in the past decade - Bob getting his master's degree, five job changes for him, me getting my doctorate, three job changes for me, the house in Samsonville, the growing up of nieces and nephews, getting Edna, Rudy and Sophie, getting published for the first, second, third time, it seems like a lifetime. But when I think of Mimmie, of the other people who have passed on, and the animals who have gone over the trail, it seems like yesterday. "Next spring, if I'm alive," she would say every year, when she talked about gardening plans. So I guess her leaving in the spring was somehow appropriate.

Fashionable Facemasks for SARS, from Reuters. This made me smile. It's the making lemons out of lemonade approach. What an upbeat culture. (Thanks to Bob for the email.)

Nearly 10 years later (03/05/2013), I received an email from a visitor informing me that the link above was broken, and offering this one instead.

Bob and I are both trying the "Cabbage Soup" diet this week. It's a strange diet, brutal at times, but because of the daily variety it is do-able. We have been on it since Monday, and although we didn't plan to weigh ourselves again until it was over, neither could resist. He has lost 10 pounds so far. I have lost three. Seems to me these fad diets always work better for men, but I'm still happy about the results. I only want to lose 10-15 pounds total and I know a fad diet isn't the long-term answer, but I wanted to do something since I wasn't motivated. Cutting down on the after dinner desserts and using the treadmill are the solution, maybe this will get me going. Today is banana and milk day - weird!

I am beginning to see daylight on my work, I spent the whole day grading...and trying not to think too much about food. I'm telling myself, it's only a week long, 3 1/2 days down and only 3 1/2 days to go!

Tuesday Too, a day late and a dollar short

1.) Describe your most recent sexual encounter. APRIL FOOL! However, if you really want to do that, go ahead.

Registration for summer session and fall started yesterday (no foolin') and I am busy busy busy, which will serve as my reason for not answering.

2.) Does your state/county have some form of legalized gambling other than the lottery? What do you think about on online gambling? Is gambling really connected to organized crime?

Yes - we have "Turning Stone," a Native American-owned casino. We have horse racing at Saratoga and Belmont, and we have OTB. We also have "video crack," which is connected to the lottery. I can't remember the name of it but there are constant drawings that you can play in bars and restaurants and the games are shown on a television monitor. I don't know if gambling is connected to organized crime but I am not a fan of it regardless. I don't want casinos to expand and I absolutely detest all forms of gambling that are connected to animal exploitation, like dog tracks and horse racing. I confess to buying an occasional scratch-off lottery ticket.

3.) What is your greatest ambition?

Hmmm...off the top of my head I'd say having my Mimmie book published - and after that, continuing to write and get published.

I skipped posting this weekend. We spent the weekend in Samsonville, and I didn't use the computer that much. On Saturday, I did my museum volunteering, and for a change we had quite a few visitors, including several fifth to eighth grade girl scouts who were camping in the library. I tried to read student papers while keeping an eye on the collection. That night, we visited my brother and used his outdoor hot tub (something I never thought I'd like until I tried it). On Sunday, we planned out a deck project for the back door with my father, and then we celebrated my sister's April 1 and brother's April 2 birthdays at my parents' house. As usual, Ma cooked up a storm! In between all this I did manage to fit in getting down some of the floor tiles in the kitchen. The pattern is Morocco Slate. It snowed a bit yesterday, and there is a real nip in the air today. March is definitely not going out like a lamb!

I am sore from yesterday's yard work! Something definitely happens around age 40, a wake up call from your body, and the message is: no, you are not exempt from getting older.

Yesterday, in the Albany Times Union, there was a story about the increasing use of profanity by, well, everyone. I wrote on this subject here, and since I am working on student evaluation so that I can focus on tiling the Samsonville kitchen this weekend, this will serve as today's entry.

I got psyched and made the yard less disgusting. It took three hours. This is the earliest I have ever done poop patrol, so you know I must have been really eager for spring, to take this pitiful excuse to be outside. The three guilty parties (actually only two are guilty, since Edna has a litter box) wanted to go inside after a little while, refusing to keep me company during the brutal task. Eventually Rudy came back outside, but Sophie stayed in. It was more icky than I remembered, and that's saying something. I am so relieved it is done! Earlier in the winter, I assumed we would have snow on the ground longer, but it is starting to look like it will be gone by April. So maybe the bulbs will come up after all.

I believe spring is really here! Much of the snow has melted and it's fairly warm (too bad the yard is disgusting). I have to order seeds!

