Tuesday, 31 December 2019
Friday, 27 December 2019
Long Train Ride
Took a long train ride, on a train that must have been built in World War 2. See the lamp on the table? They treated us well though. Served breakfast and lunch in the span of six hours. And though it's not a high speed rail, we were going at an average rate of 90mph+. No too shabby.
And so we arrived to an unseasonably warm Quebec City. Global Warming ain't a joke this year! Nice architecture here, even though I think the province is full of racist idiots. Here's a pic of their city hall. Pretty neat eh?
The Morning After, a view of the Plains of Abraham, where the Brits kicked French butts and took over Quebec! Long Live the King! A constant reminder to the Frenchies: YOU FUCKING LOST! So stop your bitching and moaning.
On a lighter note, Christmas Tree displays at the Chateau Frontenac. I especially like this one, with the big bear...
And so we arrived to an unseasonably warm Quebec City. Global Warming ain't a joke this year! Nice architecture here, even though I think the province is full of racist idiots. Here's a pic of their city hall. Pretty neat eh?
The Morning After, a view of the Plains of Abraham, where the Brits kicked French butts and took over Quebec! Long Live the King! A constant reminder to the Frenchies: YOU FUCKING LOST! So stop your bitching and moaning.
On a lighter note, Christmas Tree displays at the Chateau Frontenac. I especially like this one, with the big bear...
Thursday, 26 December 2019
Too Much Food Over Christmas!
Gained four pounds over Christmas!!!!
Working my butt off to get rid of them...to no avail.
Working my butt off to get rid of them...to no avail.
Tuesday, 24 December 2019
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
IT
is that wonderful time of the year!
Merry Christmas to all!
Come Join Me Down Here. Everything FLOATS!!!!!
Wednesday, 18 December 2019
Sunday, 15 December 2019
Another Semester Done
The other night I went with a friend to the dining hall for dinner. $16.50 all you can eat. What a deal (you may recall how much I enjoy that place). Anyway, at the entrance, the lady asked my friend (a girl), "Is he your father?"
Haha! It would be so embarrassing if I were trying to date the girl. What is this pedophile doing?
When I told her no, she got so embarrassed. It's quite funny. Good thing I have no such interest. I can just imagine...
**************************************
Well, dear friends, tomorrow is when my last take home is due, and this semester officially ends. Can you believe I've been doing this school thing for three semesters now?
I had started out thinking I would take the entire four years to finish the degree. I do have that option, since it's up to me to use my advanced standing credits or not. But then I found out that while I can take course that "don't count," they do weigh into my GPA. So for instance, if I took an Introduction to Funny Mushrooms 101 course, which won't count towards graduation, the grade I get in it will be part of my GPA. So I end up with a B, say, then that B goes into my GPA. And could work against me. Of course, if I get an A+, it works to my advantage too, but that means unless I get an A+ in EVERY one of those courses, my GPA goes down.
Anyway, so that's why I decided I would take the advanced standings and finish in three years instead. Officially, then, or well, technically, I am half way done!
This semester I had started thinking I might be able to end up with all A+. As the semester progressed I thought maybe more realistically, I'd get two A+ and two As. Now at the end of the semester, I am hoping for one A+, and really hope to be able to keep an A in the rest. But I won't know for a while yet.
Lemme tell you, this A+ business is not as easy as I thought/hoped. I suppose on the one hand I am gratified to know that so far, in every course I have taken, the class average has been around C/C+. Grade inflation has not been a very big deal here, it seems.
OTOH, that just makes the A+ so much more difficult to get. I need an average between an A and an A- to keep my scholarship. While that is not that hard to reach, wanting a predominance of A+ would seem quite a challenge.
So, to all those UOttawa students who achieved GPAs between A+ and A, kudos to you.
*********************************************
And hey, how about those Lady Beavers again? 9-0! And now #4 in the country!
And the men are doing okay too, at 8-1, though they are unranked.
************************************************
Speaking of ranking, Times Higher Education has placed UOttawa law school at #92 in the world. That's pretty cool. It also means UO law school is number 5 in Canada! Incidentally, U Toronto is first in Canada at #10, and McGill is second at #20.
Why am I telling you this? Well, remember I told you a while back that I might try law school after this? Well, if I do, it would only be UOttawa that I would try. Not keen to leave Ottawa. But then I thought, hell, even at UOttawa, law school tuition is 20K a year. I am going to spend that kind of money on something for fun? I could instead take a long trip to the UK every year, staying at the Savoy, dining at Gordon Ramsay... you know what I mean. So I doubt that I will do the law school thing. Will still take the LSAT though, since I already paid for it...
********************************************
I think winter is finally having its revenge. We've had pretty mild weather the last few days. Today we will get a windchill of -14, and it will get colder as the week progresses. Time to bring out my real winter jackets!
*******************************************
OK, till my next drunken stupor then!
Haha! It would be so embarrassing if I were trying to date the girl. What is this pedophile doing?
When I told her no, she got so embarrassed. It's quite funny. Good thing I have no such interest. I can just imagine...
**************************************
Well, dear friends, tomorrow is when my last take home is due, and this semester officially ends. Can you believe I've been doing this school thing for three semesters now?
I had started out thinking I would take the entire four years to finish the degree. I do have that option, since it's up to me to use my advanced standing credits or not. But then I found out that while I can take course that "don't count," they do weigh into my GPA. So for instance, if I took an Introduction to Funny Mushrooms 101 course, which won't count towards graduation, the grade I get in it will be part of my GPA. So I end up with a B, say, then that B goes into my GPA. And could work against me. Of course, if I get an A+, it works to my advantage too, but that means unless I get an A+ in EVERY one of those courses, my GPA goes down.
Anyway, so that's why I decided I would take the advanced standings and finish in three years instead. Officially, then, or well, technically, I am half way done!
This semester I had started thinking I might be able to end up with all A+. As the semester progressed I thought maybe more realistically, I'd get two A+ and two As. Now at the end of the semester, I am hoping for one A+, and really hope to be able to keep an A in the rest. But I won't know for a while yet.
Lemme tell you, this A+ business is not as easy as I thought/hoped. I suppose on the one hand I am gratified to know that so far, in every course I have taken, the class average has been around C/C+. Grade inflation has not been a very big deal here, it seems.
OTOH, that just makes the A+ so much more difficult to get. I need an average between an A and an A- to keep my scholarship. While that is not that hard to reach, wanting a predominance of A+ would seem quite a challenge.
So, to all those UOttawa students who achieved GPAs between A+ and A, kudos to you.
*********************************************
And hey, how about those Lady Beavers again? 9-0! And now #4 in the country!
And the men are doing okay too, at 8-1, though they are unranked.
************************************************
Speaking of ranking, Times Higher Education has placed UOttawa law school at #92 in the world. That's pretty cool. It also means UO law school is number 5 in Canada! Incidentally, U Toronto is first in Canada at #10, and McGill is second at #20.
Why am I telling you this? Well, remember I told you a while back that I might try law school after this? Well, if I do, it would only be UOttawa that I would try. Not keen to leave Ottawa. But then I thought, hell, even at UOttawa, law school tuition is 20K a year. I am going to spend that kind of money on something for fun? I could instead take a long trip to the UK every year, staying at the Savoy, dining at Gordon Ramsay... you know what I mean. So I doubt that I will do the law school thing. Will still take the LSAT though, since I already paid for it...
********************************************
I think winter is finally having its revenge. We've had pretty mild weather the last few days. Today we will get a windchill of -14, and it will get colder as the week progresses. Time to bring out my real winter jackets!
*******************************************
OK, till my next drunken stupor then!
Saturday, 7 December 2019
Lady Beavers and Losing my email account
How about those Lady Beavers, eh?
8-0 now. Just moved up two spots to #5. Go Beavs!!!!
*********************************************
When I left Etown, I had planned to switch from my etown email address to something else. Redirect my various subscriptions, alert my contacts, save my stuff, and so on. I was told, not to worry, you can keep it forever!
So nice of them. I had been using that for 14 years, so it was a relief to know that I didn't need to switch. And so I kept using it.
Year and a half on, I received a letter in the mail. Snail mail, yes. Not electronic, though it pertained to my email. Ironic. The college has decided to rid their email accounts of retirees.
Why? Because it's hard for the college to monitor and enforce whether retirees use proper security protocols to prevent hacking and other bad things. What is left unsaid of course is an assumption that somehow the college can manage to monitor and enforce whether current employees and students use proper security. Knowing some of my former colleagues, I doubt if they knew what internet security is even if it hits them in the face.
Funny little thing, too, is that Rider in her letter even said, oh but we would love to hear from you, so be sure to tell your NEW email address.
Fuck that.
Anyway, just so you know, my old etown address will no longer work come January. If you want to keep in touch via email, please shoot me an email and I will send you a reply using a different email. How's that?
**************************************************
8-0 now. Just moved up two spots to #5. Go Beavs!!!!
*********************************************
When I left Etown, I had planned to switch from my etown email address to something else. Redirect my various subscriptions, alert my contacts, save my stuff, and so on. I was told, not to worry, you can keep it forever!
So nice of them. I had been using that for 14 years, so it was a relief to know that I didn't need to switch. And so I kept using it.
Year and a half on, I received a letter in the mail. Snail mail, yes. Not electronic, though it pertained to my email. Ironic. The college has decided to rid their email accounts of retirees.
Why? Because it's hard for the college to monitor and enforce whether retirees use proper security protocols to prevent hacking and other bad things. What is left unsaid of course is an assumption that somehow the college can manage to monitor and enforce whether current employees and students use proper security. Knowing some of my former colleagues, I doubt if they knew what internet security is even if it hits them in the face.
Funny little thing, too, is that Rider in her letter even said, oh but we would love to hear from you, so be sure to tell your NEW email address.
Fuck that.
Anyway, just so you know, my old etown address will no longer work come January. If you want to keep in touch via email, please shoot me an email and I will send you a reply using a different email. How's that?
**************************************************
Thursday, 5 December 2019
chilling...
Chilling by the health club pool before hitting the books again.
Wish they set up a bar with snacks here. That would be so cool.
I have the pool area all to myself. How cool is that?
Monday, 2 December 2019
A Whole New Appreciation
When I first went to college, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I really didn't give it much thought. Yes, there was work and projects, and there were deadlines and such. But the four years went by rather quickly, without much of a hitch. Computer games, especially "Star Trek," occupied most of my time, and Hockey Night in Canada took care of the rest. It was all fun and games.
