until my birthday, and um, guys?
You're really slacking on the gifts. I have not had one. single. package. arrive at my house yet.
Seriously.
By now, I should be eyeball deep in wrapping paper and foam peanuts. Where are the diamond tennis bracelets and designer purses? Do you want me to continue reading your blogs and leaving witty commentary? Huh? Huh? Do ya?!
Cuz that's not free.
TAT CN Header
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Monday Night Rock Band
Well, I'll be frank. We basically rocked the hiz-ouse last night, and it was a tubular time.
Afterwards, Jerry and I found ourselves in our kitchen, knuckle deep in hummus (after drinking, a rockstar always needs a snack before bed) and arguing over who was stronger. So, we had to arm wrestle.
I'm sorry to report that I am not stronger. He let me use both arms, and I still didn't win.
Afterwards, Jerry and I found ourselves in our kitchen, knuckle deep in hummus (after drinking, a rockstar always needs a snack before bed) and arguing over who was stronger. So, we had to arm wrestle.
I'm sorry to report that I am not stronger. He let me use both arms, and I still didn't win.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Hell is Called Ft Lauderdale
Spring-time in South Florida: longer, hotter, more humid days followed by little relief after sundown and the beginning of the rainy season. Lovely.
While everyone in the northern states is rejoicing at the sight of green grass and sunny days, we here in the tropics are entering the dreadedly hot months, better known here on the blogosphere as the season of "Jess' bitching and moaning about the heat and humidity." Thus, commences the season. So, from here until about October, prepare yourselves for near-daily groaning about how running here feels like running underwater, and you can brace yourselves for phrases such as: "hotter than Hades," "sweating more than a whore in church," and "good god, I thought I was going to burst into flames."
This evening the change in season became clear to me while I was out on my 4 miler, so I'll give you a peek into my thought process so you may understand:
Mile 1: 9:20
Ahhh, this feels nice. The sun is setting, there's a light breeze; it's not so bad out here.
Mile 2: 9:12
Phew, it's a little warmer than I at first thought. Where'd that breeze go? Ack! A bug just flew into my mouth! Blech-blech. Damn bugs. Oh, christ on crutches! I nearly stepped on that lizard! Damn lizards.
Mile 3: 9:36
Fuck me. It's hot out here. I'm sweatin' like my students do during a pop quiz. I can feel my face pulsing! Bet I look like a tomato.
Mile 4: 9:39
Holy hell, when will these four miles come to an end? My fingers feel a little swollen, I just swallowed another goddamn bug, another lizard nearly kamikazeed its way under my shoe, and I think my eyebrow just melted into my eyeball.
Total Time: 37:50
I need a bottle of water, a cold shower, and air conditioning. Stat.
So...yeah...I got home and checked the temp (believing it to be somewhere between 1 million and 2 million degrees) and it was only 80 with 61% humidity. Um, that's not that hot. It's gonna get a whole lotta-hotta in here in the next few months. Did I really forget about that?
Anyway, guess I'll adjust. Right now, I have to go get ready to head out to the bar for some more Rock Band where cold, frosty beer awaits me. So, I'll catch ya later. Rock on.
While everyone in the northern states is rejoicing at the sight of green grass and sunny days, we here in the tropics are entering the dreadedly hot months, better known here on the blogosphere as the season of "Jess' bitching and moaning about the heat and humidity." Thus, commences the season. So, from here until about October, prepare yourselves for near-daily groaning about how running here feels like running underwater, and you can brace yourselves for phrases such as: "hotter than Hades," "sweating more than a whore in church," and "good god, I thought I was going to burst into flames."
This evening the change in season became clear to me while I was out on my 4 miler, so I'll give you a peek into my thought process so you may understand:
Mile 1: 9:20
Ahhh, this feels nice. The sun is setting, there's a light breeze; it's not so bad out here.
Mile 2: 9:12
Phew, it's a little warmer than I at first thought. Where'd that breeze go? Ack! A bug just flew into my mouth! Blech-blech. Damn bugs. Oh, christ on crutches! I nearly stepped on that lizard! Damn lizards.
Mile 3: 9:36
Fuck me. It's hot out here. I'm sweatin' like my students do during a pop quiz. I can feel my face pulsing! Bet I look like a tomato.
Mile 4: 9:39
Holy hell, when will these four miles come to an end? My fingers feel a little swollen, I just swallowed another goddamn bug, another lizard nearly kamikazeed its way under my shoe, and I think my eyebrow just melted into my eyeball.
Total Time: 37:50
I need a bottle of water, a cold shower, and air conditioning. Stat.
So...yeah...I got home and checked the temp (believing it to be somewhere between 1 million and 2 million degrees) and it was only 80 with 61% humidity. Um, that's not that hot. It's gonna get a whole lotta-hotta in here in the next few months. Did I really forget about that?
Anyway, guess I'll adjust. Right now, I have to go get ready to head out to the bar for some more Rock Band where cold, frosty beer awaits me. So, I'll catch ya later. Rock on.
Spring Cleaning
It must be a fever that is catching because everyone seems to be talking about cleaning out closets and re-organizing around the house. Well, same was true for me yesterday. I tackled my closet in the bedroom, and got rid of 4 huge bags of clothes and 2 bags of shoes, including one bag that was all running shoes (7 pairs, to be exact). Why was I keeping 2 years worth of old running shoes? Hard to say exactly, except that I'm kinda attached to those old pairs; still, holding onto them is silly, especially when they're taking up so much room.
