I have written little here about this or anything else lately, because "this" + work + personal matters are all-consuming. "This" is the fight to save our local Stewart's shop. I learned on October 8 that the company planned to shutter store #138 forever at the end of October (later discovered the actual date to be 10/26). Apparently they associates were informed 10/1 or so. It wasn't a very public announcement, the way opening a new or remodeled store is. I suppose someone at the Saratoga headquarters is aware that closing a 40 year old store will be unpopular. A resourceful volunteer started a petition, which is how I found out. 

This is a devastating loss to the village, and as a loyal customer, it it heart-breaking personally as well. So I switched into high gear, making this effort my #1 priority. I've been sending facebook messages and then writing letters to the company, targeting politicians in person and electronically, making phone calls, preparing packets for the media, sending tweets #saveourcastletonstewarts , creating fliers that have been handed out by foot patrol, and establishing a facebook group called Friends of Castleton Stewart's. The story has now been picked up by the Times Union and YNN. We are having our second rally at the store tomorrow.

So far the response from everyone except Stewart's has been enthusiastic. The company has relied on boilerplate (with the same typo, lol -- sloppy, sloppy, sloppy). If these efforts don't work, we will switch into chain-wide boycott mode. It will be hard, but I know I can get it going. But we are not there yet, and won't be for eight days. Wish us luck!

Petition by iPetitions

I've had a bunch of things I wanted to write about here recently, but in an effort to stay on top of priority tasks while also having time to enjoy the absolutely glorious, picture perfect weather...well, maintaining this journal just hasn't risen to the top of the to do list.

I've had a short break from campus (this fall's schedule is great) which ends tomorrow, so I thought I'd take advantage of being *almost* caught up and mention two things.

First, Ken Burns' The Roosevelts. I have one episode to go (love the freedom of roku) and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. One thing I wanted to note, however, was that I thought the sixth episode really glossed over (by giving only about two sentences of voice-over coverage to) the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during WWII. This was especially obvious as a contrast to the POV concerning TR and his inclinations to war / imperialism, where there is much commentary from talking heads (one segment that comes to mind is George Will at his most prune faced, scolding us to look at TR with a "dry eye").

Second, I continue to be alarmed by the quality of student writing. No dry eyes here, I need a hanky. Or maybe an aspirin.

This is my birthmonth. Last week was my birthweek. A week ago (almost) was my birthday. I maintain a tradition of celebrating on more than just the day. This isn't a milestone year (I'm 53) but that doesn't matter. I find that with my teaching schedule this semester I don't have much time or inclination for posting, but since we are on a short break (yay) due to the Jewish holy days, I thought I'd sneak one in. All is well...and when it is, that's something to celebrate.

Happy 110th Birthday Mimmie. Miss You.

Some recent pictures.

My view is a construction site.

Fun day

Purple hair and Beagle-Proof Fence coming soon

I got to the BB room early in Thursday night and immediately switched the tables and chairs in the last two rows to be facing the "back," where the closet is. I arranged them into two curves, and took a table for my stuff, moving it near the closet. There was one chair on casters that wasn't there last week, and that made me very happy!

I only needed one projection screen, and I used the monitor and built-in keyboard, but it is awful! Can it really be that the closet design is the result of consensus? If so, this is one case where that didn't work well, and a person with good sense should have made an executive decision.

First, it is hard to both pull it out and put it away, and second, you have to stand up, facing the closet, not the students, to operate it. Finally, It has a touch pad laptop-style mouse that is marginal (I hate them). There is nowhere to put the wireless mouse if you wanted to use that instead.

I had to call for help to put it away when class was over. The nice young man from tech support showed me the trick to doing it, and I think it won't be a problem in the future, but that does nothing about having to stand with my back to the students.

That said, I was able to show them Collaborate and a brief powerpoint. The students overall are very good, a nice mix of PhD and MS and they all came prepared. Class discussion and small team meeting #1 went well. Unfortunately two have dropped (leaving me with 10).

After class, two students helped me put the tables back into four rows, but we also switched all the chairs to face the opposite way from how the room was originally set up, on the theory that no one will change it back since it makes more sense due to the closet's location.

Near the classroom is deserted Thursday nights -- there were one or two classes in the rooms in the main part of the basement with interior windows overlooking the lounge, but nothing in any room in the entire section where my class meets. Kind of strange. Does no one like the building?

Something I notice now that I am teaching a graduate class is students’ Blackboard skill level is lower than among undergrads. Anecdotal of course, and it is true that undergrads occasionally have issues with the same tool (figuring out how to view my comments on evaluated assignments) but it seems more common with grad students. I get asked for feedback and when I ask “beyond what I already wrote on your paper?” invariably they confess that they couldn’t figure it out and only saw the score with no comments.

Something totally unrelated: I had my left temple dyed purple. I tried to have this done 20 years ago and it was a disaster. My hair did not take kindly to having the black stripped out, and it didn't accept the dye well, either. It turned orange, and eventually snapped off from too much processing. I'd NEVER dye my hair to cover my salt and pepper -- I love my hair -- but this little purple patch is awesome! Hair products have improved tremendously in 20 years.

It seems I let even more time go by! Went to the state fair and saw BNL, the semester started, celebrated labor day weekend -- it now we are having the hottest spell of the summer!

This Fall, I am teaching my usual toleration class, foundations, and a new class for me, a graduate class about higher education history. It is slightly blended: four web conferences throughout the semester, where we will again do my “developing prompts and questions” for an online discussion journal.
   
At the first class,.there were 12 students, and I think any more than 15-16 (or maybe 17-18 MAX) would be too many for the classroom I scored in the new much-hyped business building. The room has four rows of small tabled and chairs, and no instructor desk, console, podium or chair! It’s very structured, and while the seats and tables are not bolted down as in the stadium-style large LC classrooms, the chairs are not on casters, the tables are close together and will be a hassle to move around.

I didn't have any trouble with the room tech, which was a major relief, as I didn’t attend the training. My fault if anything had gone seriously awry, so luckily nothing did. After seeing the technology cabinet in the room, I found it easy to figure out, so training would not have been worthwhile for that purpose, but it would have been useful to have seen the physical room set up in advance so I would have had time to recover from my irritation over the poor design.