Anyway, fast forward to now. In the last couple of years I have met some fellow students. Some are really horrid students, but they just carry on and be happy. But some seem to be having a real tough going.
I know this guy, let's call him Adam, he's really having mental distress over the deadlines and stuff. One can say, well, maybe he should have started sooner, and not let the deadlines hang over him. But different people have different styles, I suppose. And writing essays and stuff apparently is not a very "natural" thing for some folks.
Adam had this paper due about ten days ago, on a Friday. When I saw him on Wednesday, he had written a total of four pages. And the following Monday he had another one due, and he had not even started on that one the week before. And so on.
Apparently he is so stressed out that he had to leave campus today. Couldn't bear being there. So he texted me and asked me to send him the notes for today.
This gives me a pretty "front line" observation of how rough things could be for some. College is not always a joy ride.
I think, though, that in many respects, high schools are not doing their job. I really don't think most high schools adequately prepare people for college. For the kind of rigour demanded in college. For the kind of mindset one needs. Forgive me for being old fashioned. I think high school is too fucking easy.
So I hope Adam rides it out and manages to navigate through his issues. I wish there were something I can do to help. I asked him if I could help, but he said no. What else can I do?
And for all the other Adams (and Eves) like him, I hope they manage to pull through too. Pretty sobering thought today.
Anyway, fast forward to now. In the last couple of years I have met some fellow students. Some are really horrid students, but they just carry on and be happy. But some seem to be having a real tough going.
I know this guy, let's call him Adam, he's really having mental distress over the deadlines and stuff. One can say, well, maybe he should have started sooner, and not let the deadlines hang over him. But different people have different styles, I suppose. And writing essays and stuff apparently is not a very "natural" thing for some folks.
Adam had this paper due about ten days ago, on a Friday. When I saw him on Wednesday, he had written a total of four pages. And the following Monday he had another one due, and he had not even started on that one the week before. And so on.
Apparently he is so stressed out that he had to leave campus today. Couldn't bear being there. So he texted me and asked me to send him the notes for today.
This gives me a pretty "front line" observation of how rough things could be for some. College is not always a joy ride.
I think, though, that in many respects, high schools are not doing their job. I really don't think most high schools adequately prepare people for college. For the kind of rigour demanded in college. For the kind of mindset one needs. Forgive me for being old fashioned. I think high school is too fucking easy.
So I hope Adam rides it out and manages to navigate through his issues. I wish there were something I can do to help. I asked him if I could help, but he said no. What else can I do?
And for all the other Adams (and Eves) like him, I hope they manage to pull through too. Pretty sobering thought today.
Sunday, 1 December 2019
Winter Courses Revisited
It's quite unlike me to go back and forth on any decision. Typically I make a quick choice and stick with it. For some reason (and perhaps my friends in psychology can help) I find myself going over my Winter semester course selections again and again.
On the other hand, I guess new information gathered over the course of THIS semester sheds more light on what I should take next term. In any event, here's what I come up with so far:
History of British Empire
Comparative Politics
Rock Music and Society
Jacobean Shakespeare
Classical Theories in Sociology
I don't really like the time of the Sociology course. I like the prof as a person, but I think sociology is starting to wear me down, what with all its communistic tendencies. So I'm not 100% sure about that one.
Jacobean Shakespeare I like, but I am just worried that I may in way over my head. After all, I am no English major, and this is a third year English course... I do like the shit though.
I have some options:
Demography
Sociology of the United States
History of 20th century Europe
Decisions, decisions...
***********************************
On a slightly different subject, too bad the BEAVS lost to the damn DUCKS yesterday. Well, there's always next year!
On the other hand, I guess new information gathered over the course of THIS semester sheds more light on what I should take next term. In any event, here's what I come up with so far:
History of British Empire
Comparative Politics
Rock Music and Society
Jacobean Shakespeare
Classical Theories in Sociology
I don't really like the time of the Sociology course. I like the prof as a person, but I think sociology is starting to wear me down, what with all its communistic tendencies. So I'm not 100% sure about that one.
Jacobean Shakespeare I like, but I am just worried that I may in way over my head. After all, I am no English major, and this is a third year English course... I do like the shit though.
I have some options:
Demography
Sociology of the United States
History of 20th century Europe
Decisions, decisions...
***********************************
On a slightly different subject, too bad the BEAVS lost to the damn DUCKS yesterday. Well, there's always next year!
Saturday, 30 November 2019
Time for Winter Jackets. Also, kill those Ducks!
Woke up this morning to a balmy -11 Celcius. The temperature dropped something like 8 degrees from yesterday. I am not liking this.
I guess though I might as well get used to it. In a month or so, -11 will actually be balmy then...
I guess though I might as well get used to it. In a month or so, -11 will actually be balmy then...
Today is Civil War. We're playing the Ducks at Oregon. Gonna have roast duck tonight! Go BEAVERS!!!!!
Follow on ESPN! https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401114199
Thursday, 28 November 2019
Dressing up for school?
Thinking about walking into a feminist studies class wearing this t-shirt...
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
intimidation?
Read stories about pro-china bastards on college campuses Pro-china bullies intimidating those siding with hong kong protestors.
Ok, so I put this patch on my backpack. It's the old (non China) British Hong Kong flag. The flag I was born under.
Wonder if some of them fucking commies might want to come try to intimidate yours truly. I feel like hurting somebody today.
As Stephrn King would say, a man who is not true to himself gets constipated. So, screw you, China.
Monday, 25 November 2019
Interesting conversation and other shit
Waiting in the business building for my US history class to start... what a strange locale for a history class.
Pretty nice setting, though. And I love those tiered lecture halls.
Overheard this conversation:
Gal: You know that question about the island?
Guy: What question?
Gal: Name one of two islands in the Pacific where very bloody fighting took place in 1945 between US and Japanese forces?
Guy: Oh, yeah, that one. What about it?
Gal: I wrote "Rhode Island." Was I right?
Guy: You did what?
Gal: Rhode Island. It's right, isn't it?
Guy: (Laughs). You really fit that stereotype (continues laughing).
Gal: What?
Guy: You're blond...
Chunski didn't say a word.
**********************
If you think reading management crap is mind-numbing, try this:
"The structures constitutive of a particular type of environment...produce habitus...structured structures predisposed to function as structuring structures, that is, as principles of the generation and structuring of practices and representations...(Chunski gave up at this point)" z z z z z z z z z z
Pretty nice setting, though. And I love those tiered lecture halls.
Overheard this conversation:
Gal: You know that question about the island?
Guy: What question?
Gal: Name one of two islands in the Pacific where very bloody fighting took place in 1945 between US and Japanese forces?
Guy: Oh, yeah, that one. What about it?
Gal: I wrote "Rhode Island." Was I right?
Guy: You did what?
Gal: Rhode Island. It's right, isn't it?
Guy: (Laughs). You really fit that stereotype (continues laughing).
Gal: What?
Guy: You're blond...
Chunski didn't say a word.
**********************
If you think reading management crap is mind-numbing, try this:
"The structures constitutive of a particular type of environment...produce habitus...structured structures predisposed to function as structuring structures, that is, as principles of the generation and structuring of practices and representations...(Chunski gave up at this point)" z z z z z z z z z z
Idea Laundering
Read this piece in the WSJ today. Yes, yes, I don't like the WSJ generally, and opinion pieces -- opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.
But sometimes I do agree with their assessments. Take this article for instance
https://www.wsj.com/articles/idea-laundering-in-academia-11574634492?mod=e2fb&fbclid=IwAR3ieGcvenba8UEZjz6cEpN3LXU0S1g4zk6_P4ZNvDfh3iw0gM-_6-xezmQ
Having gone through some of these agenda-heavy courses, I know what the person was saying. And generally speaking, I agree.
On the other hand (I am NOT an economist, but they don't have a monopoly on having one hand here and the other hand there), I think the person has a misguided view of what academia is like. The knowledge industry is NEVER value free. Any contrarian view is always met with dissent and hostility. Just ask Gallileo, or Newton, or today, even Freud. If you dare contest the existing paradigm, there's hell to pay.
So the idea that "real" academic research has this air of objective scientific inquiry etc is actually bullshit.
That's just the way the world is. Vested interested is nothing to sneeze at. So maybe it requires idea laundering, as the writer says, to actually get one's point across. Sort of like revolutions in the real world. If people don't buy into the dominant logic, what choice do they have but to rebel and resist? Using any means possible? Of course, if one were part of the dominant ideology, the elites in power, one takes a dim view of these things. But if you're not...
Wonder what your thoughts are.
But sometimes I do agree with their assessments. Take this article for instance
https://www.wsj.com/articles/idea-laundering-in-academia-11574634492?mod=e2fb&fbclid=IwAR3ieGcvenba8UEZjz6cEpN3LXU0S1g4zk6_P4ZNvDfh3iw0gM-_6-xezmQ
Having gone through some of these agenda-heavy courses, I know what the person was saying. And generally speaking, I agree.
On the other hand (I am NOT an economist, but they don't have a monopoly on having one hand here and the other hand there), I think the person has a misguided view of what academia is like. The knowledge industry is NEVER value free. Any contrarian view is always met with dissent and hostility. Just ask Gallileo, or Newton, or today, even Freud. If you dare contest the existing paradigm, there's hell to pay.
So the idea that "real" academic research has this air of objective scientific inquiry etc is actually bullshit.
That's just the way the world is. Vested interested is nothing to sneeze at. So maybe it requires idea laundering, as the writer says, to actually get one's point across. Sort of like revolutions in the real world. If people don't buy into the dominant logic, what choice do they have but to rebel and resist? Using any means possible? Of course, if one were part of the dominant ideology, the elites in power, one takes a dim view of these things. But if you're not...
Wonder what your thoughts are.
Shakespeare?
There's a Jacobean Shakespeare course offered in winter 2020. But it's a third year course, and I'm not sure if I'd be over-reaching if I were to take that.
So I emailed the prof this morning to ask her opinion. Wow, she replied in half an hour! A full professor at that. I'm very impressed. Won't bore you with the details, but she promised to send me a copy of the syllabus once she has it finalized. I am very interested, but I do worry that I would be at a major disadvantage in the class (I am guessing most of the folk will be literature majors...)
We shall see. But half an hour! And so very polite as well.
So I emailed the prof this morning to ask her opinion. Wow, she replied in half an hour! A full professor at that. I'm very impressed. Won't bore you with the details, but she promised to send me a copy of the syllabus once she has it finalized. I am very interested, but I do worry that I would be at a major disadvantage in the class (I am guessing most of the folk will be literature majors...)