So, I loaded up all that stuff and made a run to Salvation Army to drop off the clothes and regular shoes and this afternoon, I'm gonna drop the running shoes off at my local running store (they donate them to a running charity). Feels good to clean out that kind of stuff -- plus, my closet feels so much bigger now and I have room for a brand new wardrobe! :)
After the closet cleaning frenzy, I spent the afternoon relaxing with a book, and in the evening, I made dinner, and Jerry and I watched "Caddyshack" and played Risk. After 2 and 1/2 hours of that game, I forfeited. Not necessarily because I was losing, but because I was tired of the game. I like Risk; I just wish it could take about half the time to play; oh, and I wish Jerry wouldn't delight so much in annihilating my armies. He's quite vicious when it comes to world domination.
So, I loaded up all that stuff and made a run to Salvation Army to drop off the clothes and regular shoes and this afternoon, I'm gonna drop the running shoes off at my local running store (they donate them to a running charity). Feels good to clean out that kind of stuff -- plus, my closet feels so much bigger now and I have room for a brand new wardrobe! :)
After the closet cleaning frenzy, I spent the afternoon relaxing with a book, and in the evening, I made dinner, and Jerry and I watched "Caddyshack" and played Risk. After 2 and 1/2 hours of that game, I forfeited. Not necessarily because I was losing, but because I was tired of the game. I like Risk; I just wish it could take about half the time to play; oh, and I wish Jerry wouldn't delight so much in annihilating my armies. He's quite vicious when it comes to world domination.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Rained Out
When I woke up this morning, it was pouring rain, and worse, it was lightning and thundering. I knew as I dialed the number for the soccer association that we wouldn't play in a thunderstorm, and sure enough, the game this morning was cancelled due to the weather. Shucks.
I guess I have to wait until next Sunday to play soccer.
On the upside, we saw "Run Fatboy Run" yesterday and I can report back to you that it was hilarious. Go see it.
I guess I have to wait until next Sunday to play soccer.
On the upside, we saw "Run Fatboy Run" yesterday and I can report back to you that it was hilarious. Go see it.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
4 miles and An Experience with Community Ed
Last night, I got another 4 miler in (36:42), and it again felt like a good run. However, the wind must've been to my back on the first 2 miles because when I turned around, the 2nd 2 miles were directly into the wind. I think the splits demonstrate the difference in the work:
1: 8:50
2: 9:05
3: 9:18
4: 9:27
Damn you, wind, you make running hard!
So...without much to transition...this morning I tried out the community ed yoga, and well, it was about what I expected: chock full of elderly people, and even the instructor looked to be about 80 (in fact, she was unable to do a few poses, and was only able to instruct upon them -- not a good sign). So, what can be said of the hour? Well, it was a good stretching opportunity, but it's not what I would refer to as much of a workout. We did all floor poses -- not a single sun salutation or warrior pose -- and while there were a few challenging poses, like wheel, bow, and camel, they were all back bends. Not real hard.
Like I said, I felt well-stretched afterward, but I definitely need to continue the search for an appropriate fit for a regular yoga practice. And after all, the community ed was only $4, so I guess this was a classic case of getting what I paid for, and $4 worth of yoga doesn't get me much.
1: 8:50
2: 9:05
3: 9:18
4: 9:27
Damn you, wind, you make running hard!
So...without much to transition...this morning I tried out the community ed yoga, and well, it was about what I expected: chock full of elderly people, and even the instructor looked to be about 80 (in fact, she was unable to do a few poses, and was only able to instruct upon them -- not a good sign). So, what can be said of the hour? Well, it was a good stretching opportunity, but it's not what I would refer to as much of a workout. We did all floor poses -- not a single sun salutation or warrior pose -- and while there were a few challenging poses, like wheel, bow, and camel, they were all back bends. Not real hard.
Like I said, I felt well-stretched afterward, but I definitely need to continue the search for an appropriate fit for a regular yoga practice. And after all, the community ed was only $4, so I guess this was a classic case of getting what I paid for, and $4 worth of yoga doesn't get me much.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Fresh Start
Spring is a time of re-birth, right? So, it's the perfect time to branch out and try some new things, I figure.
First new thing? More yoga. I used to be pretty devoted to it, but it has fallen to the wayside, and despite attempts to ressurect a practice on my own, I've never really found a way to practice it by myself and keep up with a routine. So, I need to find a suitable place to attend classes. Most yoga studios are pretty pricey, so tomorrow morning, I'm gonna test out community ed. It costs $4 per session. Of course, the mere mention of "community ed" conjures up images of sweat-pants-wearing-retirees, and considering that this is South Florida, it may very well be that kind of crowd. But I figure there's no harm in trying it. If it's not challenging enough, I won't return. But I think trying it is worth $4.