Here's an interesting piece (and it is another freebie) from the Chronicle of Higher Education about teaching philosophy. Much of it is common sense, but there were some good tips. I think I am going to make a list of classes I loved and try to remember one activity each that might be adapted to my own teaching. This may have to wait until summer, but it is worth some thought. Also on the summer list, I picked up some useful ideas at the asynchronous learning workshop that I want to incorporate in my online class. It was very well-attended and I think it could have easily lasted all day instead of for just one hour. It's exciting to hear what others are doing, and also to field questions from those interested in giving it a try. There will be another session on April 8 (and that one has the extra perk of including a free lunch).

Recent posts over at jf's and sya's sites have intrigued me enough to try out this free trial. I still prefer text, but it was interesting and fun to do, although it sort of reminds me of recording an answering machine message...rushing against the beep and never getting it quite perfect!

This is Strawberry Pickin' by Gina Giuliano.

audblog audio post

Tuesday Too

1.) Is the justice system in the US really fair? Why, or why not?

I think overall it is fair, certainly more fair than in a lot of places, but I also believe fairness is relative, and the system can be manipulated at all levels. People with resources - money for the sharpest and sleaziest lawyers, and access to media - tend to get a better deal. And, what is fair is perceived differently by winners v. losers, victims v. perpetrators, those who agree with a decision v. those who do not.

2.) In a crisis are you a leader, or a follower? Why do you take that role?

I'm a leader. Always have been. It just happens automatically. When I consider hypothetical situations, I think I will panic, but the few times I have been tested, for some reason my head stays clear.

3.) Is there some reason for your madness?

Who needs a reason?

Computer scare last night - here I am, tired from the weekend, planning to get some early rest for a change, and suddenly - when dialed in, AOL kicks me off and makes me call in to fix the problem. Turns out it was a Terms of Service violation. In a space of a couple of minutes, eight emails were sent to 120 people using Bob's screen name! "What time was that?" I demanded. "10:24 p.m." said AOL-phone support man. "But that can't be!" I protested, "I was online and he was asleep in the recliner." So, they fixed the problem with the account, gave me a lecture about being safe online, and sent a whole batch of emails instructing about what may have caused the problem.

I downloaded the suggested virus checker on both machines, and it caused the old machine to hang at the Windows 98 screen. The clock was ticking on getting early rest - early for me being any time before 11:15 p.m.-ish, but I managed to locate the various manuals and CDs that came with the machine (this is a miracle) and get old faithful going again. During this time I had awakened Bob, and before he grumbled off to bed, I told him that his days of opening Spam were over. I can't say he clicks on the links or downloads suspect files, but he generally does open it, all 700 items he receives per week. We checked his account, and saw the eight violation messages in his sent mailbox. Half were mortgage schemes, half were about increasing size... "Now people will think I am sending Spam!" he said, which convinced him better than I ever could to mend his ways and hit "report and delete" rather than "read."

While working on the problem, I got the cable Internet going, too. Maybe I'll get that extra sleep tonight instead?

My cable Internet connection is down and I haven't been able to fix it, so I've decided to try waiting it out by using the old machine to dial in. Since upgrading to AOL 8 (install problems from months ago have been fixed) the dial up connection seems faster. But that might be just a fluke since I haven't dialed in from here in a long time and I don't do it enough any more to be certain. Regardless, roadrunner is too expensive to be down!

Missed another entry, but that's OK. I am very, very sore and tired. We worked on the kitchen all weekend. (Still too much ice for poop patrol.) It didn't seem like there was a lot left undone in the kitchen but even after doing some on Saturday and a lot on Sunday, I estimate that there is another weekend of work to do. Bob stripped wallpaper from the stairwell. I finished tiling the pantry, and the doorway area from the kitchen to the utility room, which includes a wooden platform that goes to the kitchen crawl space (jjk: this is probably the source of the spiders. I had to electrolux a few). It is such a hassle to get the supplies out and then put them all away every time work is done, but I can't tolerate living around the mess all week. I stayed up really late again to finish up as much as I could. Now the only area left to tile is an under the stairs closet, which will be a big project.

Tomorrow I am participating in a presentation/workshop on online learning. I am doing my best to be prepared, which is a challenge considering the labors of the weekend left me less than alert. I've abandoned any thoughts of a "Powerpoint" and instead will have to rely on my charm. I find that since I have been teaching, I get a lot less worked up about presentations. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing!