The absence of any furniture for the instructor is ridiculous. I wound up dragging a chair around to face the students and sitting so I could work the mouse and keyboard. I didn't bother with the monitor (there are way too many gadgets to tote. The tables and chairs are set up so the closet is in the back corner of the room). But no monitor means having to use two projection screens and I found that didn't completely take care of the problem of needing to turn around to look at the screen, since from that distance, I couldn't see whether the mouse was on what I wanted to click, and also it didn't mean I was able to look at their faces -- when sitting down, the screen is so high above their heads! So next week, I may have to resort to the monitor.

The tables and chairs in rows are awkward. We didn't move them, but in most future classes, at least during the second half, I don't see another option. We received a Registrar’s email about not changing classroom set up, and I’m not sure if this applies or not. Regardless, I am going to risk it.

Finally, I wanted to show Collaborate  to them last night (we will use it on 9/11), so I brought my camera. But the PC is so far away and behind the students -- for me to be on cam and capture audio I'd have to stand back there. There's nowhere to place the camera except in the cabinet, so I'd have to face the cabinet rather than the students (who I guess would have to turn their chairs and watch my back) or the camera would be capturing my back. (They'd have to turn their chairs, regardless). When I am in front, the classroom image is of the back of students' heads.

I do see the new building as a big improvement over the old business building, where the classrooms are worn out and dirty and the consoles are old and broken., but frankly, for a room with no windows, I don't see an advantage over the classrooms in the humanities building or the small lecture centers. And both have adequate tech that only requires a log on, not a card swipe and balancing a keyboard on my head. The small LCs has nice high ergonomic chairs on casters at the console, and the humanities classrooms have student desks that can be easily moved around. All so much closer to my office, also! It was been warm and (mostly) dry, so the walk is pleasant (if far), but December is going to be a different story. There are several just-as-nice tech rooms with windows in nearby buildings and many others not as close, if I felt like walking far) that are also better, IMO.

I am not sure it's worth the hassle of requesting a move so I'll make it work (I still could change my mind though), but I am definitely going to request humanities for next semester. The new BB is a nice building, but the classrooms could use a little re-design.

I let more time than usual go by from my last post (13 days). I had a draft saved for a week or so, but did not have the inclination to finalize it until today. "Inclination" because really -- lamenting "no time" gets old. I've been wondering lately why I allow myself very little time off from the to-do list? I've been working away on my fall syllabi, even though my second summer class ended on Friday and the grades are not due until tomorrow. So today (and tomorrow) had to be devoted to evaluating. Then back to the fall preparation. I'm hoping to be all ready for classes so that the Beagle proof fence can be finished 8/23-24. Only the gate (and staining about 2/3 of it) to go. I also want to enjoy the trip to Syracuse. I guess it's not completely true, the "no time off" thing. I don't work most weekends. But a weekday off...rare.

I haven't been writing much about my garden because it hasn't been a banner year. Not hot enough and it has rained to much. The stuff is growing, but it's late and I doubt there will be the quantity I'd hoped and that I had some years. I like 80 and comfortable better than 90+ and humid, but tomato plants don't! Some flowers have done well, and herbs of course, but that's it. As a result, a few weeks ago we went to Shaul's Farm in Fultonham and stocked up on bushels and pecks. I made some refrigerator pickles.

Afterwards, we drove out to Oneonta, drove through campus and the city, went to Autumn Cafe and Brooks. We decided that our old dream of retiring there someday (abandoned long ago) is back on the table.

On Thursday, we went to see Jackson Browne at the Palace, and ate dinner at Yono'shttp://www.yonos.com/.  The concert was all acoustic and fabulous. His voice sounds the same as it did 30 years ago. And he had about 25 guitars lined up, switched for almost every song. We had awesome eighth seats. Bob joked that the mean age was 57 -- not a person under 40 was to be seen, aside from a few teens with their parents'.  The highlight of the evening (not) -- the drunken woman who spilled an entire glass of red wine on Bob's sleeve (a brand new LL Bean dress shirt)!

I am so excited...going to the first day of the NYS Fair! I've never been to the fair before (hard to believe). BNL is going to play! Great way to celebrate summer as the new semester looms.

More progress on the Beagle Proof Fence. The musket slot is so the Beagles can still monitor critters. (We'll add 2-3 more).

I cannot vote in the 19th district. Castleton was gerrymandered out of the former district some years ago, and then a few years ago New York lost a House seat, and a couple of districts were carved up as a result. Still Castleton was not put with our neighbors, but instead is an add-on to the district across the river. However, I do own a house in the 19th district, my family lives there, and I grew up there, so I am very protective of the district. The current race is really getting on my nerves. I want a huge Gibson sign to plant in the hayfield in Samsonville.

The Freeman did an interview with this kid last Tuesday that really frosted me. I saved this twitter transcript for a week, intending to post it, but no time until today. Since I am in a bad mood at present, this is a salve. (Sort of.) The Freeman reporter’s tweets are in italics, followed by my responses.

1. Eldridge said when looking at this Congress he's frustrated. It's a wake up call. Wants to be part of the solution to make it work.

Because being a 30 year old with the sole qualification “married money” is such exemplary preparation for Congress.

2. Eldridge said he respects Congressman Gibson, but they have some fundamental differences.

Such as life experience and understanding the district.

3. Eldridge said he opposes fracking, while Gibson supports it.

The only thing this tells me is that you support a change to Federal control while Gibson believes it should be a State issue. What difference does your opinion make otherwise?

4. On women's health, Eldridge said he served on Planned Parenthood board.

LOL

5. At end of day, influence of large corporations in Washington have dominated conversation and we need more independence, Eldridge said

WTF? You would be one of the, if not the, wealthiest members of the House if you are elected.

6. Eldridge said chose to come to Hudson Valley because loves the area.

Especially viewing it from the top of a mountain in a two million dollar house.

7. Said he didn't move here just to run for Congress.

“Just” being the operative word.

8. Been an active member of the community and proud of work he's done, Eldridge said.

Really? Have you served on the Gardner town board or something? Who knew.

9. The Hudson Valley is our home and we're very committed to the small businesses we're working with, Eldridge said.

Hey mister! Let’s get something straight. The Hudson Valley is MY home. You couldn’t find it on a map two years ago, and you probably still don’t know whether Shokan is Dutch, Algonquian, British, or None of These. (And forget about pronouncing the names of the warriors of legend who have been defiled by your ritzy development.)