Second thing? Soccer. I played soccer my entire childhood and adolescence (I played varsity in HS and lettered in it), but then after HS, I pretty much stopped playing, except for one season of intra-mural soccer in college -- I mostly stopped playing because adult women leagues are not easy to come by and are often expensive. But a few weeks ago, I was speaking with a textbook rep I know and she mentioned that she plays on Sundays with an all-women league and she said it wasn't too competitive and it was open to new members for a reasonable price. I asked her to provide more info, and now I'm gonna go play with them this Sunday. I am freakin excited! Sunday is gonna be a tester to see if I like it, and if I do, I can sign up there and get registered with the league to play regularly. Wa-hoo!
I figure soccer is a great way to return to a sport I love, and it's excellent conditioning and should be a good way for me to incorporate speed work. Plus, I get to meet more people and socialize with some people I don't know, and I figure broadening my social horizons is always a good, healthy idea.
So, those are my two "new" endeavors, but an additional endeavor is to return to a regular training schedule, and thus, I have officially signed up for 3 races that I've talked about:
The Disney "Women Run the World" 15K in Orlando. May 4th.
The Colfax Half Marathon in Denver. May 18th.
And, the Army 10 miler in Washington, DC. October 5th.
So, yeah, I'm pretty excited about all of this stuff! Therefore, I'd best be going -- I gots shiz to do! Happy Friday, homies.
First new thing? More yoga. I used to be pretty devoted to it, but it has fallen to the wayside, and despite attempts to ressurect a practice on my own, I've never really found a way to practice it by myself and keep up with a routine. So, I need to find a suitable place to attend classes. Most yoga studios are pretty pricey, so tomorrow morning, I'm gonna test out community ed. It costs $4 per session. Of course, the mere mention of "community ed" conjures up images of sweat-pants-wearing-retirees, and considering that this is South Florida, it may very well be that kind of crowd. But I figure there's no harm in trying it. If it's not challenging enough, I won't return. But I think trying it is worth $4.
Second thing? Soccer. I played soccer my entire childhood and adolescence (I played varsity in HS and lettered in it), but then after HS, I pretty much stopped playing, except for one season of intra-mural soccer in college -- I mostly stopped playing because adult women leagues are not easy to come by and are often expensive. But a few weeks ago, I was speaking with a textbook rep I know and she mentioned that she plays on Sundays with an all-women league and she said it wasn't too competitive and it was open to new members for a reasonable price. I asked her to provide more info, and now I'm gonna go play with them this Sunday. I am freakin excited! Sunday is gonna be a tester to see if I like it, and if I do, I can sign up there and get registered with the league to play regularly. Wa-hoo!
I figure soccer is a great way to return to a sport I love, and it's excellent conditioning and should be a good way for me to incorporate speed work. Plus, I get to meet more people and socialize with some people I don't know, and I figure broadening my social horizons is always a good, healthy idea.
So, those are my two "new" endeavors, but an additional endeavor is to return to a regular training schedule, and thus, I have officially signed up for 3 races that I've talked about:
The Disney "Women Run the World" 15K in Orlando. May 4th.
The Colfax Half Marathon in Denver. May 18th.
And, the Army 10 miler in Washington, DC. October 5th.
So, yeah, I'm pretty excited about all of this stuff! Therefore, I'd best be going -- I gots shiz to do! Happy Friday, homies.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Quiet Night
This evening at home has been glorious: I got to spend some time with the neglected Scooter dog, we bonded.
I got to pick up some around the house, and I cleaned the master bathroom, which to be honest, had a little mold growing in the toilet bowl.
I got to read some more of my book, "Then We Came to the End" by Joshua Ferris, and it's pretty good. I might finish it tonight or tomorrow. Will probably stop at B&N after class tomorrow anyway and stock up on a few new reads.
And, I got a run in. 4 miles. Time: 37:57. Felt pretty good -- weather was nice.
Now, I think I will eat something. Probably a bowl of cereal, because when Jerry's gone, I pretty much don't cook.
Ahhh...it's nice to have an evening at home!
I got to pick up some around the house, and I cleaned the master bathroom, which to be honest, had a little mold growing in the toilet bowl.
I got to read some more of my book, "Then We Came to the End" by Joshua Ferris, and it's pretty good. I might finish it tonight or tomorrow. Will probably stop at B&N after class tomorrow anyway and stock up on a few new reads.
And, I got a run in. 4 miles. Time: 37:57. Felt pretty good -- weather was nice.
Now, I think I will eat something. Probably a bowl of cereal, because when Jerry's gone, I pretty much don't cook.
Ahhh...it's nice to have an evening at home!
Back to Normal
I'm pretty much 100% today. My ears still feel kinda plugged (well, one popped, but the other didn't so I feel a little lop-sided, but I feel like that most days anyway), but otherwise, I am all cured. I guess this proves that viruses don't stand a chance against my Rambo-like immune system.
But even though I'm feeling a-o-k, I don't think I'm gonna run the corporate run 5K this evening. Really, the only compelling obligation I feel to run it is because my friends are running it, but they already know that I'll smoke their asses if I go, so this way they can just compete with one another and they don't need to worry about getting "chicked." Otherwise...yeah, I just don't feel like going: I haven't been home for an evening yet this week and I just want to go home after class today and stay there. I'll still run; I just don't feel like racing today.
That's really all the news I have for now. Peace out.