A few things I have come across as I get ready: the Chronicle of Higher Education is full of interesting tidbits; here is an article (and it's free !) about the Technology Education and Copyright Harmonization Act (or Teach Act). I am a supporter of copyright law, and unlike many who write online, I don't believe in opposing something that protects freelance writers because it also benefits Disney. This Act sounds very common sense to me, and these are basically the guidelines I follow in my online course.

Print is really more my concern. I don't use clips, but not because of the copyright issue. I'm not big on television in the first place, but I do have an excellent video I show in class, it is the PBS three hour special Only A Teacher. Fortunately, PBS has an great website devoted to the special, and so rather than seeing the film, the online variant gets a link to the site.

Then, the New York Times has a story, New Online Guides Rate Professors. This is something the Chronicle covers from time to time, and I wrote about it here.

The play on Saturday was wonderful! See, the weekend wasn't 100% work. We had a casual dinner before the show. This was the second performance we've seen since I became a subscriber to Cap Rep. Neither had intermission; Driving Miss Daisy was 90 minutes long.

We both enjoyed the play a lot, and this only diminished the experience a little, but sitting that long in a cramped seat was hard on Bob, as rheumatoid arthritis means he needs to stretch or he gets stiff. He said he looked at his watch when he noticed the discomfort and it was 65 minutes into the show. My less troublesome problem is that I generally have to use the bathroom. If we could have taken a break after 45 minutes, both of us would have been more comfortable.

In the past, I have been to performances there where they did have intermission, so I am hoping this is not a new policy or something, and the next show we see (The Blue Room in May) will have a break between acts. If not, I will give them some subscriber feedback and maybe they will take it into consideration for the next season. I can't see why the choice should be to disturb those around us and miss some of the play, or sit there and suffer.

This morning, I got the idea that today would be good to start the annual Spring "poop patrol." What this means is even more disgusting than it sounds, and you know we must really love dogs to tolerate having to do it. But there would be no gardening and no barbecues otherwise. After a winter with two large hound dogs and a small yard, it is so gross, we have to scrape off almost the entire top layer of dirt. It's an awful task.

Anyway, there is still quite a lot of snow in most places, but the day was warm, and I thought, what if I get a shovel, and jump the gun a bit - I'll scoop up frozen turds and the surrounding snow, and it will be so much easier to do than waiting for a total melt and having to hunt around in the grass.

Guess again. In some places the snow is frozen into solid ice, meaning it must be chopped at with the shovel. In others it is soft enough so that I broke through when walking - but not immediately - so walking around is a hazard. Oh, I'll try again tomorrow, I guess.

Inside, we worked on finishing up the details in the kitchen, and unfortunately, all the tasks that are left are very hard jobs. I was scraping off some duct tape from many moons ago, that was intended to keep out drafts et al around a plywood platform that goes to the crawl space. It took so much elbow grease that I have revised my thoughts on whether duct tape could protect from terrorist attack. It is quite possible it could.

Now we are off to see Driving Miss Daisy, a play at Capital Repertory.

I guess it must be spring. I watched some little birds hopping around on the yew. It does look a little tattered, but since some of the snow melted its branches are beginning to stand up.

On the downside, I saw two bugs in the kitchen. One was a spider, which I left alone. The other was some kind of weird beetle, black with red markings. I threw it outside.

The Gully Brook Press website updates for March/April 2003 are complete. This issue of The Nileston News is available in pdf (for ease of viewing) or wpd (to preserve the hyperlinks) and the focus is on saving historic houses (the PDF version is linked here); the latest Virtual Museum is about bungalow houses; and I added a page about a new publication, my 1998 reprint of West Shokan: Eden of the Catskills (1930) by Elwyn Davis.

I have been doing a little more digging about Myrtle McSpirit. I have not had a lot of success yet, but in some ways the lack of information says a lot, too. I am going to keep at it when I have time. Stay tuned.

Working on the Gully Brook Press updates for March-April. I came across this site which advocates boycotting Target, and links to a journal entry of mine on the Defreest-Church House. Also, the story made Preservation's Best and Worst of 2002 (an aside to East Greenbush and Target: no, this is not something to be proud of).

I wasn't going to cross-post this (it's on blogsisters) but then decided if I want to reference it in a teaching reflections summary or something like that it will be easier to find here.