10. My husband and I have been fortunate, but that's a recent development. We didn't grow up wealthy, Eldridge said.

This response really demonstrates how out-of-touch you are with ordinary people. You are the child of doctors.

11. Facebook started 10 years ago, I met Chris 9 years ago, Eldridge said.

How old was the doctors’ son then...21? On what planet is this not growing up wealthy?

12. First job was working at Taco Bell and earning $5 .25 an hour, Eldridge said.

Hun? You had a teenage (I hope, because this really would be pathetic if you were older) job in a fast food joint. That this is even mentioned among your qualifications makes me wonder about how truly thin your resume is.

13. He said he believes in public service.

All right then. Route 28 really could use young, healthy volunteers to pick up trash along the highway.  Why not sign up? (Be sure to bring your tick spray.)

14. Because we've been blessed, we know we didn't make it on our own, Eldridge said. Want to make sure other people have that shot.

Is it possible for you to make all parents doctors and all spouses facebook millionaires? Did not know that. You are even more powerful than I thought.

15. We're not accepting any corporation of business political action committee money, Eldridge said. Wants to be an independence voice.

The benefit of being rich enough to buy a seat.

16. Fortunate that have money to be an independent voice in Washington, but want everyone to have same chance, Eldridge said.

See #14.

17. Yes, we have a diverse set of investments, but will fight for those companies to do what's right for environment and pay fair share, he said

Boy do I wonder exactly what horror is in that portfolio.

18. Seen veterans group speak out about SAFE Act. Is a gun owner himself. Believe can be balance, Eldridge said.

My BS-o-meter goes off with that one. (Not to mention, this dude has a gun? Why? Maybe to protect his property from the 99%, the peons down below in the valley?)

19. Would support many parts of the Farm Bill. But can do those things, while preserving free lunch programs, Eldridge said. Do both

Translation: Does not support farm bill.

20. Had a lot of national interest in the race, but have been focused on the publications/media in the district, Eldridge said.

Translation: Major support comes from outside district.

Good response to the shelter dog opinion piece I addressed here.

Three things:

1) Have long, scraggly beards become in? Bob googled and discovered that "Duck Dynasty" made beards popular again. That can't be it, can it? These men I'm seeing seem to be copying Amish beards..
2) The Troy Record had a photo essay about the Price Chopper grand opening -- where St. Patrick's church in Watervliet was torn down. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Do I have to boycott the Record too? (PC is already dead to me.)
3) It's that time of year again, Saratoga racing season. When people act as if cruelty is cool and gambling is high class. Spare me.

Recently I did something I vowed never to do again. I purchased a print book! I was reading Lost Towns of the Hudson Valley and one chapter is about Roseton, where several large brick manufacturers were located.

We've been putting up a new Beagle- and critter-proof fence in Castleton, and our hard is pure Hudson River clay, perfect for brick-making. I've been working in the garden, and I have a bunch of bricks holding down the bottom of the deer fence. Some of the bricks were toted all the way from Brewster when we moved to the Capital District in 1985, and others were here, undoubtedly made at the long-defunct Brickyard.

The chapter piqued my interest, and I examined some of my bricks more closely. One has "JMC" on it. From the lost towns book, I figured that meant Jova Manufacturing Company, and I was able to confirm that at this website. I wanted to know ,ore about the Brickyard in Castleton and the brick industry in general, and discovered this book is one of the best sources.

It is out-of-print so an ebook is not an option.So I bought a copy on amazon from a seller offering used copies. Many were the same price, so I chose the most highly-rated vendor with the best condition copy. I paid no attention otherwise. Shortly afterwards, I received an email from this local bookstore.

Turns out they were the seller! The owner dropped the book off at my house and gave me a gift certificate for the shipping.

Some of this story is confusing and contradictory. She bought a dog from a breeder, but color was not desirable so it can't be a show dog? How does that differ from the reason some dogs wind up in shelters? She's obsessive about lineage, but this dog has an undesirable trait (so I assume wouldn't be bred)? She adopted Mookie from a shelter, had him for more than a decade -- a good, long time -- when he developed health issues. Somehow that reflects negatively on the temperament and health status of shelter dogs? Yes, she had two dogs who became ill and died too young (although I would be kissing the ground and singing praise if I was given the gift of three more years with my dog who had cancer). But how is any of this a reason to avoid shelter pets? She seems to need to blame someone for her pets' illnesses and deaths, does not seem able to accept that there are painful times in life. There is no guarantee that her re-homed dog will stay issue-free until age 15 and then will slowly decline in an easy to manage, vet-trip free old age. Maybe she should re-evaluate whether she can commit to having a dog. I have adopted several dogs from shelters over the years and all have been wonderful. I currently have two former shelter dogs, both Beagles. I adopted one as a senior. This woman's problem is one of perspective. She's very negative.

We watched the movie "Snowpiercer" last night. It wasn't my kind of movie, and I probably would not have wanted to see it, except that a friend recommended it, saying she isn't a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, but thought it was excellent. The notable thing about it was that it was released as VOD at the same time as it is in theatres. I am happy not to have wasted the time at a theatre. It was too loud even for home viewing, and it was way too violent for my liking. It did hold my attention (mostly) but the story was too much a rip-off of other, better movies. Even Bob was not impressed, and post-apocalyptic is one of his favorite genres.

I don't believe my vegetables are growing as well as I'd like. They are growing, and setting fruit, but seem too spindly and yellow. A problem I can't do anything about is that it's too shady for most veggies, but I can certainly change the soil nitrogen level and acidity. Stay tuned!

We saw 42nd Street at the Mac-Haydn Theatre on Thursday. It was great!

 Picked the first tomatoes yesterday! "Only" cherries, but still.

How we spent Independence Day weekend 2014. Beagle and critter proof fence 1/3 done.

Wise words from over thirty years ago: “Don’t expect anything and you’ll never be disappointed.”

The rose bush (in Castleton) is so pretty!

Spent the weekend in Samsonville, got chewed up by bugs (bugs hate, or love, me) and today I'm left with a couple somewhat worrisome, angry-looking , and very itchy bites.

All my seeds are up and looking good. Will mulch as weather allows.