But even though I'm feeling a-o-k, I don't think I'm gonna run the corporate run 5K this evening. Really, the only compelling obligation I feel to run it is because my friends are running it, but they already know that I'll smoke their asses if I go, so this way they can just compete with one another and they don't need to worry about getting "chicked." Otherwise...yeah, I just don't feel like going: I haven't been home for an evening yet this week and I just want to go home after class today and stay there. I'll still run; I just don't feel like racing today.
That's really all the news I have for now. Peace out.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Better
I did not cancel my night class yesterday. After my day classes, I figured it was just easier to stay and press through the day; however, I let my evening class go early, so I was still able to get home by 8:30 and was in bed, with lights out by 9:30.
After a good night's sleep, I feel better today -- not %100, but better -- which is good because I have another long day today. See, I agreed last week to sub for a colleague who's out of town this week, and today I have an afternoon class of hers, as well as a night class of hers. I'm not psyched about another long day, but whatevah, the extra money is always nice and doing favors for fellow faculty usually helps in the long run as well.
But, I'm a busy gal, so I gots to skedaddle! Check ya later, homies.
After a good night's sleep, I feel better today -- not %100, but better -- which is good because I have another long day today. See, I agreed last week to sub for a colleague who's out of town this week, and today I have an afternoon class of hers, as well as a night class of hers. I'm not psyched about another long day, but whatevah, the extra money is always nice and doing favors for fellow faculty usually helps in the long run as well.
But, I'm a busy gal, so I gots to skedaddle! Check ya later, homies.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Sick
Wes is right, my dignity took flight long ago. So, yes, I got up there for Rock Band last night and sang not just one song, but six. And actually, after I got over the terrifying nerves and self-doubt, I had a good time, and I could've stayed and rocked out into the wee hours if it hadn't have been a Monday. They need to move it to a Friday or Saturday.
Anyway, I don't think the smoky bar or singing helped my "ickiness," and this morning, I woke up with full-blown cold crap. I got the drippy nose, the plugged ears, the achy body, and the cough. Right now, I'm at school, muscling through (with the help of Tylenol Cold), but a huge part of me wants to cancel my night class this evening so I can go home and get some rest. We'll see how the day progresses.
In other news, Jerry departs this afternoon for Orlando -- he has a conference to attend -- and he won't be home until Friday night after the last day of the conference. That sucks, especially now that I'm sick. I suppose this means I'll have to go to the store and get Sprite myself. Poop.
Anyway, I don't think the smoky bar or singing helped my "ickiness," and this morning, I woke up with full-blown cold crap. I got the drippy nose, the plugged ears, the achy body, and the cough. Right now, I'm at school, muscling through (with the help of Tylenol Cold), but a huge part of me wants to cancel my night class this evening so I can go home and get some rest. We'll see how the day progresses.
In other news, Jerry departs this afternoon for Orlando -- he has a conference to attend -- and he won't be home until Friday night after the last day of the conference. That sucks, especially now that I'm sick. I suppose this means I'll have to go to the store and get Sprite myself. Poop.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Dog Run
Allergies are a good guess for the throat crap, but consider that I live in FL, and it's essentially summer year round here -- thus, I have "seasonal" allergies all year, and I take regular drugs for 'em. No, I don't think this throat business is allergy related. Probably flu/cold related, but I'm planning on making my immune system fight it off. That. Or, I'll just drink more and hope the alcohol kills off any germs.
But sore throat or no sore throat, I wasn't missing any more running today. So, this afternoon, I strapped on the kicks and headed out into the far-too-hot-and-humid afternoon. Scooter was giving me puppy eyes before I left, so I decided to leash him up and take him along. As you know, a run with the Scooter dog is a bit erratic and always has to be cut short since he can't pace himself and is usually pooped after half a mile. So, we only did 2 miles (it was dang hot out there anyway, and when you're a dog in a fur coat, it's gotta be even hotter), and it took us 25:43 (lots of time to stop and "smell the flowers" -- literally).
After the run, I took Scooter in the shower with me (he's been smelling a bit too much like dog lately), and now he's crashed.
This evening, we're going to head out to a local bar for some Rock Band. I guess it's set up kinda like karaoke, and people can either play individual instruments or as a band, so a crew of us are gonna go check it out. Pray I don't decide after a few beers that it will be a good idea to get up on stage and sing. I wanna wake up tomorrow with some shred of my dignity, and if I'm up on stage belting out an off-key rendition of "Buddy Holly," that won't happen.
But sore throat or no sore throat, I wasn't missing any more running today. So, this afternoon, I strapped on the kicks and headed out into the far-too-hot-and-humid afternoon. Scooter was giving me puppy eyes before I left, so I decided to leash him up and take him along. As you know, a run with the Scooter dog is a bit erratic and always has to be cut short since he can't pace himself and is usually pooped after half a mile. So, we only did 2 miles (it was dang hot out there anyway, and when you're a dog in a fur coat, it's gotta be even hotter), and it took us 25:43 (lots of time to stop and "smell the flowers" -- literally).
After the run, I took Scooter in the shower with me (he's been smelling a bit too much like dog lately), and now he's crashed.
This evening, we're going to head out to a local bar for some Rock Band. I guess it's set up kinda like karaoke, and people can either play individual instruments or as a band, so a crew of us are gonna go check it out. Pray I don't decide after a few beers that it will be a good idea to get up on stage and sing. I wanna wake up tomorrow with some shred of my dignity, and if I'm up on stage belting out an off-key rendition of "Buddy Holly," that won't happen.