My classes are focused on sociology of education at the moment, and one area we talk about that generates a lot of interest is gender and education. From literature, including 1991's Failing at Fairness: How Schools Cheat Girls and the more recent AAUW's Gender Gaps, we know that girls' learning problems are not identified, boys get more attention in classrooms, and girls start school testing higher in academic subjects but wind up achieving 50 points less on SATs. Finally, middle school is particularly troublesome.

At the same time, U.S. Department of Education data indicates that more girls than boys graduate high school, more women than men receive a bachelor's degree, and women now outnumber men in master's degree programs.

There is a dynamic in education, that achievement is impacted by social group, because while the returns to education are measurable across class, race, ethnicity and gender, as the outcome some groups benefit less than others, and as a result, are not as motivated to complete and excel. But this dynamic does not hold up between men and women. For example, compensation is not equitable between the genders. Yet females are high achievers. So why do women do so well when they receive fewer rewards? Some hypotheses are that women:

-are aware of the discrepancy but don't care
-are focused on the gains of feminism and so ignore the discrepancy
-have a traditionally dependent role which means economic returns are not the motivating factor (i.e. making a "good match")
-are socialized into specific roles in the early years
-value a private motivation (domestic life/home and family/community) more than a public one (economic/polity)

A complicating factor is that boys are disproportionately labeled as having special needs, perhaps because boys more often exhibit developmental delays, or are more likely to have their problems get attention, or because girls are more likely to display rewarded classroom behaviors (sitting quietly, raising her hand in turn).

Personally, I guess I do value private motivation, but at the same time, I see a lot of women in their 30s and 40s returning to college, and many are motived by economic reasons.

Good news on the historic preservation front! A threatened 19th century house in Hurley, New York will be saved rather than demolished, according to this story in the Daily Freeman. Thanks for the tip, J.!

I heard through the grapevine that a former friend of mine is in the hospital for alcoholism, taking the cure because of a "stop drinking or die" ultimatum from a doctor. I'm not sure whether it is true not because the vine is unreliable, but because like many alcoholics, the former friend is adept at telling lies.

I can hope that something so awful is true only because the alternative, that she is still drinking, is worse.

Tuesday Too

1.) Where do you stand on the eve of war, and why?

Here's where I stand: I believe this is a complicated topic, and my feelings cannot be characterized as "for" or "against." I don't feel compelled to choose a team and feel all righteous and judgmental or something. I do have thoughts on the subject - it is impossible not to - but I prefer to keep them to myself. I think war is always a bad thing, but at the same time I think removing Saddam is a good thing. I am tired of being bombarded with this subject in the media and here in ejournals (when I see it is the subject, I hit "back" as fast as I can). If I get an email related to this, I hit delete. In fact, I almost skipped the meme today. I rarely read blogsisters any more because it has evolved to continuous, homogenous, narrow-minded views on the subject, and practically nothing else.

I believe "this too shall pass." Mostly I am an optimistic person, believe very much in having a positive outlook, and see the cup as half-full. I prefer to focus on what some call the "little" picture: my family, my routine, my plans for Spring gardening, how to lead a simple life and help people I deal with on a daily basis, which I believe is really the true big, ultimately more profound and important picture.

2.) Has your position caused arguments with friends or family?

No, because I don't believe in wasting precious time, or risking hurt feelings, arguing about politics, religion, etc. Life is too short to sour relationships.

3.) Is there some other issue that has you grinding your teeth? What is it?

Not grinding my teeth exactly, but three things come to mind: animal abuse, loss of historic buildings, and cheating among students, in that order.

Blogger is acting up. Again. That's one downside of posting more often, one notices how annoying and unreliable this tool can be.

This morning there were two deer attacking the yew in the yard. I watched them from the bathroom window, only about six feet away. It will be a miracle if the bush survives, what with the winter and now this. A bit down the hill, there was another deer grazing on a newly defrosted patch of grass. Soon there will be fawns. My plans for an expanded vegetable garden are evaporating. I live with this in Samsonville, but here in Castleton? They can have the yew, even some of the hosta, but I am not willing to share the green beans. (Or maybe I would be, but experience tells me the deer are not.) So another project is on the horizon: a garden fence. Assuming the ten feet of snow melt in time, that is (I am only exaggerating a little).

Happy St. Patrick's Day! The weather yesterday was picture perfect for a parade.

I may have to revise my goal of writing here every day, since I have not been able to do it so far. The original goal of once per week was easy to exceed, but daily posting may be reaching. I don't know. I guess I won't abandon it yet, though sometimes this may lead to less than riveting entries...