We shall see. But half an hour! And so very polite as well.
Saturday, 16 November 2019
Heard on the Street
A: You look so stressed. Are you ok?
B: Yeah, I'm going nuts. So many papers due next week.
A: Oh, how are they coming along?
B: Haven't started.
A: Oh.
B: That's why I like profs who are ok with giving extensions.
A: But you knew the deadline since September 6?
B: Yeah, I can't work till the last minute.
A: Right.
************************************
Prof: So traditionally, in schooling, there are schools that cater to the working class, the middle class, the professionals, and the elites. Four major categories. Can you relate to this model from your own experience?
A: Well, where I was from, all the schools were the same.
B: I went to an IB school, so I guess that's for elites.
C: Swearing under his breath.
Prof: So you think IB schools fit into the elite category? As in it's where the elites of society send their kids?
B: I think so, because those are so much better than other schools.
C: Deep sigh. More swearing inside.
Prof: I see. That's very interesting.
A: I think the elites send their kids to French Immersion school.
C: Rolls his eyes.
B: Well, only if they are IB.
C: starts checking his emails on the phone
****************************************
End of class. Student A approaches the prof.
A: So, about that paper due next Friday.
Prof looks up: yeah? How's that coming along?
A: Can I email you my idea some time and see what you think?
Prof: It's due next week.
A: Yeah, about that... Can we work something out, like getting an extension or something?
Prof: Why? What's wrong?
A: Just been busy, you know.
Prof: Why wait till now to start it?
A: (mumbling something)
C was out the door at this point.
**********************************************
Day of a midterm.
A: Man, there's so much material.
B: Yeah, and we're supposed to know what he talked about in class?
A: Like we're supposed to take notes or something. Like, we have to come to class?
D: Yeah, like, the book is so long too!
A: What book?
B: The textbook? Oh, I didn't even get that.
D: You don't have the textbook?
A: Me neither.
D: Well, there's like 200 pages to read for this.
B: And lecture notes.
A: How are we supposed to know all this?
C: rolling his eyes.
****************************************
In history class. Prof always starts the class by noting what other important things happened on this day in history.
A: I hate this shit.
B: what?
A: this day in history shit.
B: oh?
A: what does this have to do with anything?
B: it's a history class, right?
C: choking on his Diet Coke.
*********************************************
A: I don't like the way the government is handling this issue.
B: Did you vote in the election?
A: No.
B: Why not?
A: I just didn't like it.
B: And you're not happy with the government.
A: Yeah, I think we need a change.
B: But you didn't vote.
A: Nah, it's my right not to.
******************************************
B: Yeah, I'm going nuts. So many papers due next week.
A: Oh, how are they coming along?
B: Haven't started.
A: Oh.
B: That's why I like profs who are ok with giving extensions.
A: But you knew the deadline since September 6?
B: Yeah, I can't work till the last minute.
A: Right.
************************************
Prof: So traditionally, in schooling, there are schools that cater to the working class, the middle class, the professionals, and the elites. Four major categories. Can you relate to this model from your own experience?
A: Well, where I was from, all the schools were the same.
B: I went to an IB school, so I guess that's for elites.
C: Swearing under his breath.
Prof: So you think IB schools fit into the elite category? As in it's where the elites of society send their kids?
B: I think so, because those are so much better than other schools.
C: Deep sigh. More swearing inside.
Prof: I see. That's very interesting.
A: I think the elites send their kids to French Immersion school.
C: Rolls his eyes.
B: Well, only if they are IB.
C: starts checking his emails on the phone
****************************************
End of class. Student A approaches the prof.
A: So, about that paper due next Friday.
Prof looks up: yeah? How's that coming along?
A: Can I email you my idea some time and see what you think?
Prof: It's due next week.
A: Yeah, about that... Can we work something out, like getting an extension or something?
Prof: Why? What's wrong?
A: Just been busy, you know.
Prof: Why wait till now to start it?
A: (mumbling something)
C was out the door at this point.
**********************************************
Day of a midterm.
A: Man, there's so much material.
B: Yeah, and we're supposed to know what he talked about in class?
A: Like we're supposed to take notes or something. Like, we have to come to class?
D: Yeah, like, the book is so long too!
A: What book?
B: The textbook? Oh, I didn't even get that.
D: You don't have the textbook?
A: Me neither.
D: Well, there's like 200 pages to read for this.
B: And lecture notes.
A: How are we supposed to know all this?
C: rolling his eyes.
****************************************
In history class. Prof always starts the class by noting what other important things happened on this day in history.
A: I hate this shit.
B: what?
A: this day in history shit.
B: oh?
A: what does this have to do with anything?
B: it's a history class, right?
C: choking on his Diet Coke.
*********************************************
A: I don't like the way the government is handling this issue.
B: Did you vote in the election?
A: No.
B: Why not?
A: I just didn't like it.
B: And you're not happy with the government.
A: Yeah, I think we need a change.
B: But you didn't vote.
A: Nah, it's my right not to.
******************************************
Friday, 15 November 2019
Thursday, 14 November 2019
If you don't buy in...
Sometimes I find it hard to actually study something that I totally dispute. Typically I don't have this problem in history or that other things that deal with evidence and such. But some disciplines don't really concern themselves with facts so much, but with ideology. And there's where the struggle begins.
In so many ways I love the political sociology course. It opened my eyes to all kinds of stuff that I didn't know anything about. It exposed me to thinkers I never even heard of before. That is all cool. But some of the stuff is simply too much to deal with.
As you know, I am an objectives-driven guy. For those who remember 416, my thing is always: what's the objective, how do we get there, prove it to me. Yeah? Shit, that's how you get things done.
So when I read stuff that don't care what the objectives are, or how one might get there, it really bothers me. Take this thing I'm reading about for instance.
It's the Occupy Movement, if you think back a decade or so.
So these articles talk about bottom-up democracy, etc., and how Occupy did not work with the existing political system because they don't believe the end ever justifies the means. And the end? Equality and so on (which I have no problem with, by the way). But they don't seem to consider how this goal of equality is to be reached.
They DON'T FUCKING Care!
So of course NOTHING happened. Surprised? It's sort of like fucking strategic planning at Etown. Nothing meaningful happens, and what happens has nothing to do with achieving whatever goal (which are not articulated anyway).
And somehow these writers talk about Occupy as some triumphant display of democracy. What the fuck! NOTHING HAPPENED! A bunch of morons camped out in tents and peed everywhere, and nothing changed. And somehow that's a good thing?
Anyway, that's an example of the difficulty I have with this course.
Now, when I write an essay exam, or write a paper, I can talk about that at length, and draw references to support my POV (though as an undergrad that's a BIG fucking gamble...see below). But in short answers and MCs, I don't have that ability to challenge the ideology (oh how Gramscian I have become).
So no matter how much I think some of the stuff is crap, I have to study it. Sigh.
OK, I said earlier that if you challenge the dominant logic as an undergrad, even if you are able to cite things to support your POV, it's a big gamble. Why? Well, they don't really expect or even want that sort of thing. So if you don't give them what they want....
I should have remembered that, since I should know to give them what they want instead of what I want. Remember that debacle I had with a history paper last semester? Well, being the contrarian that I am, I decided to write that Churchill was a peacemaker when he made that speech "Iron Curtain Speech." I thought it'd be cool to do that (I didn't actually believe that position, just thought it would be fun). Well, they didn't think so. Haha, bummer.
OK, back to work. I have test next week and two papers due as well. Need to edit the papers some more. Wish me luck!
In so many ways I love the political sociology course. It opened my eyes to all kinds of stuff that I didn't know anything about. It exposed me to thinkers I never even heard of before. That is all cool. But some of the stuff is simply too much to deal with.
As you know, I am an objectives-driven guy. For those who remember 416, my thing is always: what's the objective, how do we get there, prove it to me. Yeah? Shit, that's how you get things done.
So when I read stuff that don't care what the objectives are, or how one might get there, it really bothers me. Take this thing I'm reading about for instance.
It's the Occupy Movement, if you think back a decade or so.
So these articles talk about bottom-up democracy, etc., and how Occupy did not work with the existing political system because they don't believe the end ever justifies the means. And the end? Equality and so on (which I have no problem with, by the way). But they don't seem to consider how this goal of equality is to be reached.
They DON'T FUCKING Care!
So of course NOTHING happened. Surprised? It's sort of like fucking strategic planning at Etown. Nothing meaningful happens, and what happens has nothing to do with achieving whatever goal (which are not articulated anyway).
And somehow these writers talk about Occupy as some triumphant display of democracy. What the fuck! NOTHING HAPPENED! A bunch of morons camped out in tents and peed everywhere, and nothing changed. And somehow that's a good thing?
Anyway, that's an example of the difficulty I have with this course.
Now, when I write an essay exam, or write a paper, I can talk about that at length, and draw references to support my POV (though as an undergrad that's a BIG fucking gamble...see below). But in short answers and MCs, I don't have that ability to challenge the ideology (oh how Gramscian I have become).
So no matter how much I think some of the stuff is crap, I have to study it. Sigh.
OK, I said earlier that if you challenge the dominant logic as an undergrad, even if you are able to cite things to support your POV, it's a big gamble. Why? Well, they don't really expect or even want that sort of thing. So if you don't give them what they want....
I should have remembered that, since I should know to give them what they want instead of what I want. Remember that debacle I had with a history paper last semester? Well, being the contrarian that I am, I decided to write that Churchill was a peacemaker when he made that speech "Iron Curtain Speech." I thought it'd be cool to do that (I didn't actually believe that position, just thought it would be fun). Well, they didn't think so. Haha, bummer.
OK, back to work. I have test next week and two papers due as well. Need to edit the papers some more. Wish me luck!
Monday, 11 November 2019
Wednesday, 6 November 2019
Not a bicyclist, but
I don't ride bikes, and if you've been reading the blog, you know I don't care much for bikers. But I must admit, this is pretty cool...
And since crazy Ottawa people ride their bikes even in the winter, well, this is probably a good idea.
And since crazy Ottawa people ride their bikes even in the winter, well, this is probably a good idea.
Tuesday, 5 November 2019
I Don't Get it
Well, some of you may know that the Canadian elections took place, and Trudeau remains Prime Minister but in a minority government.
Out in the western provinces, particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Liberals (Trudeau's party) did not win a SINGLE seat. So all the MPs from those provinces are with other parties. Shows how unhappy folks out west are with the Liberals. Why?