I may feel this every year...but the front of the house looks really good this year!

The weather has been so beautiful! I planted a bunch more things this weekend. I thought I was finished, but I bought a few things in every garden or farm stand I visited. I'm not much of a shopper, but Harry and Rosie have escaped the fence (twice!) so that means the procrastination has to end, and we need to face up to the project. We've tried hiring someone to no avail. The job is just to small...and difficult.

But we can't risk the Beagles, so we bought all the materials this weekend (and unloaded the truck, carried 153 pickets, 30 2X4s, and 7 posts (10' long) down the hill, and stacked them.

Anyway...this means I was in a few stores. I can't resist the plants! So I planted more flowers (zinnias and begonias) and tomorrow I will plant more spices, and move around some of the other plants. Pictures will come eventually.

Got my strawberries :-). Five quarts. That will do for now.

My 6W2 summer session class starts tomorrow. Only 8 students!

Tired tonight, in a good way. I am so much more often mentally tired, than I am physically tired, that it's a novelty.

Another novelty will be barbecuing at home tomorrow! Haven't eaten dinner at home since Wednesday: Thursday, Friday (and saw live music afterwards), Saturday, Sunday.

Two unrelated subjects...

1) We watched "Her" (on amazon). If it hadn't cost $4, I would have bailed when it was half over. I was really, really glad we did not waste the price of a pair of Spectrum tickets when it was in theatres! It was too long, the last 2/3 was tiresome, and while it was interesting at first and the premise was clever, it too quickly jumped into a serious relationship between the guy and the OS with little or no warm up or background. After 15 minutes the OS devolved into a whining nag. "Annoying" doesn't begin to capture it. By the middle of the movie I wanted to delete all traces of the program, and then get a sledgehammer and smash whatever devices were hosting it, just for good measure. Why didn't he just turn the d-mn thing off?

We also watched several 1930s movies, all much better than the above atrocity...this is true even of the ones that were not great. We saw "Baby Face" which was excellent, "Stella Dallas" which was sad but OK, and "Grand Hotel" which was pretty good.

2) I planted my garden! It's pretty late, but it hasn't been that warm until recently. I've had all the containers: flowers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, kale, spices done for a few weeks, but this morning I sowed two types of pole beans, two types of cucumbers and one hill of zucchini. I used 800 pounds of cow manure on the patch this year, beneficial nematodes to combat potential cucumber beetles and squash bugs, and inoculant to help the beans with nitrogen. I never have luck with zucchini but I'm hoping this year will be the charm.

Strawberry time, and I want to go picking!!

Another week goes by without a post! I really didn't expect that to happen this summer, but I've had many other thing distracting me. Last week I had internet problems galore (fixed now but set me back with my classes), and this week I have been taking advantage of the dry weather (also very hot) to do yard and gardening work. We went to Samsonville over the weekend, and when we got home on Sunday, both dogs got out of the fence! Oh no. This is how you lose your Beagles! They "bit the apple" and discovered the wonders in the ravine between our house and the cemetery. We did manage to get both of them back within an hour, and last night we did yet another cobbed repair on the pitiful fence. So this weekend's job will be putting in a brand new one, something we've needed for years. Contractors balk at the job (because it is small) and so it looks like it is do-it-yourselfer time. Can't risk losing Prince Harry and Rosey Posey!

Forgot to post this a week or so ago.

Today I got a loud reminder that I have a pair of hunting dogs. It's not that I am unaware of this in general, but rarely do they get a real opportunity to "get" something more than a plush toy. Well, today they did. Both participated in the flushing out, but it was Harry's kill. I couldn't identify the animal, but I think it was probably a groundhog. Afterwards he alternated between picking it up, carrying it around and sometimes puting it down so he could walk around to sniff elsewhere. Rosie kept a safe distance, but approached when he was less attentive. He always saw her threatening his prize, though, and would dash back and growl. This is the only time I've ever seen her not be the alpha.

One thing I discovered is that he eventually responded to "leave it!" He then sat and looked expectantly at me, as if I would collect it. No way! Luckily Bob got home a short time later. It's awful, but Beagles will be Beagles. I haven't had many dogs who killed things. More cats who would, but not Teddy. These  two dogs are driven, though and as a pair they may be unstoppable. Poor critters. Stay out of the yard or else.

They were both so proud and happy last night. And I think they were expecting praise and perhaps that I would cook us all a rodent dinner!

 Harry's tail!

We've been having some glorious weather (though at times it is a little hot for sleeping).

I went away for a few days, stayed in Samsonville for the long weekend and got back last night. Today is my first face-to-face class for summer session. It's a blended class made up of some on campus sessions, some web conferences, and online modules. It's graduate, and I expect enrollment of 11 students.

Otherwise today is not a very good day for me. Another contrast from my last post (a week ago). Enough said.

I read a very long entry of Mark Twain's concerning Bret Harte. He's on a tear, trashing those he did not like. Maybe I will post some of it when I have a chance.

Excellent post. I'm not sure it's just college students, though. Plenty of extremists are intolerant of the POV of others. The embrace Marcuse-type beliefs (although I doubt they have heard of him.) It's a reason I believe I teach one of the most important courses in the university, and feel privileged to do so, despite what some of said extremists probably think of the class.

 It's a beautiful day, and I am in a really good mood! Amazing what being done with the grading marathon does for my attitude. Here's some goodness courtesy of the yard:

 The lilacs are blooming

 

I hope this is "a good year for tomatoes."

And here's the delightfully vicious entry from Mark Twain  about Senator Clark that I mentioned yesterday:

It's obvious from the silence since my last post that I have done nothing except work on spring grades since the last day of classes. I did take off both Sundays, and at night I did some reading. I did not burn the midnight oil. But I just finished, and now I have to let them simmer for a while -- meaning put the spreadsheets aside before entering them into the system.

While reading Mark Twain's autobiography, I came across this remarkable entry a few days ago. (And, finally -- a blistering one about Senator Clark that I will also post eventually.) What would he think about all the entitlements today?

 Last day of classes yesterday, taken from my new office.

I also decided to take a better picture of my inherited jade plant.