I write from Samsonville. After a hard working week, what with the kitchen rehab, and mid-semester assessments of students, it is nice to be here, away, and put a physical distance, that forces a mental distance from those projects. But I forget how frustrating a dial-up connection can be! So slow...how did I manage?

Occasionally I check, and it is interesting to see how folks find there way here. Recently a lot navigate from typing "Trafficmaster vinyl tiles" in a search engine. (Yes, they are great in terms of installation, I have not had them down long enough to see how they hold up.) My historic preservation stuff yields visitors, too, both the Wynkoop House (which still stands, keep your fingers crossed) and the Defreest-Church House (which does not, and is rapidly being replaced by a Target, ugh, boycott them). As soon as I clear my plate, I am going to work on a new virtual museum and newsletter, and historic preservation will be the focus of the newsletter. I'm considering architecture - maybe bungalows - for the virtual museum, but it's still brewing.

Today I walked the dogs without wearing my coat. I think it must have been nearly 60 degrees outside! Sophie was vacuuming the exposed ground, it has been so long since there was any without snow cover. Plus, with her hair and low to the ground issues, it is hard for her when it is cold and snowy. (Or, for that matter, because of her allergy issues, when it is hot with vegetation.) The dogs play a tug of war, with me as the object that gets pulled in two directions. Rudy wants to trot off, covering lots of territory. Sophie wants to sniff every inch, as slowly as this dial-up connection, usually in the opposite direction. Obedience training, you say? Ha!

Tonight we had a corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots dinner at Aunt Dot's (with cappuccino cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies). Yum! Tomorrow is the St. Patrick's Day parade.

It is snowing again, to Rudy's delight.

Worked all day on the kitchen floor tile job. I do mean all day, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. I did take a couple of breaks...to check my voice mail and email. Summer registration is coming soon and so students are starting to contact me for advisement. Also, the third group projects started today in the online class so I had to spend a little while on that. But the majority of the day was like a show on HGTV, except on that channel projects look so easy, quick, clean...and there is a TV crew on site to help!

Anyway, it's almost done, but unfortunately what's left are quite a few tiles at the edges here and there that need to be cut, and a few will be difficult to trim and fit. So I guess I missed another entry! Home improvement and writing in the ejournal everyday conflict.

Now I'm off to ebay to try to get a hanging lamp for over the table.

Tuesday Too

1.) What's your take on this article from the New York Times today?

I have several reactions:

(I) I remember this subject was extensively discussed when I was a student in the MPA program. There are a lot of issues raised by being able to connect discrete databases because of innovations in technology (for example social services with criminal justice with health with etc.) and thereby make access to information so much easier. I've heard questions like, will employers not offer jobs to individuals with health conditions that might cause excessive time off or increased health insurance premiums? Will the State use EZ-Pass (New York's automated system for paying tolls on the NYS Thruway) to track speeders by calculating how long it should take a driver to get from Exit A to Exit B? (And I privately think, tell me again, how is that second question a bad thing?)

(II) Now because of our current political situation people outside of grad schools are thinking about the nuances of this. It is complicated. I think to a very large degree this is already going on; not just in government, but in industry, here on the Internet, you name it. That Spam is coming from somewhere. If technology can do it, then someone will implement it, scary or not. Do I think there could be a problem, maybe in some cases already is a problem? Yes. Am I concerned or upset at the moment? No. I think I have written here before (and I really write very little on this topic, and I will not start now) a lot of things changed for me on 09/11/2001. Call me naive for this answer, but before that date I think I really was clueless.

(III) I applaud individuals who stand up for what they believe in by "putting their money where their mouth is." I once left a job because I didn't agree with the agenda of the new management. It was a big risk, but I landed on my feet. I have no tolerance for hypocrites who keep putting in time and collecting a paycheck, then bad mouth the organization, damage morale, all the while whining that they have no options, pretending that they somehow are above it all, and are not endorsing the company line.

2.) Network television is swimming in "reality" shows. You are the creator of the latest show to hit the circuit. Give a brief description of your show. Sarcasm welcomed.

"Survivor, No Joke." Contestants fight until death, and the last person left alive is the winner. Loosely based on The Lottery.

3.) What do you really wish you were doing today?

Home, in the company of my animals, finishing the install of the kitchen floor tiles. (I worked at it until 2 a.m. last night!) But instead this is my day on campus.

