Thursday 11/10/16

[Othersharon]

Good morning! Not very original subject line but at least a reality check for me! Retirement does that to me, I guess! Can't keep track of days! My calendar is on my phone and it tells me if I have an appointment! Maybe that's what's made me lazy! I'm still battling leaves and I think at this point they're winning! With this wind, ther's no way I can contain them long enough to get them in bags! So waiting for a quieter day to tackle them again! I think that's a good excuse anyway!

Sandi, saw your pics of the Grand Canyon trip and adding that to Liz's it was almost like riding along with you! Thanks! Beth, glad your getting some free time to enjoy yourself! Donna, sounds like things are coming together for you. Settling an estate is time consuming but glad your taking it slow and getting out to camp.

Not much else happpening here! Same stuff, different day. But hoping everyone has a better day today and if you are on the road, be safe!

[Bethers]

It's a gloomy, rainy day in Texas. My head keeps singing Georgia lol. I intended to do some sightseeing and shopping, but I believe tomorrow will be better, so just being a bum today. There is a gtg at someone's site this afternoon I'll attend. And a pot luck tomorrow. Next week I don't think I'll be joining things unless I can fit them in. Too much I still hope to see and do before leaving.

Maybe I'll play on the computer and pick places to visit heading west.

And Sharon, I almost never know the day without checking.

[havingfunnow]

What a day! Right about now, son #1 and his fiance are standing in line in City Hall (New York City) to get married. I'm so happy, for them and for me! And I'm so sad that the unsettled politics in both countries made it advisable for them to do it now, instead of waiting a year and having the big wedding they were talking about. It's such a strange world.

Concentrating on the positive -- I have a daughter now! Hurrah!

[dpf]

Good Morning. Sitting here watching CBS Morning…love Gayle King. I’m disappointed in the election results, but guess I just have to accept it and hope and pray for the best.

Bronc’s daycare provider’s MIL is in the hospital again. So he was here Tuesday afternoon and yesterday. He good but can certainly poop me out. Luckily yesterday he took a 3 hour nap. We laid down in the bed and I read him a story and we both conked out! I woke up after an hour and was able to get a couple things done before he woke up. Then we went to get the mail and to the grocery store to buy some more milk in case he was going to be here today…that was a real adventure. There are kid’s grocery carts and he likes the red one and of course it was stacked in the middle. We had to pull that one out, then he proceeded to go down the aisles picking out everything that he wanted…and I’m putting stuff back on the shelves! He ended up getting to keep the package of Gold Fish.

It's been my daycare week! I had Missy's Roxie on Monday because she had to take her DIL to Sioux Falls for knee surgery. Poor Roxie was attacked by a pitbull a little over a week ago and she has some nasty bites on neck. Have to keep a close eye on her that she doesn't scratch at them. We are so hoping that this doesn't affect Roxie's temperament around other dogs. She's always loved playing with other dogs. The pitbull belonged to a guy who was doing some mechanic work for Missy's son. Roxie thought he was a new playmate but he wasn't. Dennis has told the guy never to bring the dog around again. The owner didn't offer to take any responsibility for vet bills. As much as I love Roxie girl, I'm so glad that it wasn't one of Missy's grandchildren who he attacked.

Received a notice from my prescription plan that beginning 1/17 they will no longer be covering three of my prescriptions. Made a call to my trusty pharmacist (a former student) and she found another plan for me. Have to go in today and she’s going to sign me up for the new plan. I hate dealing with insurance. I really should look for a dental plan too. Broke off a back molar last week and luckily my dentist had a cancellation the next day or I would have had my tongue raw. I feared that I would have to get a crown but he was able to fill it, so it was “only” $234….guess that’s better than the cost of a crown. If that would have been the case I had contemplated telling him to pull it.

Loved the pictures of the Grand Canyon trip. Snowbirds are heading south. It’s hard for me to believe that it’s already November 10th. We still haven’t had a killing frost and my pots are still blooming. The daytime temps have been in the high 60’s and low 70’s. That’s supposed to change next week.

Have a good day! Speaking of which...I always have to check the calendar to be sure what day it is. Thank goodness the local paper comes on Wednesday because that reminds me that I have to take out the garbage out for Thursday morning pickup or else I'd have a garage packed with full garbage cans!

[JudyJB]

I'm back. I took Tuesday off as a "vacation day" from grading stuff, and then felt horribly stuffed up and headachy all day yesterday. This morning I discovered at least the reason for feeling horrible yesterday--forgot to take my morning pills. There are two for allergies and one is Sudafed, so no wonder I was stuffed up! Bad enough not being able to remember what day of the week it is, but forgetting my pills is bad. Also, one in the morning is for blood pressure, so that is not good also. Still stuffed up this morning, but it ought to get better.