Throat Thing
Friday, my throat felt kinda dry, and I just drank tons of water because I thought I was dehydrated.
Saturday, my throat still didn't feel great, but I drank a lot of alcohol and I completely forgot that it was bothering me.
Sunday, it was starting to feel downright icky and scratchy, like it was coated in Wookie-fur.
Today, it continues to feel like it's laced with Chewbacca chunks, but I have also added a delightfully hacking cough to the repertoire.
However, I have no other cold symptoms: no fever, achiness, headache, or stuffy nose. Am I in the process of coming down with something? Am I "down" with a part of something? Did I accidentally lick my friend's cat when I was over there playing Rock Band the other night?
Questions, lots of questions...
Saturday, my throat still didn't feel great, but I drank a lot of alcohol and I completely forgot that it was bothering me.
Sunday, it was starting to feel downright icky and scratchy, like it was coated in Wookie-fur.
Today, it continues to feel like it's laced with Chewbacca chunks, but I have also added a delightfully hacking cough to the repertoire.
However, I have no other cold symptoms: no fever, achiness, headache, or stuffy nose. Am I in the process of coming down with something? Am I "down" with a part of something? Did I accidentally lick my friend's cat when I was over there playing Rock Band the other night?
Questions, lots of questions...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
March Schmarch
Well, March is nearly over, and in terms of running, it has been a big, fat failure. I haven't totalled the mileage yet (still technically have today and tomorrow to sneak in a few more miles), but I know it's low. Like, probably somewhere between 30-40 miles low. Yeah.
So what's my excuse for such dismal mileage this month? Life, I guess.
This month, and actually the two preceding it as well, has just felt so busy, and I'm actually a little shocked to look at the calendar and discover it is nearly over.
Hopefully, April will calm down a little. As of now, we don't have anything big planned, except of course, both Jerry's and I's b-days (mine is the 22nd -- go ahead, mark your calendars and begin the gift buying -- and Jerry's is the 29th), but we don't have major plans for either (yet).
As far as racing in April, I'm a bit conflicted. On the 3rd, there's the corporate run, which some friends will be running, but I'm not sure if I want to run it -- it's so big for a 5K (last year, there were 3,000 runners and no timing chips), and the bigger the crowd, the less I likey. I will probably run it, but I may make the decision at the last minute. Also, I was planning on running a separate 5K on the 5th, mostly because it's a bridge run, and I thought the challenge of that might be cool, but I haven't done nay hill work, so now I think it might just be hard. Plus, do I want to run 2 5Ks in one week?
Anyway, that's the only racing currently in contemplation, and if nothing else, April should be the month in which I decide on some races for the future calender.
So what's my excuse for such dismal mileage this month? Life, I guess.
This month, and actually the two preceding it as well, has just felt so busy, and I'm actually a little shocked to look at the calendar and discover it is nearly over.
Hopefully, April will calm down a little. As of now, we don't have anything big planned, except of course, both Jerry's and I's b-days (mine is the 22nd -- go ahead, mark your calendars and begin the gift buying -- and Jerry's is the 29th), but we don't have major plans for either (yet).
As far as racing in April, I'm a bit conflicted. On the 3rd, there's the corporate run, which some friends will be running, but I'm not sure if I want to run it -- it's so big for a 5K (last year, there were 3,000 runners and no timing chips), and the bigger the crowd, the less I likey. I will probably run it, but I may make the decision at the last minute. Also, I was planning on running a separate 5K on the 5th, mostly because it's a bridge run, and I thought the challenge of that might be cool, but I haven't done nay hill work, so now I think it might just be hard. Plus, do I want to run 2 5Ks in one week?
Anyway, that's the only racing currently in contemplation, and if nothing else, April should be the month in which I decide on some races for the future calender.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Miscellany and 6 Words
First of all, I need to wish my friend Ryan a belated happy b-day. His birthday was yesterday, and even though he's now a little older, and thus a little weaker and slower, he was still up for his share of beers last night. He needs to consume as many as he can now since soon he'll be a new dad, and from what I'm told, new dads consume more coffee than beer.
Because Jerry and I joined Ryan and Erin for a few drinks last night, I skipped my run. Eh. I really needed those few beers. They were delightful.
Tonight, I have to get the last of my shit together for Erin's baby shower tomorrow. It's not a lot to do; it's just that I still only have a vague idea of what I'm doing, so I kinda feel like I'm feeling around in the dark. I've never thrown a baby shower before, and let's face it, I'm not really the type who revels in this sort of baby shiz, but I think I'll pull it off. Plus, I bought plenty of wine in a box (it's actually more excellent than it sounds), so if anything is crap, I'll be too drunk to notice or care. Sorry, Erin, if it sucks, you'll have to just be happy with the sparkling juice I bought.
Soooo...one last thing for today before I depart to teach my class and enlighten all those engaged young minds (as you can tell, I slipped from anger straight into lunacy this week): Marcy tagged me to do the whole "6 Word Memoir" business. And I really did labor over it. See I wanted to capture the "essence of Jess" in my 6 words, and that's hard to do, because frankly, I'm the shit and that only requires a 3 word statement, so to create something longer was really difficult. In the end, I couldn't decide on one statement that seemed to sum up my life so far, so I figured, hey, why not put it to a vote?