I have a gorgeous antique bookcase that was Mimmie's. In my lifetime she used it to store utility items on the back porch. It was painted green and sat next to the springy wooden screen door that creaked when you opened it. The porch at the old place had the fragrance of mildew mingled with cats. It may seem strange to choose the word "fragrance" to describe the odor but in my memory it wasn't unpleasant. My front porch here in Castleton smells much the same way, which could be another reason I like this funny little house. But open my front door and the scent "hound" may knock you down; this wasn't the case at Mimmie's.

Ma remembers that Mimmie cut the bookcase in half during the 1940s, so that it would fit in the living room at the house where they lived at that time. The woodstove may be what happened to its other half, sacrificed for an apple pie and a pot of baked beans. In the 1970s, a couple of years before Mimmie moved from the old place to her trailer, my mother stripped the green paint away and revealed solid oak. My growing collection of novels replaced the paint cans on its four shelves.

It sits now in my living room, and holds my finest books. The top two shelves are devoted to Mark Twain, and should he need more space, the others will be gradually evicted. There is one shelf for a set of his complete works, and one shelf for miscellaneous copies of his books. Just some examples of my collection: I have The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from 1948, A Horse's Tale from 1907, A five volume set of his more popular works from 1917, A 2001 copy of A Murder, a Mystery and A Marriage, and two versions of his two volume set autobiography from 1925. I have six copies of various editions of Life on the Mississippi and four copies of Huck Finn. I've never formally studied Mark Twain. His books were not assigned in high school, and I never took a college class that included his work either. Regardless, you might say I'm enamored with the subject.

The bottom shelf houses The International Cyclopaedia (1892); the third shelf contains various hardcover books, including Lincoln by Gore Vidal, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, some Georgette Heyer novels that were gifts from Aunt Jean and have been worthy of a place in the oak bookcase since it became mine in high school, several dictionaries, and books about Mark Twain written by different scholars.

From my later studies I know this handsome furniture is Federal-style. Sometimes I notice the still-rough end and I lament that Mimmie sawed this piece in two. Then I assess the size of the room and realize that it wouldn't fit anywhere if it was still intact.

One week into my goal of posting every day and I missed a day. Well, that will happen. I was thinking of writing, and so I have some pent up ideas.

The kitchen is getting there. The tiles are coming out great, and actually are kind of fun to install. Bob finished the wallpaper and border on the wall near the stove so we can cook. Still, there is complete chaos in the room. We are doing half the room at a time, which is the only way home improvement projects can be managed in a house this small.

We had to call it a day on the early side yesterday, since we had tickets to see Mary Black. What a voice! I agree with the reviewer, except I don't have even a tiny criticism. It was a relaxing way to end the weekend, and it was good to be forced to stop working for a while.

We saw the concert at the Egg. Bob is a member and we had front row seats! The centerpiece of Albany's skyline is Governor Nelson E. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, and the Egg is one of GNARESP's (what an acronym) many interesting features. It's hard to go to the Egg, even when captivated by Irish folk and contemporary music, and not have a thought of Rockefeller. His vision, his wealth, his power, his lasting impact on New York. The circumventing of the State constitution. The multi-campus State university. The construction of Empire Plaza was controversial during his time. The tragic displacement, the huge expense. When I walk around the plaza I feel as if I have transported to some utopian novel.

Now that the crows have been chased away, they are going after the pigeons. Sigh. Oh horrors, wouldn't want those darn birds to soil the shoes of sports fans.

Taking a break from stripping the wallpaper in the kitchen, but I'd better get back to it. I don't want to live with disruption. I have an idea that will have to keep. So, more later.

I finished the taxes, what a relief. As it turns out, itemizing was worth it.

Today in the Times Union, there was a letter to the editor about the crow problem in Albany. I've been following the story for a several weeks. (Unfortunately the other columns, stories and letters are no longer accessible for free.) It seems some people have complained about the large number of crows gathering in their neighborhoods. So those responsible for such things have been using "fireworks, laser, and alarming sounds" to chase them away, which is much better than an alternative, recreational shoots, but it still rubs me the wrong way.

A couple of months ago, I was on campus in the evening during intercession, and all was quiet except for the crows. There were a lot of them in the trees near the education building. Yeah, it was kind of reminiscent of The Birds, but that is more a testament to Alfred Hitchcock's skill in etching his movies into our memories than an indictment of the crows that were gathered there. Poor maligned birds!