The university president is meeting with my department on Wednesday, and we've been told to come prepared with questions and comments. If I have the opportunity, I plan to ask whether there is any chance of going back to the pre-kegs-n-eggs fiasco spring schedule. The current one is terrible -- a mid-March St. Patrick's Day break rather than February and April. It's at odds with school schedules in February, and Passover and Easter mean that many students miss class in April anyway, and the absence has to be overlooked since it's for religious reasons.

I've been thinking about comments as well, and while it is unlikely I'll have the opportunity to say much, it's useful to reflect on things that could be shared. I am one of the few (if not the only) faculty member to deal with undergraduates, and their issues are different than graduate level.

Technology has influenced them greatly. I'm no Luddite, in fact, I am a champion of technology, but sometimes it gets in the way. They text on handhelds constantly, they have a reduced attention span, they don't read. Another thing that has a negative impact is that many work nearly full-time. They will miss class to work, and sacrifice studying, reading, and being prepared for class.

The limited attention span, lack of reading, various distractors, and general exhaustion seem to be resulting in students who don't follow assignment guidelines -- they think instructions are mere recommendations, not requirements, or they don't understand them, or they don't bother to read them at all -- or maybe they just aren't paying attention.

Naturally, this doesn't describe all students, and maybe doesn't even describe the majority. Unfortunately, the more difficult students and classes tend to overshadow the shining stars. The lack of engagement of some -- no matter how much effort I put in -- can be draining by this point in the semester.

More essays! But I have time, and there aren't too many, so it isn't so bad.

Office is coming together. I brought in carpet cleaner and managed to get a really bad stain out. I also cleaned my computer chair. I couldn't resist, took another picture of my Gunlock chair:

The ethical issue resolved to my satisfaction, and I was able to finish the essays yesterday. I still have about a dozen more to go, but they are for a different class and don't need immediate attention. Yay all around.

I am about 1/3 of the way through an enormous batch of essays I've had hanging over my head. I find myself preoccupied by the ethical question I cryptically referenced yesterday. I still won't elaborate specifically, but I wish I could, as I seriously need to vent. I'm definitely going to push until it's solved -- I just hope I can force myself to finish the essay grading task I dislike before I am able to clear my mind of the unanswered questions I have. Not easy! But end of semester looms and there's no time for procrastination.

I am facing a task I dislike, grading essays. Many students procrastinated (they have four topics and two chances to submit an essay, either early or late in the semester) and so there are a lot more than half the class to do. Ughhhhh.

What's not helping is that a problem has cropped up re: last semester's plagiarism case. Nothing to do with the student hassling me, more of a process concern that is making me very alarmed about ethics. I'm almost, but not quite, mad enough to write about it here.

It was presentation week in my classes and the students did great! It always causes some anxiety for them, fueled mostly by procrastination (and a little by being uncomfortable speaking in front of class). So now end of semester countdown begins, two weeks of classes to go!

 Unfortunately, I didn't remember to take a picture until the job was started, but here is the before photo of the back of "the chair."

And here's "the chair" all done!

I do my own taxes -- with pencil and paper, no software. It's a math activity that I like enough to not feel the need to pay for. But overall, I hate the task. I can't stand seeing how much we pay, and sometimes have to pay. It isn't that I want to shirk paying my fair share. I'd never cheat to try to get money back or avoid paying. But seriously? I also cannot stand the convoluted paperwork. Really? I'm 100% a public sector person, have great respect for civil servants, but are you kidding me? I can just imagine the ridiculous process that produces these absurd calculations.

What hurt this year was that I'd planned Friday as "the day" but then I was too sick to even attempt getting started. So it waited until yesterday. I still didn't feel great, but I had no choice. I finished at 2:45 AM, and the mailman took the envelopes away at 9:45. Yay.

I can't really write this on fb as I have a few "friends" who are "on the system" types who also are fb bullies. It gives me no pleasure to contemplate that my $ goes into their pockets -- they are perfectly competent, even privileged people who are lazy or crazy or both, and just feel entitled to take. Anything I wrote would be interpreted as if I was either a militia type or a 1%-er. Then, I don't want to empower the other extreme, the sprinkling of anti-government types among my "friends" who would perceive me as a kindred spirit! LOL. There's a lot more nuance possible here at GBP.

The other distasteful thing about the annual task is that it takes time away from my to do list -- and the clock is ticking on end of semester.

Thank you gift from a boy in faith formation

Thursday night after I got home from campus, I came down with the worst stomach bug I've had in years. Ugh! The details are TMI, but let's say you can just rip yesterday's calendar page out. At this point, I am up to ginger ale and toast (one piece). Since I don't eat bread or drink soda, this took some doing!

The case of the missing chair: recently I moved into a new (much nicer) office. The prior occupant left behind a wooden side chair with tattered upholstery. The chairs in her new office are in better shape, and she said I could have it, or if I felt it was too forlorn, I should throw it away.

I liked the chair, despite the worn fabric, and decided I would keep it. When Bob visited to see my new space, he immediately said "that's a Gunlock chair." So I bought fabric, and hauled his cordless screwdriver to campus on Tuesday to begin the reupholster job.

I took off the back, but discovered the seat required a regular screwdriver, which wasn't in the case. I decided the fabric needed ironing anyway, so I'd have to finish on Thursday. Thursday morning I arrived with another screwdriver and an iron...and my chair was gone!

After looking around the department (lots of moves, painting, etc. taking place at present), I contacted the office that has responsibility for such tasks, and was referred to email elsewhere, which I did. No response. Suddenly our department coordinator had a bright idea...she found my chair in the tunnel (four stories below).

Now, I have some ideas...but who took my chair and why?

Studying social class in Toleration class. I assigned groups of students a class, and had them make posters.

Second to last faith formation class. The kids have spring fever -- lots of energy to say the least! Tonight, we studied the art print "Good Friday" by Maggi Hambling (1989) and started the culminating project: banners that will be displayed in the chirch for Easter. These are the samples we made. The kids have the same burlap panel, bamboo dowel / rope hanger, and burlap cross. Aside from those elements, they will have free choice of design and decorations: felt, foam mosaic squares, fabric markers, artificial flower petals, dried flower potpourri, and pictures of flowers from old calendars. Tonight we looked at many design ideas and worked on sketches, and then they cut out shapes and letters. Next week will involve about a case of Elmer's glue as they put it all together.

