Funny, I don't feel old. Nope, not a day older than yesterday. But somehow, I'm getting the feeling other people think I've somehow reached this "thing" and now, well, I'm old.
Okay, I lied. I do feel a bit old, since my back has decided to go belly-up on me (how's that for mixing the metaphor? Yikes!). But I still had fun at Disneyland with D, and I still like chocolate mousse. And I'm still here, damnit.
13 June 2008
15 May 2008
Good Heavens, that's frightening!
You know, it's really frightening when you go to a meeting with the various and sundry folk who are supposed to be in charge of graduate students, and find out that they know less than you do.
For example, since when did becoming Doc2A automatically become "not in good standing"? Guess what, it doesn't mean that. But that's what the school of Humanities thought, so guess what? No HOT for me (or for others) and no summer teaching for us, either.
And why is it that I know where $$ comes from better than deans? I mean, if I know the "head count" money -- meaning the per student $$ that the campus gets -- comes from the Legislature, how come an associate dean thinks it comes from UCOP? Why am I better versed in UC funding than a dean? I mean, really.
Good news, normative time still means something, regardless of Doc2A status. Bad news, I'm telling them where they're wrong. Somehow, this does not bode well for the state of graduate education, methinks...
For example, since when did becoming Doc2A automatically become "not in good standing"? Guess what, it doesn't mean that. But that's what the school of Humanities thought, so guess what? No HOT for me (or for others) and no summer teaching for us, either.
And why is it that I know where $$ comes from better than deans? I mean, if I know the "head count" money -- meaning the per student $$ that the campus gets -- comes from the Legislature, how come an associate dean thinks it comes from UCOP? Why am I better versed in UC funding than a dean? I mean, really.
Good news, normative time still means something, regardless of Doc2A status. Bad news, I'm telling them where they're wrong. Somehow, this does not bode well for the state of graduate education, methinks...
17 April 2008
An I Don't Want To Day
I've decided, now that the kitties got me up far too early, to have a "I Don't Want To" day. I don't want to get up, go to work, do dishes, feed the kid, feed the cats, pick up the dry cleaning, teach my class tonight...yep, nope, don't wanna.
But yet, I have. Well, other than tonight. Which means exactly what? That I'm a bona fide grown up now?!
But yet, I have. Well, other than tonight. Which means exactly what? That I'm a bona fide grown up now?!
08 April 2008
of taxes and taship
96 people affected. You'd think the IRS could get its act together, eh? Ah well. Moving forward.
If you don't take your exams your 3rd year, you can't teach your 4th. But if you go more than 3 years past your exams, you are officially a Doc2A, and still can't teach. Funny thing, catalogs. They're contracts, and mine doesn't have a normative time to degree. But still, I was going by the one in the 2004 catalog...7 years. And now I'm getting penalized for it.
This is ridiculous.
If you don't take your exams your 3rd year, you can't teach your 4th. But if you go more than 3 years past your exams, you are officially a Doc2A, and still can't teach. Funny thing, catalogs. They're contracts, and mine doesn't have a normative time to degree. But still, I was going by the one in the 2004 catalog...7 years. And now I'm getting penalized for it.
This is ridiculous.
21 March 2008
The count rises...and my ex
The count now stands at 19 of us who have had our SS# stolen. I'm guessing someone is going to do some seriously hard time for this when he or she is caught.
And in the midst of all this, my ex comes to town today, towing his "shadow" -- a big guy named Kevin -- I don't know, should I be comfortable with my daughter being around two ex-addicts? I mean, really. It's just...
There are days when I really wish he would just stop trying to be in her life, and get on with it. Of course, that's mean, isn't it. But I have so little respect for him, and so little trust in his ability to think about her needs. It's annoying.
And in the midst of all this, my ex comes to town today, towing his "shadow" -- a big guy named Kevin -- I don't know, should I be comfortable with my daughter being around two ex-addicts? I mean, really. It's just...
There are days when I really wish he would just stop trying to be in her life, and get on with it. Of course, that's mean, isn't it. But I have so little respect for him, and so little trust in his ability to think about her needs. It's annoying.
20 March 2008
The Mystery Deepens
So, did my taxes. And it comes back that I've already filed. Well, shit. Really? Funny, you'd think I'd remember that.
Turns out I and (as of 9 p.m. on 20 March 2008) 17 other grad students have had our Social Security numbers stolen and used to file taxes, and from the others I've talked to, it appears that they've all been filed in Texas. Huh, I think I drove thru there once...
At any rate, I find this out by accident on Monday, so I send an email to folks, asking them to spread the word, and suddenly the police, who didn't seem very interested in this back three weeks or so ago, are suddenly all over it like ants on a hot watermelon. And the campus has finally sent out an email asking for anyone thus affected to call the police.
Hmmm. Am I delusional, or is it only when there's a threat of shit hitting the fan that things finally get done around here?
Turns out I and (as of 9 p.m. on 20 March 2008) 17 other grad students have had our Social Security numbers stolen and used to file taxes, and from the others I've talked to, it appears that they've all been filed in Texas. Huh, I think I drove thru there once...
At any rate, I find this out by accident on Monday, so I send an email to folks, asking them to spread the word, and suddenly the police, who didn't seem very interested in this back three weeks or so ago, are suddenly all over it like ants on a hot watermelon. And the campus has finally sent out an email asking for anyone thus affected to call the police.
Hmmm. Am I delusional, or is it only when there's a threat of shit hitting the fan that things finally get done around here?
27 February 2008
This Blogging Thing...
I have to admit to not really knowing if this blogging thing is going to work or not. I think it's an idea, but there's something about it that invites a certain anonymity, and in turn, a certain ability to be cruel, that I don't know that I'm comfortable with. I think, however, that it might be useful. Or therapeutic. Or something like that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)