Well, the Liberals are not right wing enough for them, first of all. They also like immigrants, so the right wing bastards don't much like that either. But more importantly, the Liberals don't want to promote oil and gas, and were very reluctant to build those pipelines. Oil and gas, though, is the bread and butter of (esp) Alberta. Get the picture?
Anyway, so in Parliament, these two provinces voted in MPs from mostly the Conservatives, and a couple of small parties. But no Liberals.
And now they are bitching that Trudeau's cabinet won't have any western representation.
Wait, what?
You have fucking spoken! You said fuck you, Liberals! You wanted all your MPs to be from other parties than the ruling one. And now you complain you have no representation in cabinet? Well, FUCK YOU TOO!
I just don't get it. Seriously, I really don't understand all this sense of entitlement that is so pervasive these days.
Out in the western provinces, particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Liberals (Trudeau's party) did not win a SINGLE seat. So all the MPs from those provinces are with other parties. Shows how unhappy folks out west are with the Liberals. Why?
Well, the Liberals are not right wing enough for them, first of all. They also like immigrants, so the right wing bastards don't much like that either. But more importantly, the Liberals don't want to promote oil and gas, and were very reluctant to build those pipelines. Oil and gas, though, is the bread and butter of (esp) Alberta. Get the picture?
Anyway, so in Parliament, these two provinces voted in MPs from mostly the Conservatives, and a couple of small parties. But no Liberals.
And now they are bitching that Trudeau's cabinet won't have any western representation.
Wait, what?
You have fucking spoken! You said fuck you, Liberals! You wanted all your MPs to be from other parties than the ruling one. And now you complain you have no representation in cabinet? Well, FUCK YOU TOO!
I just don't get it. Seriously, I really don't understand all this sense of entitlement that is so pervasive these days.
One More Month to Go!
Heading towards the end of semester now. Another month of classes, then onto finals. Time really flies by. Sometimes it's hard to fathom that this is now the third semester I'm undertaking this undergrad adventure! And it's been fun.
The term paper for one my classes is due this Thursday. Yesterday I overheard this couple of people talking. One had not even started the paper. The other, much more gung-ho, said, "I've written four pages now. I always want to start early." Okay.
Today I'm going back to the dentist to do the follow-up. I hope all is healing well, and that I can get back to my STEAK!!!! Shit, I've had so much cottage cheese and shit for the last week. By the way, DO NOT EVER BUY THAT NESTLE BOOST PROTEIN DRINK. It tastes like muck.
Been two weeks since the political sociology midterm. One essay question and the rest is scantron. And we still haven't it back. I have a feeling that people must have not done well on the scantron bit, that's why the prof hasn't even posted THOSE grades. There were a few questions that I thought were tricky and debatable. So maybe he is waiting to see how we do on the essay before finalizing the grades. Well, that's my theory anyway.
But I got 95% on my European history midterm. Yay! So I'm just missing the sociology one.
I have a second US history test coming up in two weeks though. But that shouldn't be too bad.
I really don't like this daylight savings time stuff. Yesterday I came out of class at 5:20 and it was pitch black outside. Fuck, I thought it was the twilight zone or something. It just gets dark way too early, man.
Remembrance Day coming up next Monday. Haven't even got my poppy yet!
The term paper for one my classes is due this Thursday. Yesterday I overheard this couple of people talking. One had not even started the paper. The other, much more gung-ho, said, "I've written four pages now. I always want to start early." Okay.
Today I'm going back to the dentist to do the follow-up. I hope all is healing well, and that I can get back to my STEAK!!!! Shit, I've had so much cottage cheese and shit for the last week. By the way, DO NOT EVER BUY THAT NESTLE BOOST PROTEIN DRINK. It tastes like muck.
Been two weeks since the political sociology midterm. One essay question and the rest is scantron. And we still haven't it back. I have a feeling that people must have not done well on the scantron bit, that's why the prof hasn't even posted THOSE grades. There were a few questions that I thought were tricky and debatable. So maybe he is waiting to see how we do on the essay before finalizing the grades. Well, that's my theory anyway.
But I got 95% on my European history midterm. Yay! So I'm just missing the sociology one.
I have a second US history test coming up in two weeks though. But that shouldn't be too bad.
I really don't like this daylight savings time stuff. Yesterday I came out of class at 5:20 and it was pitch black outside. Fuck, I thought it was the twilight zone or something. It just gets dark way too early, man.
Remembrance Day coming up next Monday. Haven't even got my poppy yet!
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Good News and Not so Good News
Been off for a while, so here's an update. First the good news.
Did four midterms recently as you know. Got two of them back so far. 24/25 on one, and 19.5/20 on the other. As former students would say, "I'll take it." Hope to get the other two back soon as well. Curious as to how I did.
Met with the TA (the 19th century history) on my paper. Decided to slightly change the topic. Instead of the charge of the light brigade, focusing on the battle itself, I decided to do it on the Crimean War and its legacy on big power politics. TA said it's fine. Good! 'Cause I have actually finished the first draft! Haha. Not sure if it's good, but at least it's sort of out of the way.
Not so Good news.
Well, the health people are telling folks not to dig up wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest. Apparently a number of recent deaths.... Hmm. Glad I'm not doing any of that anymore.
On a different note: had a tooth extracted this morning. Damn thing was broken and all. Don't ask me details. But for now, I am not supposed to have solid food. Fuck! And I was planning on having steak tonight. On the positive side, I was told to not workout for a week. Do I need more incentive to NOT exercise? Haha. Just sit there and eat ice cream all day. What a life! I guess I should go load up on Ben and Jerry's.
Trouble is, this soft food shit makes me hungry a lot. Gotta do something about that. Maybe mashed potatoes with lots of cheese and butter?? Hm, sounds like a plan!
Did four midterms recently as you know. Got two of them back so far. 24/25 on one, and 19.5/20 on the other. As former students would say, "I'll take it." Hope to get the other two back soon as well. Curious as to how I did.
Met with the TA (the 19th century history) on my paper. Decided to slightly change the topic. Instead of the charge of the light brigade, focusing on the battle itself, I decided to do it on the Crimean War and its legacy on big power politics. TA said it's fine. Good! 'Cause I have actually finished the first draft! Haha. Not sure if it's good, but at least it's sort of out of the way.
Not so Good news.
Well, the health people are telling folks not to dig up wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest. Apparently a number of recent deaths.... Hmm. Glad I'm not doing any of that anymore.
On a different note: had a tooth extracted this morning. Damn thing was broken and all. Don't ask me details. But for now, I am not supposed to have solid food. Fuck! And I was planning on having steak tonight. On the positive side, I was told to not workout for a week. Do I need more incentive to NOT exercise? Haha. Just sit there and eat ice cream all day. What a life! I guess I should go load up on Ben and Jerry's.
Trouble is, this soft food shit makes me hungry a lot. Gotta do something about that. Maybe mashed potatoes with lots of cheese and butter?? Hm, sounds like a plan!
Wednesday, 23 October 2019
On Keeping Quiet
OK, so in 19th Century Europe class the other day, the topic was the revolutions of 1848. All fun and games.
The prof decided to show a clip from Les Mis.
Now, you KNOW I'm really into getting facts straight,especially in a HISTORY class. No?
Les Mis is about the revolution (brief and futile) in 1832.
And I kept my mouth shut. Not even a deep sigh. Am I nice or what???????
The prof decided to show a clip from Les Mis.
Now, you KNOW I'm really into getting facts straight,especially in a HISTORY class. No?
Les Mis is about the revolution (brief and futile) in 1832.
And I kept my mouth shut. Not even a deep sigh. Am I nice or what???????
Tuesday, 22 October 2019
TWO DOWN, TWO TO GO
Had one midterm about 10 days ago, and finished another one today. Two more tomorrow. Then a bit of respite before another one in a few weeks. So now I can focus on my papers.
First, the one I did a while back. Did fine on it. Only question I missed was the one my mind drew a blank on. Remember I posted that a few days ago? Anyway, the TA had a sense of humour, I think. I guessed an answer, and he wrote (so close) on it. Funny guy.
The one today was the one I worried about. Before the exam, some students (me included) were talking about how bad it was going to be. So I guess I wasn't the only one concerned. Not having seen the test at that point, my take on the comments was that most had either not come to every class (or paid attention), and some had not read the text (blame the prof, he said it was not MANDATORY). Anyway, the test was not easy, but it wasn't that bad. I think I did okay. How well, I don't know, because essay questions are hard to gauge. I'm hoping for an A, but we shall see.
So two more tomorrow. Guess what I'll be doing the rest of the day today?
Got my term paper proposal back. The TA said on the one hand, the topic was too broad, and then he said it was too narrow. OK, make up your mind there! That's why I ain't starting that till I see him next week. Only got an A- on the proposal, which kind of ticked me off. But I'm fine with that. I'm counting on other courses to help improve the GPA. If I can get anything in the A range on this course (19th century Europe), I'm not complaining.
On a different note, the Liberals won last night. Well, it's a minority government, but at least we don't have that Scheer guy who looks like Pillsbury doughboy.
OK, back to studies. Hell, maybe I'll mop the floor for relaxation before diving into the books again.
Ta Ta.
First, the one I did a while back. Did fine on it. Only question I missed was the one my mind drew a blank on. Remember I posted that a few days ago? Anyway, the TA had a sense of humour, I think. I guessed an answer, and he wrote (so close) on it. Funny guy.
The one today was the one I worried about. Before the exam, some students (me included) were talking about how bad it was going to be. So I guess I wasn't the only one concerned. Not having seen the test at that point, my take on the comments was that most had either not come to every class (or paid attention), and some had not read the text (blame the prof, he said it was not MANDATORY). Anyway, the test was not easy, but it wasn't that bad. I think I did okay. How well, I don't know, because essay questions are hard to gauge. I'm hoping for an A, but we shall see.
So two more tomorrow. Guess what I'll be doing the rest of the day today?
Got my term paper proposal back. The TA said on the one hand, the topic was too broad, and then he said it was too narrow. OK, make up your mind there! That's why I ain't starting that till I see him next week. Only got an A- on the proposal, which kind of ticked me off. But I'm fine with that. I'm counting on other courses to help improve the GPA. If I can get anything in the A range on this course (19th century Europe), I'm not complaining.
On a different note, the Liberals won last night. Well, it's a minority government, but at least we don't have that Scheer guy who looks like Pillsbury doughboy.
OK, back to studies. Hell, maybe I'll mop the floor for relaxation before diving into the books again.
Ta Ta.