Here are the contenders:
1. "Drained the keg. Ready for refill."
2. "Fucked up frequently. Have no regrets."
3. "Jerry. Scooter. Run. Teach. Eat. Drink."
4. "Tried to be good. But failed."
5. "Aimed for perfection. Got close enough."
6. "Comma splices make me wanna cry."
7. "My mistakes have been my successes."
Consider them, consider what you know of me, and let me know which statement you think is best. And the majority's choice will be my "6 Word Memoir." After you vote, you can consider yourself tagged to do the same exercise. Best of luck!
Because Jerry and I joined Ryan and Erin for a few drinks last night, I skipped my run. Eh. I really needed those few beers. They were delightful.
Tonight, I have to get the last of my shit together for Erin's baby shower tomorrow. It's not a lot to do; it's just that I still only have a vague idea of what I'm doing, so I kinda feel like I'm feeling around in the dark. I've never thrown a baby shower before, and let's face it, I'm not really the type who revels in this sort of baby shiz, but I think I'll pull it off. Plus, I bought plenty of wine in a box (it's actually more excellent than it sounds), so if anything is crap, I'll be too drunk to notice or care. Sorry, Erin, if it sucks, you'll have to just be happy with the sparkling juice I bought.
Soooo...one last thing for today before I depart to teach my class and enlighten all those engaged young minds (as you can tell, I slipped from anger straight into lunacy this week): Marcy tagged me to do the whole "6 Word Memoir" business. And I really did labor over it. See I wanted to capture the "essence of Jess" in my 6 words, and that's hard to do, because frankly, I'm the shit and that only requires a 3 word statement, so to create something longer was really difficult. In the end, I couldn't decide on one statement that seemed to sum up my life so far, so I figured, hey, why not put it to a vote?
Here are the contenders:
1. "Drained the keg. Ready for refill."
2. "Fucked up frequently. Have no regrets."
3. "Jerry. Scooter. Run. Teach. Eat. Drink."
4. "Tried to be good. But failed."
5. "Aimed for perfection. Got close enough."
6. "Comma splices make me wanna cry."
7. "My mistakes have been my successes."
Consider them, consider what you know of me, and let me know which statement you think is best. And the majority's choice will be my "6 Word Memoir." After you vote, you can consider yourself tagged to do the same exercise. Best of luck!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Anger Management
Ahhhh, there's nothing quite like the feeling of allowing your body to pound out any mental or emotional frustration that may build up from work or life:
1: 8:59
2: 8:55
3: 8:50
Total Time: 26:45
When I was finished, Jer-Bear and I met some friends for dinner, and now I'm chillin' at home with a glass of wine, watching "Dead Like Me" with Jer and getting ready for "Top Chef" at 10. What an excellent evening.
1: 8:59
2: 8:55
3: 8:50
Total Time: 26:45
When I was finished, Jer-Bear and I met some friends for dinner, and now I'm chillin' at home with a glass of wine, watching "Dead Like Me" with Jer and getting ready for "Top Chef" at 10. What an excellent evening.
Post Script Complaints
Yesterday was just a barrage of bullshit from students, and it didn't end after I posted those brief anecdotes either: Later in the evening, I found a student's essay that was plagiarized, and when I spoke with him about it before class, it was a dizzying conversation that went something like so:
Jess: Student, I'm concerned because it appears that your essay is entirely the work of copied and pasted material from online resources, and I don't see anything here that is your own writing.
Student Rebuttal: It is too mine. I wrote it. I just used sources to help.
Jess: Okay, show me a portion that is your writing.
Student looks at essay and points out the first few sentences, and he says: This is mine; I wrote the introduction.
Keep in mind that I am holding the printed version of everything he copied from online, so I look at what he's pointing at, consult my print out, and respond: No, it's not yours. That's from right here (and I point to the EXACT material that came from online).
The conversation went back and forth like this, and it was literally mind numbing to try and convince him that no, he did NOT write the essay he submitted. In his mind, he seems to have thought that he did.
See, the thing that bugs me the most, and what I take very personally, is that I put a lot of time and effort into my classes to ensure that I teach the material thoroughly, accurately, and in an engaging manner. However, learning something is a two-way street and if they're not putting in the time and effort to pay attention, then I grow very frustrated by their apathy. Granted, most students succeed and are good students (some are even superior students who invest a great deal of time and effort in my classes); but at this point in the term, those that are exasperating me are just really draining the life outta me, and I feel like I only have a thin shred of patience remaining.
But...that's my rant for now. I don't want to continue to bore you guys with details about work, nor do I want you to think I'm rapidly becoming a bitter, cynical teacher; I'm just tired of this semester and am ready for the first week of May.
What I am looking forward to this evening is a run. Tuesdays are always crap because it's such a long day at school and I don't get any time at home, and thus I don't get to run and blow off some of that steam that builds over the course of a day. This evening, however, I plan to take full advantage of the kind of "angry" run that I need!
Jess: Student, I'm concerned because it appears that your essay is entirely the work of copied and pasted material from online resources, and I don't see anything here that is your own writing.