 Teddy cat went to a veterinary opthamologist this morning. He's had clousy eyes ever since we adopted him, but after his third eye ulcer episode a couple weeks ago, our vet Dr. Tina referred us to a specialist. It turns out he has corneal dystrophy, a condition that is fairly common in dogs (especially boston terriers, chihuahuas and doxies) but rare in cats. There is no cure for it, but hopefully the eye drops he'll be on for the rest of his life will prevent the ulcers from developing, or at least reduce the frequency.

His right eye was bad before he saw our regular vet 3 weeks ago. It cleared up with the ointment she gave us (as it always does) so he seemed 100% this morning (excapt for the usual cloudiness). But the specialist was able to see a small ulcer in his left eye, although he was showing no obvious symptons -- surprising, as I know they are very painful. It's degenerative (and probably hereditary), so his vision is likely to gradually decline (he can see fine now). If he lives to be very old (he's nearly 9 now, we've had him since he was 5), he may go blind. She put a temporary contact lens in his eye to protect it!

Something I like to assign occasionally in class are 2, 3 or 5 minute free writes. So while the students were scribbling last night, I thought I'd do it too. Here is what I wrote:

Before class I was going from the education building to campus center. Don't students understand keeping right? Well, they didn't act like they knew -- they practically knocked me down as they streamed through the open door, the one on their left but my right, in their rush to get to class. I didn't want to get jostled or worse, have my foot stepped on, so I waited there until it was clear, but it must have been at least a dozen students who ignored me, did not let me through and also did not make any effort to open the door on their right! I finally was able to continue, but I felt pretty glum, to tell you the truth.

But on my way back from the bookstore (where I was buying cards for all the April birthdays in my family), a young man came up to me and said, "Are you Professor Giuliani?" (I said yes, even though my name is spelled just a little different from Rudy's). He shook my hand and said he has signed up for my class in the fall. Made my day! (He had "A" written all over him.)

Spring break is over and the countdown to end of semester begins. In faith formation on Monday, we celebrated spring even though it doesn't feel like it out there! The lesson focused on The Parable of the Sower. The art print was "The Flower Seller" by Diego Rivera, the saint handout was about St. Fiacre (Patron Saint of Gardeners), we studied the world map to locate France and Mexico, read the parable and the handout, and planted tulip bulbs and pansies in the flower pots. Snack was apples with caramel dip. Only two classes left in AY '13-'14, hard to believe. When we told them, the kids were disappointed that it will be over so soon. Last two weeks will be our culminating project, stay tuned!

Being a faculty member is a "good gig" for me, as I like to work independently. But there are occasions when support from someone else is helpful. Such is the case with finding academic materials. It's possible to locate whatever is needed without turning to others, of course, and that's my preference most of the time. However, when it comes to textbooks, there are incentives for publishers to sell their books, and no shortage of sales reps who (allegedly) are eager to lend a hand.

Not true. I have never been contacted by (or found on my own) a competent book sales rep. It isn't that I never hear from any; I am contacted all the time. But no matter the publishing house, the rep invariably disappoints. Check off another today! Sigh. Maybe it is a crummy job and so the rep puts in little effort, I don't know. That's really no excuse, though. Update your linkedin and get back to work, OK? On my own once again I guess.

Added: This has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of this post, but I didn't feel like creating a new one. I used to be somewhat interested in world and national events. Somewhat, not a news junkie by any means. I think that might have been before 9/11 and turning 40, both of which changed me.  Anyway, I find myself fascinated by the missing jet mystery. I've written before about my talent for detective work here.

Today I entered a writing contest. That's something I haven't done in a long time. There will be a ton of entries, of course, and I don't expect to win. But (I tell myself) the payoff is in the writing, and that really is the truth. I expected to spend today grading essays, and instead I spent the day writing. I'm pleased I resisted my tendency to put every task associated with "earning my bread" high on my priority list, while promising to write once each line was crossed off. The problem is that I run out of steam, and writing has to wait another day, when new priorities surface and claim top positions.

I'm referring to "serious" writing (though at times it is humor), not what I do here most of the time. I manage to find time to write here (almost) whenever the desire strikes me. But serious writing is different, it isn't journaling. With serious writing, although it often comes to me in a burst, I craft every sentence, contemplate every word and study every comma. I listen to the voice to find just the right note.

"It's spring break after all," she said. Was that an excuse or a challenge? "Others are increasing their carbon footprints so they can lay on beaches." I deserve my guilty pleasure.

Tomorrow's faith formation theme is St. Patrick. We're going to study the art print St. Patrick by  Jan Tillemans (1955, stained glass window at Basilica of Our Lady of the Cape Shrine in Quebec), read about St. Patrick and watch a couple video clips, find Ireland and Britain on the map, make rosary beads and learn (some of) the rosary, and have shamrock sugar cookies for snack.

On March 13, several students from both classes emailed me in the morning, worried over road conditions. Although classes weren’t delayed or cancelled, the cold, icy & snowy conditions (and that St. Patrick’s Day break was looming) persuaded me that this was a perfect opportunity to use Collaborate.

In the afternoon class, what was on the agenda was handing out and explaining an assignment to prepare for a classroom activity on March 27, and small group meetings, where students work on presentations they will give on April 22. 10 (of 22) students logged on at 1:15, one appeared late in the class, and another emailed me later to say she'd tried to log on, but was unsuccessful. I did not hear from the other ten students. I used audio to explain expectations, and powerpoint to share the assignment (which is in PDF on blackboard as well). This took 15 minutes. Only one student used the mic while in the main room, the others used text chat. A couple added emoticons etc. to my powerpoint on the whiteboard.

I then sent them to breakout rooms. There are 5 groups in this class. Group 3 had full attendance (4 members), Groups 1, 4 and 5 had 2 members each (out of 4 or 5 members). Group 2 had no members present, except for the student who came very late. The group with full attendance had a lively conversation (with audio, video, white board) and they stayed until 2:30, when class is always over. One of the other groups, with two members, also stayed until 2:30. The remaining two groups stayed for a while, then exited.

For the 4:15 class, the syllabus has a one hour video, a half hour lecture, small group and all class discussion (it’s a 3 hour class). 10 students (of 26) logged on at 4:15 (several were there at 4, right after I finished setting up). One more came late. Two more emailed later to say they tried, but were not able to log on.