Sunday, 20 October 2019
Federal Elections tomorrow!
October 21 is federal elections in Canada. Who knows what that may bring. Casted my ballot in Advance Polls last week. Hope we will have four more years of Liberal rule.
Well, FALL is here!
Time for a few cups of coffee before getting back to the books!
Well, FALL is here!
Time for a few cups of coffee before getting back to the books!
Friday, 18 October 2019
Am I Having Fun?
School is FUN!
Following my blog entry the other day, a good friend and former CFL player said to me, "you're doing this for fun! Chill!"
Well, not in so many words, but since he actually only speaks in IFRS and GAAP, most of the time he's just mouthing bullshit. So I have to interpret for him.
Anyway...
That got me thinking. Is the blog giving you (i.e. any one of you) the impression that I'm NOT having fun? If so, I apologize. That's not what I am conveying (or least not usually). I think I am a bit too intense for my well-being. Chunski just has a tendency to get carried away.
I'm actually really enjoying this school stuff. Let me give you an example, in three of my courses this semester--political sociology, 19th Century European history, and Popular Culture--I find there's a lot of synergy I can apply to my coursework. I find that exciting. For those of you (and I think there's a couple) who know the kind of research I used to do, you can probably relate to how I can excited over disparate disciplines that all combine to illuminate the human condition. Maybe some former students can even remember how excited I can get about things that are not directly from marketing.
In any event, I find this school thing has afforded me such a luxury. To "force" me to learn more new things, and to do a Chunski spin of merging multiple discourses into something. So yeah, I am getting a kick out of it!
I LOVE TERM PAPERS
You noticed I said earlier the kind of research I USED TO do? Well, now that I am retired, and I'm an undergrad, I don't plan to be publishing and shit like that. But I have always enjoyed writing, and having to write all these term papers has been great fun for me. Not only that, not only do I simply derive pleasure from writing, but I find the process of research and writing a term paper compels a deeper level of understanding of the subject than merely reading a text can do.
My TAs and profs might not like what my paper, but that's beside the point. I do what I do, and if that gets me an A+, great. But if some wet-behind-the-ear TA thinks my paper isn't up to snuff, so be it too. I learn from doing it, and that's the important thing. Not that I like a bad grade, but to me it simply means I'm too good for them :)
KEEPING THE SCHOLARSHIP WON'T BE EASY
I have come to the realization that keeping the scholarship won't be that easy. Partly that's because it would require me to write my papers in a way not entirely my own. For example, what the hell can I do with a 12-page limit on a term paper?
Also, there's the memory stuff when it comes to exams. I mean, that's never been my strong suit. And as I get older, it's gets harder.
And I don't have first year courses to boost my GPA (used up my quota already).
Well, let's see how I do this term. I'm hoping I can keep my GPA at the A/A+ range (the scholarship requires A/A- average), but all it takes is for me to slip up in one course the whole GPA thing is down the tubes (the averages must be maintained every semester).
It's not a lot of money, but hey, it's good enough for a few steak dinners!
OK, BACK TO STUDYING
OK, over and out. I have three midterms to study for, and these old eyes are getting tired. So, enough fun and games for today. Back to work! Good thing I don't have cable!
Following my blog entry the other day, a good friend and former CFL player said to me, "you're doing this for fun! Chill!"
Well, not in so many words, but since he actually only speaks in IFRS and GAAP, most of the time he's just mouthing bullshit. So I have to interpret for him.
Anyway...
That got me thinking. Is the blog giving you (i.e. any one of you) the impression that I'm NOT having fun? If so, I apologize. That's not what I am conveying (or least not usually). I think I am a bit too intense for my well-being. Chunski just has a tendency to get carried away.
I'm actually really enjoying this school stuff. Let me give you an example, in three of my courses this semester--political sociology, 19th Century European history, and Popular Culture--I find there's a lot of synergy I can apply to my coursework. I find that exciting. For those of you (and I think there's a couple) who know the kind of research I used to do, you can probably relate to how I can excited over disparate disciplines that all combine to illuminate the human condition. Maybe some former students can even remember how excited I can get about things that are not directly from marketing.
In any event, I find this school thing has afforded me such a luxury. To "force" me to learn more new things, and to do a Chunski spin of merging multiple discourses into something. So yeah, I am getting a kick out of it!
I LOVE TERM PAPERS
You noticed I said earlier the kind of research I USED TO do? Well, now that I am retired, and I'm an undergrad, I don't plan to be publishing and shit like that. But I have always enjoyed writing, and having to write all these term papers has been great fun for me. Not only that, not only do I simply derive pleasure from writing, but I find the process of research and writing a term paper compels a deeper level of understanding of the subject than merely reading a text can do.
My TAs and profs might not like what my paper, but that's beside the point. I do what I do, and if that gets me an A+, great. But if some wet-behind-the-ear TA thinks my paper isn't up to snuff, so be it too. I learn from doing it, and that's the important thing. Not that I like a bad grade, but to me it simply means I'm too good for them :)
KEEPING THE SCHOLARSHIP WON'T BE EASY
I have come to the realization that keeping the scholarship won't be that easy. Partly that's because it would require me to write my papers in a way not entirely my own. For example, what the hell can I do with a 12-page limit on a term paper?
Also, there's the memory stuff when it comes to exams. I mean, that's never been my strong suit. And as I get older, it's gets harder.
And I don't have first year courses to boost my GPA (used up my quota already).
Well, let's see how I do this term. I'm hoping I can keep my GPA at the A/A+ range (the scholarship requires A/A- average), but all it takes is for me to slip up in one course the whole GPA thing is down the tubes (the averages must be maintained every semester).
It's not a lot of money, but hey, it's good enough for a few steak dinners!
OK, BACK TO STUDYING
OK, over and out. I have three midterms to study for, and these old eyes are getting tired. So, enough fun and games for today. Back to work! Good thing I don't have cable!
Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Why do people take so long to grade stuff
I have never understood why profs take so long to grade and hand back stuff. I can see that when you have 250 in a class, and you have no or just one TA. But when a class is not crazy huge, and you have a TA, there's just no excuse. Don't you agree?
In two separate courses, I handed in a short paper last week. Actually, it was early October, so it's more like two weeks. One was a four pager critical analysis paper. The other was a two-page paper proposal. TWO fucking pages. Each class has about 80 students, and each prof has a TA.
Now maybe the four pager takes a little longer. But the two-page proposal? Should it have been graded and handed back within maybe a week?
In 20+ years teaching, I had always handed back work the next class. I don't think I have EVER failed in that endeavour. Got me thinking though. Did people even care? I mean, was it important to students? Or did I work my ass off for something that no one gave a shit about? Why do I think this? I look around the room, and it doesn't strike me that my fellow students are particularly upset or even concerned that the short little papers still haven't found their way back to us after two weeks.
In any event, I think the prof has an obligation to turn around as quickly as possible. If they believe that students are their top priority, they should act that way. Put your money where your mouth is, and all that. Otherwise, it just smacks of hypocrisy and all that.
Would love to hear people's thoughts on this.
Why, you may ask, am I so eager to get the papers back? Well, for both courses, there's a big paper (12+ pages) coming due at the end of the semester. And these initial ones form the premise of my main paper. I already actually finished the first draft of one, so I'm not too concerned (unless the mini one got trashed). But the other one I am waiting to see if my proposal is okay before I write the big one. Does that make sense?
Oh, you wanna know what those two papers are about?
One is political sociology. I merged different theoretical perspectives (e.g. Marx, Gramsci, etc) and came up with a model to better explain and predict when mass unrests will happen. And then I apply it to an analysis of the shit that's happening in Hong Kong. How does that sound?
The other is for 19th Century European History. I am writing about the Crimean War, and within that the Charge of the Light Brigade, and draw parallels between the two. My thesis is that neither one is necessary, neither one changes anything, and both are wanton destruction of life. So I view the charge of the light brigade as a microcosm of the Crimean War. What do you think?
I'm not totally sure about the crimean war one. 19th Century Europe is not a main area of interest for me. So it's pretty uncertain as to whether my plan is good. That's why I want to wait for the feedback on my proposal before I start writing it. AND I FUCKING HATE WAITING.
Besides, this is the only one for which I don't even have a good first draft ready.
Let's hope I get those papers back soon.
And hey, please, if you have any thoughts on the issues I raised (about grading), and/or about the papers I mentioned above, PLEASE share them with me! I'd love to know that I am not just writing this and I'm the only reader. MERCI!
In two separate courses, I handed in a short paper last week. Actually, it was early October, so it's more like two weeks. One was a four pager critical analysis paper. The other was a two-page paper proposal. TWO fucking pages. Each class has about 80 students, and each prof has a TA.
Now maybe the four pager takes a little longer. But the two-page proposal? Should it have been graded and handed back within maybe a week?
In 20+ years teaching, I had always handed back work the next class. I don't think I have EVER failed in that endeavour. Got me thinking though. Did people even care? I mean, was it important to students? Or did I work my ass off for something that no one gave a shit about? Why do I think this? I look around the room, and it doesn't strike me that my fellow students are particularly upset or even concerned that the short little papers still haven't found their way back to us after two weeks.
In any event, I think the prof has an obligation to turn around as quickly as possible. If they believe that students are their top priority, they should act that way. Put your money where your mouth is, and all that. Otherwise, it just smacks of hypocrisy and all that.
Would love to hear people's thoughts on this.
Why, you may ask, am I so eager to get the papers back? Well, for both courses, there's a big paper (12+ pages) coming due at the end of the semester. And these initial ones form the premise of my main paper. I already actually finished the first draft of one, so I'm not too concerned (unless the mini one got trashed). But the other one I am waiting to see if my proposal is okay before I write the big one. Does that make sense?
Oh, you wanna know what those two papers are about?
One is political sociology. I merged different theoretical perspectives (e.g. Marx, Gramsci, etc) and came up with a model to better explain and predict when mass unrests will happen. And then I apply it to an analysis of the shit that's happening in Hong Kong. How does that sound?
The other is for 19th Century European History. I am writing about the Crimean War, and within that the Charge of the Light Brigade, and draw parallels between the two. My thesis is that neither one is necessary, neither one changes anything, and both are wanton destruction of life. So I view the charge of the light brigade as a microcosm of the Crimean War. What do you think?
I'm not totally sure about the crimean war one. 19th Century Europe is not a main area of interest for me. So it's pretty uncertain as to whether my plan is good. That's why I want to wait for the feedback on my proposal before I start writing it. AND I FUCKING HATE WAITING.