Student Rebuttal: It is too mine. I wrote it. I just used sources to help.
Jess: Okay, show me a portion that is your writing.
Student looks at essay and points out the first few sentences, and he says: This is mine; I wrote the introduction.
Keep in mind that I am holding the printed version of everything he copied from online, so I look at what he's pointing at, consult my print out, and respond: No, it's not yours. That's from right here (and I point to the EXACT material that came from online).
The conversation went back and forth like this, and it was literally mind numbing to try and convince him that no, he did NOT write the essay he submitted. In his mind, he seems to have thought that he did.
See, the thing that bugs me the most, and what I take very personally, is that I put a lot of time and effort into my classes to ensure that I teach the material thoroughly, accurately, and in an engaging manner. However, learning something is a two-way street and if they're not putting in the time and effort to pay attention, then I grow very frustrated by their apathy. Granted, most students succeed and are good students (some are even superior students who invest a great deal of time and effort in my classes); but at this point in the term, those that are exasperating me are just really draining the life outta me, and I feel like I only have a thin shred of patience remaining.
But...that's my rant for now. I don't want to continue to bore you guys with details about work, nor do I want you to think I'm rapidly becoming a bitter, cynical teacher; I'm just tired of this semester and am ready for the first week of May.
What I am looking forward to this evening is a run. Tuesdays are always crap because it's such a long day at school and I don't get any time at home, and thus I don't get to run and blow off some of that steam that builds over the course of a day. This evening, however, I plan to take full advantage of the kind of "angry" run that I need!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Student Burnout
Conversations Jess has had today with students:
Student A: Professor, I can't answer these questions on the quiz because I wasn't here the day we discussed that poem.
Jess: Then you'll get those questions wrong.
Student A: But I wasn't here that day for the discussion.
Jess: It's your responsibility to catch up with any work you may miss by missing a day of class. So, if you weren't here, you needed to have reviewed the poem on your own and to have come to see me if you had questions about it.
Student A huffs back to her seat and continues to stare at quiz with the hope that the answers will magically appear to her.
***
Student B: Can I make up the quiz today on another day? I lost my notes and couldn't study.
Jess: I don't think losing your notes is an adequate reason for requesting a make up quiz, so you can either take it today or not take it at all.
Student B: But, I just realized that I lost my notes last night so I didn't have time to get notes from someone else and I haven't studied at all.
Jess: But you've known about the quiz for 2 weeks; you've had plenty of time to prepare.
Student B huffs back to her seat and takes the evil quiz against her will.
***
Student C: Professor, why did I get a "D" on my essay?
Jess: Because you ignored assignment guidelines for format, length, source use, and point of view. Because you had a vague thesis statement and a disorganized discussion. And lastly, because there's no evidence that you revised your essay and you have grammatical errors that interfere with the comprehension of the writing.
Student C: How do you know I didn't revise?
Jess: Because your rough draft is attached to the final copy (they have to turn in drafts along with peer reviews of their writing) and there's absolutely no difference between it and the final copy.
...Silence....
Jess: I suggest that next time you take the time allotted for revision and revise your writing for unity, cohesion, and grammar.
Student C shrugs and huffs out the door of classroom.
***
As you may be able to tell, I'm feeling very grumpy about my students today. Grrrrr....Guess it's that point in the semester to either choke them or...hmmm...what is the alternative?
Student A: Professor, I can't answer these questions on the quiz because I wasn't here the day we discussed that poem.
Jess: Then you'll get those questions wrong.
Student A: But I wasn't here that day for the discussion.
Jess: It's your responsibility to catch up with any work you may miss by missing a day of class. So, if you weren't here, you needed to have reviewed the poem on your own and to have come to see me if you had questions about it.
Student A huffs back to her seat and continues to stare at quiz with the hope that the answers will magically appear to her.
***
Student B: Can I make up the quiz today on another day? I lost my notes and couldn't study.
Jess: I don't think losing your notes is an adequate reason for requesting a make up quiz, so you can either take it today or not take it at all.
Student B: But, I just realized that I lost my notes last night so I didn't have time to get notes from someone else and I haven't studied at all.
Jess: But you've known about the quiz for 2 weeks; you've had plenty of time to prepare.
Student B huffs back to her seat and takes the evil quiz against her will.
***
Student C: Professor, why did I get a "D" on my essay?
Jess: Because you ignored assignment guidelines for format, length, source use, and point of view. Because you had a vague thesis statement and a disorganized discussion. And lastly, because there's no evidence that you revised your essay and you have grammatical errors that interfere with the comprehension of the writing.
Student C: How do you know I didn't revise?
Jess: Because your rough draft is attached to the final copy (they have to turn in drafts along with peer reviews of their writing) and there's absolutely no difference between it and the final copy.
...Silence....
Jess: I suggest that next time you take the time allotted for revision and revise your writing for unity, cohesion, and grammar.
Student C shrugs and huffs out the door of classroom.
***
As you may be able to tell, I'm feeling very grumpy about my students today. Grrrrr....Guess it's that point in the semester to either choke them or...hmmm...what is the alternative?