Today's story made me remember last weekend, when my parents were telling me about a raven at the farm who was at risk of becoming a hawk's dinner. My mother calls the ravens John Henry, and considers them her friends. She watched as this John Henry did some fancy flying to avoid the hawk. She was rooting for him to fly under the eaves of the barn, but he didn't. She wasn't sure if he got away.

I always get so mad when I hear that people want to accommodate human sprawl by interfering with animals. It isn't that I don't feel bad when an alligator rips off someone's arm at a golf course, or a bear kills a baby. But we should remember that the people were invading the alligator's and bear's spaces. Wild animals are not the cute and cuddly images that Disney promotes. They are a part of nature and should be respected, simple as that. Why must we always insist on trying to transform nature, when the truth is we can never win?

Sort of related are the occasions when someone from a new housing development tries to get zoning passed to eliminate a nearby farm, because they believe the odors of chicken or cow manure (notice I'm not including horse because we all accept that it smells good) are offensive. So move!

There's a webring devoted to crows and ravens. And no post would be complete without mentioning Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. I wonder if this poem, and not Hitchcock, is responsible for human dislike of a bird? True, they scavenge, and are often seen near dead stuff. But eating up roadkill strikes me as useful, rather than evil. The circle of nature at work. It also helps out the highway crews, saving us tax money.

See, I managed to bring it back to my opening...

It is snowing again today. One day of hovering just above the freezing mark, a glimmer of spring (I am dreaming of using the terraced garden Bob created last year for rows of zucchini, although the seven deer I saw last week - in Castleton! - mean a fence must be erected first), and then the winter of 2003 continues.

We need a new kitchen floor. We’ve replaced it once since we moved in, and it is now that black and white checkerboard pattern so popular in the 80s. It’s very beat up, due to our poor installation job (sheet vinyl requires more than average do-it-yourselfer skills it seems) and Rudy’s puppyhood. I patched the places where Rudy tore big holes; only some came out good. Others lasted a while and are now fraying.

The original floor was old-fashioned grey tile. That was beat up too, and also dull. The sheet vinyl is still shiny, on those rare occasions when it is clean. I’ve learned that “easy to maintain” is a more important criteria than color and design when choosing floor covering.

Last year we decided to update the floor and ventured to the little store (no big boxes for us) where we bought the current Mannington, in search of the perfect vinyl. This time we’ll pay for installation, we resolved. We looked at every brand and every quality level. Three sets of laminate swatches graced the kitchen for several days each. We compared them to the counter top and table. We stepped on them with dirty shoes and splashed water on them. We dripped tomato sauce and soda. We considered them in natural and electric light. Rudy obliged us by sprawling across his favorites.

We made so many trips over the course of a couple of weeks that we started to develop a friendly relationship with the salesperson. Finally we made our decision, one of the more expensive Armstrongs. The salesperson stopped by one evening to measure and give us a definitive price. When she finished, her quote was so much higher than the rough estimate in the store that we both were shocked. One disdainful sniff (my memory may be embellishing a little) and she quickly left, making no effort to close the deal. I think she didn’t like dogs, didn’t like this crooked little house, and maybe even changed her mind about me. She started to act funny after I told her that I work at home most of the time. But I guess a pair of hounds howling in the yard and the obviously difficult install didn’t help. Was she expecting a houseplant-free track house?

Years ago we did some contract painting and wallpapering to make extra money. I remember we gave an overpriced estimate any time we didn’t want the job. That’s kind of a polite way of getting away. There is always the risk that it will backfire and the person will accept your fee, but then the price is generous so it (sort of) compensates.

If that is what she was doing, it almost backfired, because we wanted a new floor so much. It was way, way past the time to replace it. But cheapness prevailed, and we’ve lived with the worn black and white checkerboard for another year. It’s a great kitchen even with the battered floor, but not in the granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances sense of kitchens circa Y2K. It’s homey, in the 1940s birch cabinets, built-in pantries and ceramic tile walls way, with a pot of soup bubbling on the stove and a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven. When the water main in front of our house snapped in December, the man who fixed it smiled as he walked through the kitchen. The house had belonged to his grandparents when he was a kid. “I had a lot of Sunday dinners in this room,” he remarked.

At the same time as our quest to fix the Castleton kitchen, the floors in Samsonville are a question. They are completely unfinished, a few area rugs over a concrete slab. We go ‘round and ‘round on what to do with them. Wood? Slate? Ceramic Tile? Carpet? Vinyl? Pergo? Which one where? What color? What can we do ourselves without too much aggravation? What will it cost to have someone else do it? And here I really don’t like shopping, become paralyzed by too many choices.