Besides, this is the only one for which I don't even have a good first draft ready.
Let's hope I get those papers back soon.
And hey, please, if you have any thoughts on the issues I raised (about grading), and/or about the papers I mentioned above, PLEASE share them with me! I'd love to know that I am not just writing this and I'm the only reader. MERCI!
Sunday, 13 October 2019
Random Class DIscussions
One of the things about going to school is you can listen to all kinds of things people have to say. Sometimes they are even valuable. Yup, sometimes the stuff that come out in class discussions are thoughtful.
Especially if they come from me, of course.
For instance, one day, in political sociology, we were discussing the "ideal type" bureaucratic organizations, along the lines of Weber (You know, the ideal type being so monolithic and oppressive that it dehumanizes people, that people can only do whatever the rules they are to do no more no less). After a while, I couldn't help myself, and asked, from my experience such things don't actually exist, so what's the point?
As the prof was elaborating on that, someone from behind raised their hand and say, something like, "I worked for the government this past summer, and they fit the ideal type to the T. There's no room for any human decision, all by the book .... etc etc" She was so proud of herself too.
Now, you guys all know that despite my mean persona, I am actually quite a nice person at heart. I was actually tempted to say, "Well, it just shows that you were too junior to matter." See, but I didn't. I just kept my thinking to myself. What's it to me?
********************
European History the other day, and the topic was Liberalism. The prof showed a clip of Milton Friedman talking.
I banged my head on the desk.
Why show that fucking asshole? He's a total jerk, moron, immoral shithead.
I went to the prof afterwards and said, I banged the head on the desk not because of you, but because I can't stand the guy. Thought I should explain myself so he won't feel offended.
But MILTON FUCKING FRIEDMAN? FUCK!
***************************
Had a midterm the other day (three more to go). I actually had finished it early, but I was stuck on one question. I could even visualize the answer and where it was written in my notes. Down to where on the page. But the answer itself was a blur in my mind. Just couldn't fetch that piece of memory. Fuck.
Hope I don't have more of this.
*********************
A different class on a different day. Topic relates to how the state is the only institution that can legitimately employ violence.
A student raised her hand and said, yes, I can relate to that. Back when the school started and people were moving in, there were police officers on campus. Isn't that an example of the state using violence against people?
WTF! How is the presence of police officers an act of violence? Did they fucking pepper spray or shoot you? Dumb ass!
My thinking? These are First World problems. Or more specifically, late modernist problems. People today don't have to worry about basic things. University students in particular, by and large, are from middle class families. They complain about being poor while buying Starbucks. In their cocoon world, "Problems" are magnified, because, honestly, they don't have anything complain about.
Am I just getting too old? I have no use for whiners.
************************
In US history one day, the prof was talking about the movie industry. How it went from silent movies to talkies to all the special effects and now CGI and so on.
Then he looked around the room and said, "maybe only one of you will remember this. But in the 70s they came up with Sensurround. You remember that, Ed?"
I'm surprised he actually knew my name. There are more than 100 people in the class. But I guess he was happy to find someone older than he is.
********************
This Popular Culture class is killing me. I thought, hey, I like novels and shit. That would be great! Well, it turns out that it's a cultural theory class, well, popular culture theory. I must say I learn a lot of things I didn't know before. And that's cool. But this is so foreign to me. I have a midterm coming up. Pretty uncertain how I will do.
The good thing is I've already done the term paper (due Dec 2). At least a decent first draft. But of course, never having taken anything like this, I don't know if this is the kind of stuff he wants. Oh well, he seems a nice guy. Can't fault me on effort. He requires 12 pages, but I did 16 (excluding bibliography)....
**************
This semester I am learning a lot of new stuff. Things I didn't know much about, and in some cases, not at all. Hey, I am NOT the professor in Gilligan's Island, NOR is my name Bryan Greenberg, I don't know everything!
Anyway, all this new stuff is great and bad. Great because after all, that's why I go back to school, right? To learn stuff I didn't know before? Bad, because it really is quite a bit of work if I want to keep my GPA. Of course I can switch gears and do what I did the first time around. Just graduate with a B+ average. If I wanted that, I think it's party time. But this time around I really want to do try.
We create our own problems, don't we?
*******************
In the gym the other day I was talking to this lady who's also a retiree. She used to work in the federal government, in the education ministry. So we talked about education etc. And she found out that I worked in the US. So she wanted to find out what I thought about the US high school systems. I said, well, I really don't know, since I did high school in Canada, and I sent my kids back to Canada for high school.
She said, oh? Where did they go?
I told her I sent them back to my alma mater because I loved it. She persisted. Where? I said, in St. Catharines. Then she smiled, and asked, almost conspirationally, which one?
I told her.
And she said, oh, that's a good school. One of the original Little Big Four!
I said, yeah, I know. But I think it was better when I was there. (If my sons are reading this, YOU brought down the school!).
************
OK, enough random shit. Back to studying for my midterms. A lot of ground to cover. Sometimes I even wonder why the fuck did I ever quit teaching. Sigh. We create our own problems....
Especially if they come from me, of course.
For instance, one day, in political sociology, we were discussing the "ideal type" bureaucratic organizations, along the lines of Weber (You know, the ideal type being so monolithic and oppressive that it dehumanizes people, that people can only do whatever the rules they are to do no more no less). After a while, I couldn't help myself, and asked, from my experience such things don't actually exist, so what's the point?
As the prof was elaborating on that, someone from behind raised their hand and say, something like, "I worked for the government this past summer, and they fit the ideal type to the T. There's no room for any human decision, all by the book .... etc etc" She was so proud of herself too.
Now, you guys all know that despite my mean persona, I am actually quite a nice person at heart. I was actually tempted to say, "Well, it just shows that you were too junior to matter." See, but I didn't. I just kept my thinking to myself. What's it to me?
********************
European History the other day, and the topic was Liberalism. The prof showed a clip of Milton Friedman talking.
I banged my head on the desk.
Why show that fucking asshole? He's a total jerk, moron, immoral shithead.
I went to the prof afterwards and said, I banged the head on the desk not because of you, but because I can't stand the guy. Thought I should explain myself so he won't feel offended.
But MILTON FUCKING FRIEDMAN? FUCK!
***************************
Had a midterm the other day (three more to go). I actually had finished it early, but I was stuck on one question. I could even visualize the answer and where it was written in my notes. Down to where on the page. But the answer itself was a blur in my mind. Just couldn't fetch that piece of memory. Fuck.
Hope I don't have more of this.
*********************
A different class on a different day. Topic relates to how the state is the only institution that can legitimately employ violence.
A student raised her hand and said, yes, I can relate to that. Back when the school started and people were moving in, there were police officers on campus. Isn't that an example of the state using violence against people?
WTF! How is the presence of police officers an act of violence? Did they fucking pepper spray or shoot you? Dumb ass!
My thinking? These are First World problems. Or more specifically, late modernist problems. People today don't have to worry about basic things. University students in particular, by and large, are from middle class families. They complain about being poor while buying Starbucks. In their cocoon world, "Problems" are magnified, because, honestly, they don't have anything complain about.
Am I just getting too old? I have no use for whiners.
************************
In US history one day, the prof was talking about the movie industry. How it went from silent movies to talkies to all the special effects and now CGI and so on.
Then he looked around the room and said, "maybe only one of you will remember this. But in the 70s they came up with Sensurround. You remember that, Ed?"
I'm surprised he actually knew my name. There are more than 100 people in the class. But I guess he was happy to find someone older than he is.
********************
This Popular Culture class is killing me. I thought, hey, I like novels and shit. That would be great! Well, it turns out that it's a cultural theory class, well, popular culture theory. I must say I learn a lot of things I didn't know before. And that's cool. But this is so foreign to me. I have a midterm coming up. Pretty uncertain how I will do.
The good thing is I've already done the term paper (due Dec 2). At least a decent first draft. But of course, never having taken anything like this, I don't know if this is the kind of stuff he wants. Oh well, he seems a nice guy. Can't fault me on effort. He requires 12 pages, but I did 16 (excluding bibliography)....
**************
This semester I am learning a lot of new stuff. Things I didn't know much about, and in some cases, not at all. Hey, I am NOT the professor in Gilligan's Island, NOR is my name Bryan Greenberg, I don't know everything!
Anyway, all this new stuff is great and bad. Great because after all, that's why I go back to school, right? To learn stuff I didn't know before? Bad, because it really is quite a bit of work if I want to keep my GPA. Of course I can switch gears and do what I did the first time around. Just graduate with a B+ average. If I wanted that, I think it's party time. But this time around I really want to do try.
We create our own problems, don't we?
*******************
In the gym the other day I was talking to this lady who's also a retiree. She used to work in the federal government, in the education ministry. So we talked about education etc. And she found out that I worked in the US. So she wanted to find out what I thought about the US high school systems. I said, well, I really don't know, since I did high school in Canada, and I sent my kids back to Canada for high school.
She said, oh? Where did they go?
I told her I sent them back to my alma mater because I loved it. She persisted. Where? I said, in St. Catharines. Then she smiled, and asked, almost conspirationally, which one?
I told her.
And she said, oh, that's a good school. One of the original Little Big Four!
I said, yeah, I know. But I think it was better when I was there. (If my sons are reading this, YOU brought down the school!).
************
OK, enough random shit. Back to studying for my midterms. A lot of ground to cover. Sometimes I even wonder why the fuck did I ever quit teaching. Sigh. We create our own problems....
Tuesday, 1 October 2019
FUCK, I could have told you THAT!
First, take a look at this latest bit of health science news...
NOTHING WRONG WITH RED MEAT!
If you read the actual article, notice how strong the condemnation is from received wisdom.
This study (the one reported in the news article) is published in a peer-reviewed journal, a highly respected one no less. The researchers are real scientists, and all the study did was to collect extant data (so-called evidence) on red meat consumption and see what they actually tell us.
So far so good?
The results, as the study showed, are INCONCLUSIVE that red meat consumption is bad. In other words, the conventional wisdom (received view) that meat is bad is NOT supported by scientific evidence.
That's really the same shit like drinking eight glasses of water a day. Or five servings of fruits and veggies (I actually like fruit and veggies, so that's beside the point). Or walk 10,000 steps. Colon cleansing. Playing with your shit. Any number of these scams that rock our lives. Of course, it requires idiots to actually believe shit and do it.