Monday, March 24, 2008
Papers in Excess
There's this Showtime show we have been watching, via Netflix, called "Dead Like Me," and one of the characters is a college English professor. And in one episode, he remarks: "I have 20 papers to read tonight and they all suck -- so leave me alone." Yeah, that's pretty much me tonight. Except instead of 20 papers, I have 40. Well...it's whittled down to about 20 by now but I'm still eyeball deep in them, and at this point, I am seriously considering Jerry's idea of randomly assigning them letter grades. Seriously, I gotta learn to create less work for myself.
Anyway, between paper reading, I did manage to get almost everything done that I needed to for Saturday's baby shower (excluding the shopping, cooking, and cleaning of the house -- those chores I reserve for the day before because it makes my life exciting), and I got a 3 mile run in. Times weren't great (overall time of 29:05), but I'll take it.
In other news, I feel obligated to confess to you that I have fallen ass-backwards off the no-soda wagon. For the past few weeks, I have even been driven to steal some of the hubby's Diet Cokes on occassion, and today I broke down and bought a 6-pack of my beloved Diet Pepsi (the mini-cans). I admit it. I am drawn to the deliciously sweet and scrumptously fizzy soda. Especially when I'm at school. Or when I'm reading papers...
Anyway, between paper reading, I did manage to get almost everything done that I needed to for Saturday's baby shower (excluding the shopping, cooking, and cleaning of the house -- those chores I reserve for the day before because it makes my life exciting), and I got a 3 mile run in. Times weren't great (overall time of 29:05), but I'll take it.
In other news, I feel obligated to confess to you that I have fallen ass-backwards off the no-soda wagon. For the past few weeks, I have even been driven to steal some of the hubby's Diet Cokes on occassion, and today I broke down and bought a 6-pack of my beloved Diet Pepsi (the mini-cans). I admit it. I am drawn to the deliciously sweet and scrumptously fizzy soda. Especially when I'm at school. Or when I'm reading papers...
Wicked Review and Easter Recap
It's Monday already? Man, this sucks. The weekend is too short.
But, at least it was fun:
"Wicked" was really good, as is demonstrated by my purchases below. The music was great, the performers were really good, and the set is really rad (I especially love everything set in the Emerald City). My only real criticism is that the play changed the ending from the book's version and made it a happy ending. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a beef with happy endings, I just don't like a manipulated happy ending; plus, I think it should have stuck with the tragic ending since the book's theme analyzes the human tendency to create a scapegoat out of people who are different. And, I'm sorry, but a scapegoat needs to be sacrificed in order for the audience to understand the repercussions of such ignorant tendencies.
However, the play struck a much lighter tone than the novel, so I can understand why they made that decision about the ending; for the show, it made "some" sense. And certainly the play deviated from the novel in some other key ways, but for the sake of coherency within the show, I think those changes worked.
So, anyway, that's my review.
On Sunday, we went to a friend's house for Easter and had a good time as well. We played "bolo" which is kinda like horse shoes in theory, but way different. I can't really explain it very well, sorry. But it was fun. Then we also played some Wii bowling and had jousting Peeps in the microwave. I ate WAY too much, and combined with the requisite holiday drinking, I pretty much fell asleep right after dinner.
Anyhoo...I have a really busy week ahead of me. I have a shitload of papers to read (it's exactly this kind of work that would be handy for a flying monkey to do) and I am in the final stages of planning a baby shower for Saturday, so I have shiz to get done for that as well. And -- I want to make sure that I get back on track with running this week. Last week, I got in just 3 runs of 3 miles a piece. Better than the week before, but still not much.
Hope everyone had a good holiday yesterday and for anyone who was traveling, hope you traveled safely! Check ya later, homies.
But, at least it was fun:
"Wicked" was really good, as is demonstrated by my purchases below. The music was great, the performers were really good, and the set is really rad (I especially love everything set in the Emerald City). My only real criticism is that the play changed the ending from the book's version and made it a happy ending. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a beef with happy endings, I just don't like a manipulated happy ending; plus, I think it should have stuck with the tragic ending since the book's theme analyzes the human tendency to create a scapegoat out of people who are different. And, I'm sorry, but a scapegoat needs to be sacrificed in order for the audience to understand the repercussions of such ignorant tendencies.
However, the play struck a much lighter tone than the novel, so I can understand why they made that decision about the ending; for the show, it made "some" sense. And certainly the play deviated from the novel in some other key ways, but for the sake of coherency within the show, I think those changes worked.
So, anyway, that's my review.
On Sunday, we went to a friend's house for Easter and had a good time as well. We played "bolo" which is kinda like horse shoes in theory, but way different. I can't really explain it very well, sorry. But it was fun. Then we also played some Wii bowling and had jousting Peeps in the microwave. I ate WAY too much, and combined with the requisite holiday drinking, I pretty much fell asleep right after dinner.
Anyhoo...I have a really busy week ahead of me. I have a shitload of papers to read (it's exactly this kind of work that would be handy for a flying monkey to do) and I am in the final stages of planning a baby shower for Saturday, so I have shiz to get done for that as well. And -- I want to make sure that I get back on track with running this week. Last week, I got in just 3 runs of 3 miles a piece. Better than the week before, but still not much.
Hope everyone had a good holiday yesterday and for anyone who was traveling, hope you traveled safely! Check ya later, homies.
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