Enter a brand new product in this land of consumer wonders, Trafficmaster solid vinyl floor tile. Of course Bob, and not I, discovered it. It can go on top of concrete or sheet vinyl. It is self-stick, but commercial grade. The best part is there are only four patterns. Actually, the website lists 11 - but four are available at the store right now. (Yes, unfortunately it's from a big box.) Get it now before more come out and complicate things! He tested this one on the pristine cement floor of the bedroom closet in Samsonville last weekend. Eureka! Where can we put this color? And how about this one for the bathroom?

This weekend is the real challenge, when the Castleton kitchen becomes Verdestone. Bob observes that it most likely will take us longer to clean the floor than to lay the tiles.

Working on the taxes! Brave soul, I always do them myself. My systems are a lot better than they used to be - so it involves less paper "hunting," but the headache inducing part is all those extra forms that must be filled out - seeing daylight until - on no, I don't answer "no" to enough categories...must add Schedule C, and form 8829, and Schedule D...ah, luckily I don't need D-1. Then I never learn my lesson about itemizing deductions, go through all the hassle and it only equals the standard deduction anyway. Is it me or do taxes become more irritating as you age?

Welcome back Tuesday Too!

1.) Do you know about GeoURL? Check it out to find your neighbor's blog, or the web page of a restaurant near you. Find your house with a satellite photo map, and put your self in the database if you're so inclined.

Interesting site! Thanks for the link.

2.) How many times have you redesigned, or chosen a new template for your blog/journal, and are you content with your current look?

I've used the same standard template from Blogger since I started my online journal a year ago. I like purple!

When I got a new computer in January, I noticed the fonts looked really tiny on the new machine. I had always thought the point size was on the too small side, although I never did anything about it, but this was ridiculous. Anyway, I tweaked the sizes a little - now I think they look a tad too large on my old machine (the link for soap in particular) but in terms of being easy on the eyes, larger font sizes are usually better. I've added a graphic now and then to the box on the right side, but that's the extent of my personal influence on the page's design.

I can manage a bit of html, and make simple pages in Adobe PageMill, but my efforts here are about writing - not web design.

3.) From The New York Times February 11, 2003: "...The federal appeals court in St. Louis ruled yesterday that officials in Arkansas can force a prisoner on death row to take antipsychotic medication to make him sane enough to execute. Without the drugs, the prisoner, Charles Laverne Singleton, could not be put to death under a United States Supreme Court decision that prohibits the execution of the insane." The prisoner referred to was convicted of murder, and sentenced to death for in 1979. You've probably already heard about this, but what do you think/feel about it?

Ugh. I am not a supporter of the death penalty. And there is something even more creepy about making someone sane with medication simply so they can be legally executed. On the other hand, I must admit to having a hard time whipping up a bunch of sympathy for a murderer.

Here's something about animal abuse from the Albany Times Union. I skipped the original story - the headline was enough to upset me. I usually can't read anything on this subject at all, but I couldn't resist this column. I'm glad the penalties were more severe than usual, but it still isn't nearly enough.

This kind of thing gets lots of professors worked up, at least according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Although I really don't like the idea that students sign up for a class solely to get off easily, or that someone is taking advantage of students by selling them this kind of information, I'm not bothered by rating services. I say so what? I expect a lot of work, and at the same time, I am happy to give students good grades who complete that work. I don't try to hide that. I believe all students have the potential to be "A" students, and should have the opportunity to resubmit work that is poor. I also believe "B" is a perfectly fine grade. Also, I take feedback and evaluations very seriously, and try to collect such data myself.

The Samsonville house is log, and log houses have gaps that must be caulked to keep out drafts and vermin. We haven't been here much when the temperature is below zero, because the Castleton house cannot be left unattended when it is that cold, so I really haven't minded the draftiness. But vermin - namely big ants that chew the wood and leave piles of sawdust everywhere - I can do without. So this weekend I caulked in the bathroom and the bedroom, while Bob worked on finishing the closet. Small progress, but progress nonetheless.

I'm in Samsonville, after not being here for several weekends in a row. I think it was the longest stretch we've had of not coming here since we've had this house. The pool is taking a beating. I hope the cover holds up under the weight of the ice and snow, although there is less snow on the ground here than in the Capital District.

Happy One Year Anniversary to Gully Brook Press!