But look at how this threatens the dominant logic? Shit, man, this threatens a whole cottage industry that grew up on telling people not to eat meat and stuff like that. Health "experts" who built their practice (btw, isn't it scary that doctors call what they do a "practice"? Fuck, go practice on yourself, not me!) on this less meat thesis are undermined by studies like this. So they counter attack. Notice how venomous the responses are.
Don't think this is unique. When it was first suggested, a couple hundred years ago, that bacteria on doctors' hands caused infection after surgery, it was balked at. Hell, doctors were furious that someone even said that! Yeah well, doctors are just people.
Besides, you probably know my feelings about doctors. I mean, fuck, they are not even REAL doctors! Except in the US, the rest of the world labels a medical degree a fucking UNDERGRADUATE degree. No shit.
And you know, I studied marketing for oh, ten years? And there's so much about marketing I am not an expert on (I am NOT Greenberg, I don't pretend to know everything). Think how much more complex a human body is than fucking marketing. How long is med school? Three, four, years post your first degree? OK, you see what I'm getting at?
I forget more about marketing that most doctors know about the human body.
Anyway, so I have always been right, of course. A pound of NY Strip a day makes the doctors go away.
Friday, 27 September 2019
Of Morons and Assholes
Am I beginning to sound like some bitter old guy? At the risk of that, I am taking advantage of this massively popular blog (yeah, right) to espouse another one of my diatribes.
Morons. I actually find them cute. I mean, so they are stupid, but I chalk it up to ignorance. For example, those who believe profit maximization is a thing. Or those who think the poor choose to be poor. Or those who think it's okay to throw shit on the road. OK, maybe not so much the latter, but still...
Assholes, on the other hand, well, there's no excuse for that. These people (to be generous with the term) OUGHT to know better. In many cases, they DO know better, but choose to be wrong. These are people who should be skinned alive and hung up to dry. With salt on their wounds.
What are some examples of assholes? Let's do this:
YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE IF YOU...
1. Ride a bicycle but think traffic laws don't apply to you. You're one of those who ride on the sidewalk, never stop at stop signs, think you have the right of way over pedestrians, or think you're superior because you ride a fucking bike. Well, guess what, you're not. I bloody walk, and that's more work and more eco-friendly than your motherfucking bike.
2. Walk while doing shit on the phone. You don't fucking OWN the sidewalk. Watch where the fuck you're going, you shithead. I NEVER give way to these motherfuckers. They can bump into me if they want. Well, I shouldn't say NEVER, because they are bigger than me, I don't want to be the Titanic hitting an iceberg. I'm not that stupid.
3. Drive while texting and shit. You know you're not as good a driver as you think you are. You might care about your life, since you're basically a worthless piece of shit anyway. But others do. If I were a cop, I'd ticket every motherfucker who text while driving. No shit.
4. Drive on the left lane as if you own the fucking highway. No need to say more.
5. Complain about being poor while drinking your $6 Starbucks Latte and wearing designer jeans. Shut the fuck up. Start paying your own bills and you're quickly find out what being poor means.
6. Look down on other people because you think you're above them. The fact you do so means you're not superior.
7. You take a perfectly fine College and run it to the fucking ground.
8. People who write blogs and trash other people (I never said I'm not an asshole, right?).
There are others, I'm sure, and dear Reader you can feel free to add more types of assholes in the comments.
BUT, you know what, folks, there's another category that's worse. I don't remember who said this, but, "The only one worse than an asshole is one who doesn't know he's one."
Yeah, and don't give me this shit about gender here. I am not going to say she/he in something like this, nor will I bastardize a singular by using "they." Yeah, I do READ and I know things.
I must be having a bad day. Or perhaps just lacking caffeine....
Morons. I actually find them cute. I mean, so they are stupid, but I chalk it up to ignorance. For example, those who believe profit maximization is a thing. Or those who think the poor choose to be poor. Or those who think it's okay to throw shit on the road. OK, maybe not so much the latter, but still...
Assholes, on the other hand, well, there's no excuse for that. These people (to be generous with the term) OUGHT to know better. In many cases, they DO know better, but choose to be wrong. These are people who should be skinned alive and hung up to dry. With salt on their wounds.
What are some examples of assholes? Let's do this:
YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE IF YOU...
1. Ride a bicycle but think traffic laws don't apply to you. You're one of those who ride on the sidewalk, never stop at stop signs, think you have the right of way over pedestrians, or think you're superior because you ride a fucking bike. Well, guess what, you're not. I bloody walk, and that's more work and more eco-friendly than your motherfucking bike.
2. Walk while doing shit on the phone. You don't fucking OWN the sidewalk. Watch where the fuck you're going, you shithead. I NEVER give way to these motherfuckers. They can bump into me if they want. Well, I shouldn't say NEVER, because they are bigger than me, I don't want to be the Titanic hitting an iceberg. I'm not that stupid.
3. Drive while texting and shit. You know you're not as good a driver as you think you are. You might care about your life, since you're basically a worthless piece of shit anyway. But others do. If I were a cop, I'd ticket every motherfucker who text while driving. No shit.
4. Drive on the left lane as if you own the fucking highway. No need to say more.
5. Complain about being poor while drinking your $6 Starbucks Latte and wearing designer jeans. Shut the fuck up. Start paying your own bills and you're quickly find out what being poor means.
6. Look down on other people because you think you're above them. The fact you do so means you're not superior.
7. You take a perfectly fine College and run it to the fucking ground.
8. People who write blogs and trash other people (I never said I'm not an asshole, right?).
There are others, I'm sure, and dear Reader you can feel free to add more types of assholes in the comments.
BUT, you know what, folks, there's another category that's worse. I don't remember who said this, but, "The only one worse than an asshole is one who doesn't know he's one."
Yeah, and don't give me this shit about gender here. I am not going to say she/he in something like this, nor will I bastardize a singular by using "they." Yeah, I do READ and I know things.
I must be having a bad day. Or perhaps just lacking caffeine....
Wednesday, 18 September 2019
NIMBY
My building is across the street from a public park. Great view. Lots of green. At night, there are softball games being played in some sort of a public league. They often go on till maybe 10-ish. I find it really neat to see people having a great time outdoors, especially as fall sets in and winter is just around the corner.
Some don't feel this way. There's this circular in the building, asking people to complain to the city about noise from the park, and how it affects some people's enjoyment of their views. See below:
I don't know about you, but I see nothing wrong with a public space being used by, eh, the public, for their enjoyment. And since the games generally end before it gets really late, I think it's commendable that people are taking advantage while the weather is still mild enough to be out.
If one wants a park for their own enjoyment, that others can't do so, maybe one needs to buy a really large property and own the damn thing outright.
Renting an apartment in a building that just happens to be opposite a park doesn't make the park your own, and certainly one has no right to expect any kind of exclusivity.
But at least give the person credit. They even give their name and their apartment number and not hide behind anonymity. The whole thing smacks of entitlement, IMO, and it's another example of our NIMBY mentality that's so pervasive these days.
Some don't feel this way. There's this circular in the building, asking people to complain to the city about noise from the park, and how it affects some people's enjoyment of their views. See below:
I don't know about you, but I see nothing wrong with a public space being used by, eh, the public, for their enjoyment. And since the games generally end before it gets really late, I think it's commendable that people are taking advantage while the weather is still mild enough to be out.
If one wants a park for their own enjoyment, that others can't do so, maybe one needs to buy a really large property and own the damn thing outright.
Renting an apartment in a building that just happens to be opposite a park doesn't make the park your own, and certainly one has no right to expect any kind of exclusivity.
But at least give the person credit. They even give their name and their apartment number and not hide behind anonymity. The whole thing smacks of entitlement, IMO, and it's another example of our NIMBY mentality that's so pervasive these days.
Why am I so f*$king busy?
Wasn't this school thing suppose to be all fun and games? Hell, it has become some self-inflicted form of intellectual torture. An enjoyable one, no doubt, but FUCK, so much to do!
All right, tell me you're actually surprised I'm saying that.
I dare say on average, I spend (outside of class time) 25 hours a week on this school stuff. I have never done that before. EVER.
So why am I spending so much time on school stuff? Hell, it doesn't even matter. I didn't work so hard when grades actually mattered. But now I work my butt when they don't? How does that make sense?
Folks, if you know me at all, you should know that I subscribe to the realistic view that people are NOT rational. An economist I'm not. Damn their eyes.
Anyway, back to me (it's all about me, no? This IS the 21st Century, and I AM in college).
I think what spoiled things for me was the kind of grades I got the first year, especially the first semester, when I got four A+ and an A. Unnecessarily, I felt challenged to keep that up (for no reason at all). But of course, as the level of courses goes up, it's harder and harder to do so. So I need to spend more and more time on the shit. Seriously, think what does it take to get an A+ in BA416 if I'm teaching it? I mean, that's like getting 100 on every single fucking assignment?
And also, well, there's me and my Type A personality. All my life I have always finished my term papers early in the semester. Like within the first month. So I am repeating that pattern. Only now I actually want to do really well, as opposed to settling for A- and Bs. See my problem there?
Let me show you an example. On October 2 I have to hand in a two-page term paper proposal for a history class. Yes, you read that right. TWO FUCKING PAGES. Guess how much work I've done to write these pages? Take a look:
And this is only the hard copy stuff I got. I have spent UNTOLD HOURS doing library research to write a two page proposal. That, my friends, makes me completely insane. But if you seriously know me, I don't think you would be surprised by it.
I also had to hand in a four page mini paper for a sociology class on October 4. Ok, well, I don't need to show you a picture. I think you can visualize what THAT pile looks like.
And then towards the latter part of the semester, I have four real papers due. Shit, I'd better get a move on NOW!
Hey, remember my CB class (if you were a student of mine)? Remember how our expectations change things? Classic case.
Maybe I should take a couple of marketing electives to reduce my workload! :)
All right, tell me you're actually surprised I'm saying that.
I dare say on average, I spend (outside of class time) 25 hours a week on this school stuff. I have never done that before. EVER.
So why am I spending so much time on school stuff? Hell, it doesn't even matter. I didn't work so hard when grades actually mattered. But now I work my butt when they don't? How does that make sense?
Folks, if you know me at all, you should know that I subscribe to the realistic view that people are NOT rational. An economist I'm not. Damn their eyes.
Anyway, back to me (it's all about me, no? This IS the 21st Century, and I AM in college).
I think what spoiled things for me was the kind of grades I got the first year, especially the first semester, when I got four A+ and an A. Unnecessarily, I felt challenged to keep that up (for no reason at all). But of course, as the level of courses goes up, it's harder and harder to do so. So I need to spend more and more time on the shit. Seriously, think what does it take to get an A+ in BA416 if I'm teaching it? I mean, that's like getting 100 on every single fucking assignment?