I knew I couldn’t show the video, but I asked them to watch it before next class (3/27). I still gave my ½ hour lecture and showed my powerpoint. The midterm was due last night, and after my remarks, a few students asked me questions about that assignment, using both audio and text chat. There are also 5 groups in this class. Every group was represented (one by one member, two by three members, two by two members) but I just divided them into two groups of five (the 11th student came too late) and had them develop discussion questions. When they came back to the main room, each group wrote their discussion question on the white board, and we had a discussion using audio and text chat.

One group developed a question about the delivery method, web conferencing and collaborate, one developed a question about last night’s material. It was outstanding! Very reflective and enriched. Class ended at about 6:30 and I think would have been willing to go until 7 (but my dogs were getting antsy and so was I).

In both classes, students here & there would suddenly vanish, then reappear, always reporting technical issues. One student in the 1:15 class was in the library, and sound had been disabled, so he could not hear my remarks, but he did use text chat when in the breakout room. I emailed the 4:15 students to warn them about the library computers, but after class received emails from two students using library computers that have sound enabled who could not log on. (No matter how many times I remind students to test things and contact the help desk, they invariably email me when it is too late.)

One student in the 4:15 class commented that his roommate was sitting on the bed, marveling at him participating in class, wishing he had this opportunity.

Attendance in both classes was much less than it would have been on campus, but there is always a lot of absence the Thursday before a break. I recorded both sessions and put the links in blackboard.

All in all, both classes were fairly successful. The design of the 4:15 class was probably more suited to this delivery, mostly because it is hard to make progress on the presentation assignment without at least 75% of the members. But I couldn’t just switch the agenda, as I had promised them this time for the project, and at least one of the groups was able to use it effectively.

I learned from the 4:15 class that it is quite possible to have a good all-class discussion this way. In fact, there may be fewer distractions than in the classroom, and as a result it was quite in-depth. There was no social pressure from the slackers for the speaker to “shut up.” Of course, these are self-selected groups of 10 – it is possible they are the strong students & if the others were shed from the roster the class would improve dramatically no matter how it is delivered.

A commonality I notice with both 10 year olds & college students is that they get up and leave the room for 5 minutes or so constantly. For the little kids, it is ostensibly to go to the bathroom, and they always ask first. For college students, I have no idea, but I suspect it is to check their phones. Why is it young people can't sit still for an hour without needing to pee or wash their hands or send a text?

Faith formation tonight will focus on St. Kateri. We're planning to look at the art print "Kateri Tekakwitha" by Robert Lentz, find Fonda on a NYS map, watch a slideshow of pictures Robert Schmidt took at the Auriesville Shrine the day of Kateri's canonization, read tha play "Lily of the Mohawks," make mosaic wood crosses, and have cornbread with maple syrup (made by my brother) for snack.

 Our samples

 St. Kateri

I went to a scholarship event yesterday in the science library, and came across the Great Dane Project.

I planned to write a post about journaling in public for the past 12 years. I thought I'd review my "most popular posts of all time" and craft something. But nothing jumped out at me, except "I wonder why these are the most popular?" So I didn't come up with anything.

After "baking in the sun" (or freezing in the snow), my comments about the Gully Brook Press experiment are that my participation and engagement in the online world has shifted. At first I read a lot of other personal blogs. I was never much of a commenter, and the 6-10 daily reads shifted over the years, from blogger-recommends in the early days to national A-listers in the middle years, and then to locally well known a few years ago. At present I read the personal blogs of others only occasionally.

I have spent very little time promoting Gully Brook Press over the years. I have not been interested in generating hits or links or fostering a commenter community. I have continued to write here, for myself and the others who visit, sometimes less, sometimes more, and I have never announced I was taking a hiatus, or taken one quietly. I have not changed the name, or very often, the look of the blog (and I have used blogger for all 12 years). The website design has changed three times, due to being forced to use different hosts (AOL to verizon to google).

Since 2009, when I started using facebook (I joined it a few years before, but didn't start using it until my 30-year high school reunion), I've spent more time in the social network, than at Gully Brook Press (both the blog and the website). I don't use facebook to promote GBP, but keep them separate.

It has served the purpose I intended in March 2002, which was to give me a place to post published works, and to write a journal. I wasn't sure whether I would abandon the journal quickly or eventually, as I have with every other journaling tool since I was big enough to pick up a pen. Well, I guess after 12 years you might say this has been the most successful of all those endeavors. It doesn't, and can never match Elwyn's diary in consistency, but it has been a rewarding effort for more than a decade. Bravo Gully Brook Press.

Today is the 12th anniversary of Gully Brook Press!

I can't believe it is this cold on the last day of February! There is no let up in sight, so March will be coming in like a lion. The cold is what's most memorable from this winter, but it looks like another snowstorm is on the horizon too. But Spring will surely come eventually!

Yesterday was Rosie's 2nd Gotcha Day.

Since I'm all about equal opportunity

Once again, I have had some pent-up things to post but just haven't gotten to it until today. In faith formation (where the kids have been awesome after the email about their behavior a couple weeks ago), I brought in the Bible I used when I was in catechism to show them. One boy looked at the battered little New Testament of the Jerusalem Bible and asked incredulously, "how old are you?" I laughed and said "I'm 52." "You're old!" he said. "Yes, I am old," I responded, "and believe me, you will get there someday. It seems like only yesterday I was your age." He won't understand this for many years, but maybe someday he will remember and it will resonate as the wisdom of elders often does.

I gave both my foundations classes a talking to about their use of electronics in the classroom, and that how apparent it is that they are not reading (the latter was mostly directed at the evening section). The evening section was perfect afterwards. In the day class I still had to call out a few students for nonstop texting, but on Thursday they shaped up.

We did an exercise called "the five most important events in American educational history" that I started using last semester, inspired by this website. The activity is similar to the new fad known as "flipping the classroom." Students individually do a scavenger hunt through this comprehensive online resource to find their five, then work in groups of 4-5 to come up with consensus lists that they write on the board and present to class. At the end I suggest events that might be missing. (Yesterday I added the Old Deluder Satan Act, the Morrill Act, the GI Bill.) Students are engaged by it and it works really well.