Teaching three condensed classes this semester was probably not a good idea, because it is the equivalent of a full-time job. Also, been depressed about how many students are not bothering to read the stuff I post. I mostly post stuff that contains instructions and information about the writing assignments, and I identify other optional stuff as "Writing Tips" but about 30% of them are skipping all of it and just writing the letters and reports!! And, understand that because the college is private, not public, my junior-level three-credit-hour course costs $1,500. And none of us are allowed or want to grade on a curve at this college. About 15-20% will NOT be passing this mandatory class, so they will have to drop out or repeat it. And these are adults, many of whom are married with children, so why in the heck would they do this??? This college is a "senior" college, meaning it is 3rd and 4th year, plus graduate only, so most students have come from a community college, so our standards are probably a shock to many.

The good news is that there is no pressure at this place to pass students. In fact, they are pushing for quality, not quantity, because they want to maintain their good reputation. Their attitude is to "flunk'em" if they deserve to flunk, so flunk them I will!!! And so far, only 2 or 3 students out of 75 have even a chance at a full A.

And DPF, your shopping trip description cheered me up! I remember how those little hands can grab stuff. A very long time ago, I took my oldest in a stroller into K-Marts because I had to get just a couple of things. As I was loading him into the car, I found stuff in his stroller and had to take him and all the stuff he had "shoplifted" back into the store!!

[Acadianmom]

We have to put the trash out on Thursday for the early morning pickup on Friday. There is Mass on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon so Harold has to remember that. Tuesday he went off and came back saying that he waited and no one showed up. He didn't change the clock in his truck. I have to remember that my clock is wrong for 6 months or get out the book to change it. I don't know why they can't make that simple. I decided to start using the calendar on my phone so I can keep up with appointments and campouts. Found out I already have events on my calendar. They must be coming from Facebook.

I found out that a friend's son that has his own pharmacy is really helping people save money. His pharmacy is not convenient but would be worth it to go there for some prescriptions. There are coupons online for some medicines.

Judy, I'm afraid college standards are a shock to many students that have had their parents running behind them to get them through the first 12 years. My dad never helped us and my mother wasn't capable after about the 3rd grade. You find out fast that in college no one is going to ask you to do your homework or study. If you ask for help and you are trying the teachers will try to help you but they are not going to do it for you.

Time to go sit outside and crack pecans. I started doing it outside because it makes a mess inside. If I do some everyday I might get through all the pecans I picked up.

Martha

[JudyJB]

Martha, a lot of the problem is that community colleges and state colleges are so concerned about revenue and student retention that they sometimes allow anything to pass. A long time ago I worked in a couple of community colleges part-time. One made me review my gradebook with my dept chair to explain why I was giving a failing grade to a student. My dept chair in the other one actually wanted to approve all the failing grades I gave!! And with traditional (young) college students, their parents will complain to the college or even their representatives when a student if failing and pressure (and blame) is put on instructors.

The reason I have worked at this college for 27 years part-time is that they treat me like a professional and trust me to do my job, even if it means flunking students. But it is very frustrating to discover no one is reading the stuff you spent hours working on. Or even reading the extensive comments I put on papers. I once had one student flunk my class and then repeat it the next semester. For one assignment I had given her an F on, she turned the same paper in again. I was able to discover she had never even read the stuff I had written on the first one, after I spent at least half an hour on grading it! Needless to say, I flunked her again! So that was $2,800 she or somebody spent on two semesters.

I change assignments every semester slightly so they cannot turn in the same papers, with one exception. Would you believe I have to post a reminder that if they are repeating the class that they have to turn in the assignments I post for that semester, not what I assigned another semester or another teacher assigned for the same class!!

OK, end of rant. I will calm down and get back to work.

[Carolinagal]

This is the major problem of our society , thinking we are owed and should have something we have put no effort into earning !!! This is an accepted fact in all areas of life, whether we've earned it or not if the other guy has it I'm entitled too and so what, I'm setting on my butt !!!

My opinion, you sure earn your wages, and good for you not giving up your beliefs.

CArol

[Acadianmom]

We need to get the government out of the schools. You can bet anything the government get involved in they can mess it up. The school superintendent in one of the neighboring parishes took the "no child left behind" BS to heart and wouldn't expel kids that were threatening and attacking teachers. When teachers started quitting and they couldn't find any that would work for them he finally got fired.

Martha