And also, well, there's me and my Type A personality. All my life I have always finished my term papers early in the semester. Like within the first month. So I am repeating that pattern. Only now I actually want to do really well, as opposed to settling for A- and Bs. See my problem there?
Let me show you an example. On October 2 I have to hand in a two-page term paper proposal for a history class. Yes, you read that right. TWO FUCKING PAGES. Guess how much work I've done to write these pages? Take a look:
And this is only the hard copy stuff I got. I have spent UNTOLD HOURS doing library research to write a two page proposal. That, my friends, makes me completely insane. But if you seriously know me, I don't think you would be surprised by it.
I also had to hand in a four page mini paper for a sociology class on October 4. Ok, well, I don't need to show you a picture. I think you can visualize what THAT pile looks like.
And then towards the latter part of the semester, I have four real papers due. Shit, I'd better get a move on NOW!
Hey, remember my CB class (if you were a student of mine)? Remember how our expectations change things? Classic case.
Maybe I should take a couple of marketing electives to reduce my workload! :)
Thursday, 12 September 2019
Organized Chaos
There's no room to walk! Just trying to figure out what's what... A day in the life of a student :)
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
Funky Feeling
I must say this year I am a lot more ambivalent. Only one course really excites me. The other four I'd say are "yeah, well, ok." I even changed some of my courses hoping to come up with more palatable combinations, but to no avail. Now in the second week of classes, I still haven't been able to get myself in gear.
Perhaps this is a case of sophomore slump. Who knows. How should I deal with it?
I have decided that I will try to write a term paper in the next couple of weeks. I also have a couple of term paper proposals I am supposed to do. I can do those instead. Perhaps some small measure of accomplishment will help pull me out of the slump. Stay tuned. I'll see if that works out.
Dropped out of a class last week, after the first session. It's the class on the foundations of liberalism and socialism. I like the subject, but I can't stand the prof. She tried too hard to be one of the students (who are mostly 19). And her assignments are way too kiddy for me. Perhaps because I am too old for that shit. I am jaded. But let me give you an example. One of the assignments to write a children's book, complete with illustrations, describing and explaining one of the theories in the class. Ok, a fucking children's book? What are we? In middle school? I think university should be more serious than that.
Anyhow, I dropped that, and picked up a 19th Century European history class. OK, don't you HATE profs whose lectures are straight from the book? Really. Assuming one reads the fucking book, why does one want to sit there and listen to someone going through that shit again? OK, I will continue to go to class, just in case I miss something, but I am starting to work on the term paper proposal (due Oct 2) and the paper itself (due in Nov) now. And reading ahead.
And this French class I'm taking. Some of you may know that I don't have much affection for France. And increasingly, Quebec's racist politics antagonize me so. My desire to learn the language is now solely driven by the challenge of learning a language. But my dislike of the source of this language is something I have to contend with. To worsen things, it's still a third year class (even though it's the third in the series) so it doesn't count towards my degree, though the grade will be included in computing my GPA. So in other words, if I don't get an A+ in the class, my GPA goes down. What a deal, eh?
Maybe I should take an Intro Marketing course for fun... (and flunk it, haha).
Food for thought.
Are there happier notes I can share with you?
Oh, I found out that at UOttawa, if you have laser toners to recycle, you can take it to any of the campus recycling stations and they will take care of it! Nice! I don't have to go find a Best Buy anymore.
Looks like summer is about over. While today it will still get up to 20 C (that's just under 70F), the balmy days of summer are probably gone for a while. Not that I really miss them that much. Certainly I don't look forward to the frigid cold, and all that ice, in the winter. More on that in a couple of months.
Till next time!
Perhaps this is a case of sophomore slump. Who knows. How should I deal with it?
I have decided that I will try to write a term paper in the next couple of weeks. I also have a couple of term paper proposals I am supposed to do. I can do those instead. Perhaps some small measure of accomplishment will help pull me out of the slump. Stay tuned. I'll see if that works out.
Dropped out of a class last week, after the first session. It's the class on the foundations of liberalism and socialism. I like the subject, but I can't stand the prof. She tried too hard to be one of the students (who are mostly 19). And her assignments are way too kiddy for me. Perhaps because I am too old for that shit. I am jaded. But let me give you an example. One of the assignments to write a children's book, complete with illustrations, describing and explaining one of the theories in the class. Ok, a fucking children's book? What are we? In middle school? I think university should be more serious than that.
Anyhow, I dropped that, and picked up a 19th Century European history class. OK, don't you HATE profs whose lectures are straight from the book? Really. Assuming one reads the fucking book, why does one want to sit there and listen to someone going through that shit again? OK, I will continue to go to class, just in case I miss something, but I am starting to work on the term paper proposal (due Oct 2) and the paper itself (due in Nov) now. And reading ahead.
And this French class I'm taking. Some of you may know that I don't have much affection for France. And increasingly, Quebec's racist politics antagonize me so. My desire to learn the language is now solely driven by the challenge of learning a language. But my dislike of the source of this language is something I have to contend with. To worsen things, it's still a third year class (even though it's the third in the series) so it doesn't count towards my degree, though the grade will be included in computing my GPA. So in other words, if I don't get an A+ in the class, my GPA goes down. What a deal, eh?
Maybe I should take an Intro Marketing course for fun... (and flunk it, haha).
Food for thought.
Are there happier notes I can share with you?
Oh, I found out that at UOttawa, if you have laser toners to recycle, you can take it to any of the campus recycling stations and they will take care of it! Nice! I don't have to go find a Best Buy anymore.
Looks like summer is about over. While today it will still get up to 20 C (that's just under 70F), the balmy days of summer are probably gone for a while. Not that I really miss them that much. Certainly I don't look forward to the frigid cold, and all that ice, in the winter. More on that in a couple of months.
Till next time!
Wednesday, 4 September 2019
First day of classes
A brand new semester begins. I had two classes today. Both seemed okay. The first one was a course on the foundation of liberalism and socialism. The second is on political sociology. There ought be a fair bit of synergy in them.
You might have noticed that my interests go way beyond marketing, indeed business. I think the basic premise of human civilization is informed by things outside of business. What illuminates our systems of government, for example? What casts long shadows on how we see and negotiate our daily lives? If you were a former student, you may recall that I love bringing in things from other disciplines. We are humans, after all, and social animals. So I relish understanding and appreciating knowledge that speaks to the human condition.
But there's another reason for doing this wide-ranging academic exploration that I embark on. Only by learning what different perspectives REALLY say can I truly agree or disagree with them. One needs to be informed, in order (1) not to be duped by rumours and falsehoods, and (2) intelligently critique what the other party is saying.
Ok, so much for pontification. I must remind myself that I am no longer teaching. I am a student.
I have signed up for five classes this semester. Tomorrow I have a history class, which I really look forward to. I had that same prof last semester, and he was great. And after all, history is probably my favourite subject.
Still to come is a class on the Interdisciplinary study of the Arts, and the topic there is a critical analysis of popular culture. As long as they throw in some Stephen King and Meat Loaf, I'm happy. Let's hope they do!
And then there's a continuation of my French classes. I am not 100% sure about it. I did just fine in the first two, but you know, learning a language is hard. Especially when one is older. Besides, I have now exceeded my allowable 1000 (first year) courses. That means that while I can still take them, they don't count towards my degree, BUT the grade I get goes into calculating my GPA. In other words, if I don't get an A+, it will bring my GPA down! That's a bit of pressure, eh?
But why should GPA matter at this point?
Well, I have been thinking that I can graduate in May 2021. And then what? Probably not another BA. So I've been thinking about the possibility of law degree. Not that I plan to be Perry Mason or anything. But if I get in, and I finish, maybe I can do legal clinics and help the underprivileged, that sort of thing? Before my mind goes completely.
I've even signed up to do LSAT in Feb. Sounds like it could be fun!
Of course this may not happen. I may do poorly on LSAT (who knows, shit happens). My GPA may go down. They might look at my age and say WTF! So who knows. But it won't be for lack of trying.
The kicker, too, is that I plan to apply to only one school -- the one in Ottawa. So that narrows my opportunities quite considerably. Well, more on that later.
So, to the two or three people who actually read my blog, wish me luck!
You might have noticed that my interests go way beyond marketing, indeed business. I think the basic premise of human civilization is informed by things outside of business. What illuminates our systems of government, for example? What casts long shadows on how we see and negotiate our daily lives? If you were a former student, you may recall that I love bringing in things from other disciplines. We are humans, after all, and social animals. So I relish understanding and appreciating knowledge that speaks to the human condition.
But there's another reason for doing this wide-ranging academic exploration that I embark on. Only by learning what different perspectives REALLY say can I truly agree or disagree with them. One needs to be informed, in order (1) not to be duped by rumours and falsehoods, and (2) intelligently critique what the other party is saying.
Ok, so much for pontification. I must remind myself that I am no longer teaching. I am a student.
I have signed up for five classes this semester. Tomorrow I have a history class, which I really look forward to. I had that same prof last semester, and he was great. And after all, history is probably my favourite subject.
Still to come is a class on the Interdisciplinary study of the Arts, and the topic there is a critical analysis of popular culture. As long as they throw in some Stephen King and Meat Loaf, I'm happy. Let's hope they do!
And then there's a continuation of my French classes. I am not 100% sure about it. I did just fine in the first two, but you know, learning a language is hard. Especially when one is older. Besides, I have now exceeded my allowable 1000 (first year) courses. That means that while I can still take them, they don't count towards my degree, BUT the grade I get goes into calculating my GPA. In other words, if I don't get an A+, it will bring my GPA down! That's a bit of pressure, eh?
But why should GPA matter at this point?
Well, I have been thinking that I can graduate in May 2021. And then what? Probably not another BA. So I've been thinking about the possibility of law degree. Not that I plan to be Perry Mason or anything. But if I get in, and I finish, maybe I can do legal clinics and help the underprivileged, that sort of thing? Before my mind goes completely.
I've even signed up to do LSAT in Feb. Sounds like it could be fun!
Of course this may not happen. I may do poorly on LSAT (who knows, shit happens). My GPA may go down. They might look at my age and say WTF! So who knows. But it won't be for lack of trying.
The kicker, too, is that I plan to apply to only one school -- the one in Ottawa. So that narrows my opportunities quite considerably. Well, more on that later.
So, to the two or three people who actually read my blog, wish me luck!
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