Twenty-one years have gone by since then, but they have had absolutely no effect upon my spiritual constitution; they have left not a single trace upon it; on the contrary, I seem to feel several years younger than I felt then. When a man reaches fifty, age seems to suddenly descend upon him like a black cloud. He feels immeasurably old—very much older than he is ever to feel again, I am sure. I doubt if any person ever crosses his fiftieth parallel without experiencing what I have just described. (Mark Twain, 1906)

There has never been a time in the past thirty-five years when my literary shipyard hadn’t two or more half-finished ships on the ways, neglected and baking in the sun; generally there have been three or four; at present there are five. This has an unbusiness-like look, but it was not purposeless, it was intentional. As long as a book would write itself I was a faithful and interested amanuensis, and my industry did not flag; but the minute that the book tried to shift to my head the labor of contriving its situations, inventing its adventures and conducting its conversations, I put it away and dropped it out of my mind. Then I examined my unfinished properties to see if among them there might not be one whose interest in itself had revived, through a couple of years’ restful idleness, and was ready to take me on again as amanuensis.

As I have mentioned recently, I am currently reading volume 2 of Mark Twain's autobiography. Every sentence is a gem. What an insightful way to capture the inspiration that fuels creativity: amanuensis.

 Gina Loves Mark Twain (2007)

I started this post last Tuesday, but didn't get back to it until eight days later. Snow, snow, snow absorbed a lot of time! But what was on my mind was the Mark Twain autobiography. It's a continuous source of joy. I was up to August 31, 1906 in volume 2 at that point.

I am just ticked by a couple of things I've read recently. First, he talks about writing as amanuensis. That the person is just holding the pen, and the words flow out; it isn't laborious at all. It is just transcription, the "writer" is just an effortless pass through. He believed when writing isn't like this, one must stop, let it brew, until the process naturally starts up again.

Next, he writes about going to Onteora for a visit. On October 9, 1906 he wrote:

Onteora was situated high up in the Catskill Mountains, in the [centre] of a far-reaching solitude. I do not mean that the region was wholly uninhabited; there were [farm-houses] here and there, at generous distances apart. Their occupants were descendants of ancestors who had built the houses in [Rip Van Winkle’s time], or earlier; and those ancestors [page 251] were not more primitive than were this posterity of theirs. The city people were as foreign and unfamiliar and strange to them as monkeys would have been, and they would have respected the monkeys as much as they respected these elegant [summer resorters]. The resorters were a puzzle to [them,] their ways were so strange and their interests so trivial. They drove the resorters over the mountain roads and listened in shamed surprise at their bursts of enthusiasm over the scenery. The farmers had had that scenery on exhibition from their mountain roosts all their lives, and had never noticed anything remarkable about it.

This article from the Chronicle made me think about how this money is being wasted in some cases. I am so thankful that this semester is the last one I will be teaching my Tuesday evening foundations class. It's a shame, really, as for many years it was my favorite section, but for the past couple of years, it has been nothing but trouble, and this semester is shaping up the same, sadly.

It isn't large (16) this spring, and I was hopeful that would make it better, but unfortunately that might make it worse! When there is a large enough proportion of students who are not engaged and put in little effort, there aren't enough average and serious students to dilute them, and it ruins the class.

Last night five students didn't show up, and I estimate that half of the students present had not done the reading. They were unresponsive, sat with their heads down, a couple texting on smartphones, others typing on laptops. I had an image of the prepared and participatory students harnessed and pulling a rope, hauling the millstones along. If it drives me crazy as the instructor, I can only imagine how the good students feel.

Are the slackers borrowing money for this? Are their parents giving them a free ride? Either way, they should not waste the money or time. Go get a job in retail for a few years, grow up and come back with some direction and work ethic.

Another rant. I've written before about the campus center dining situation being ruined after Aramark landed the contract in 2013. A few weeks ago I decided to give it another try, and was pleasantly surprised by a salad line (called something like "sticks & stems"). I discovered I could get a custom-made side salad for less than $3, or with avocado, less than $4.

So yesterday I ventured over there again. The line at Sticks & Stems was ridiculous, so I strolled (limped, lol) around to see if there was anything else appealing. Answer: No. The one place I tried was out of hummus. Is all students eat hot pretzels, subs, pizza, bagels and sushi?

I waited on the long Sticks & Stems line. Out of spinach. Wiped out of most other veggies, such as cucumbers. No blue cheese dressing. Salad wound up being half as much as last time I went, in other words not worth $4 or even $3. I will not be going again, I hope aramark improves or at least loses the contract next time it is up for bid.

Suction cups for the suncatchers came

A public service message brought to you by Rosie & Harry: "Boycott the Olympics."

I meant this to be "III" yesterday, but ran out of time. This is immoral, evil, disgusting, horrifying. I am boycotting not just the Olympics, but all thing Russian, forever. I will not stay in a business that is broadcasting the games, I will tell anyone who tries even the briefest mention of the Olympics to me of my outrage.

I. In faith formation last night, we focused on the Sign of the Cross. We read about its significance, studied the painting "Christ on the Cross" by Barthelemy d'Eyck (15th Century) and made these stained glass (actually plastic) suncatchers.
I was pleased to see this week and last (when we looked at "Four Corners of the World" by Pablo Picasso (1952-54) and read about St. Sebastian), they have learned something unexpected from being in class with us for 1.5 years. The minute they get a handout with graphics on it, even when the image is simply decoration and not part of the formal lesson, they immediately start analyzing the artwork with reactions about what they notice, how they feel, speculation about what the artist meant, and questions.

II. I've read a lot of Mark Twain's writing. I really mean a lot. Currently I am reading Volume 2 of his autobiography. It's such a treat when I stumble across an entry I haven't encountered before! But something is bothering me. Ever since I started to read a lot of his work, I've noticed that the "scholars," those folks who write the introductions and "make their bread"* from being experts, invariably assert that Susy was his favorite daughter. I always found this surprising. True, some people have favorites (although shouldn't) but most people do not, or if they did, they would certainly hide it.

 I had a hard time believing it could be true, but what did I know? At least that was my thinking. Now that I am into Volume 2, and encountering previously unpublished writings, I call BS. They have no clue what they are talking about. Unquestionably he was fond of his eldest daughter, why wouldn't he be? And of course she died as a young woman, which was a terrible blow. But I see not a shred of evidence to support the ridiculous claim of "favorite."

* thanks to Mr. Twain, he loved this phrase