Someone pointed out to me that they were having trouble with the Menards registry link, which is possibly due to the fact that they make everything really difficult there. Anyways, here's that list so far:
1 0 1-1/8" RECIPROCATING SAW RS7 241-9857
1 0 7 1/4" CIRCULAR SAW CS10 BOSCH 241-6586
1 0 14.4V DRILL /DRIVER COMPACT 1.5AH 241-6920
1 0 10" COMPOUND MITER SAW MASTERFORCE 240-0014
1 0 FREEZER, CHEST, 7.2CF,WHT EWCF7WBX 453-5399
1 0 6' FG STEP LADDER T1A 976 560-0860
1 0 24' FG EXT LADDER T2 4924 GREEN 560-0800
1 0 50 PINT ELECTRONIC DEHUM FDF50S1 623-4921
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
M.A.
Done and done.*
15 minutes before my exam, my substitute teacher hadn't shown up. I called him, and it had just slipped his mind. The exam itself was fine. I apparently misunderstand Roland Barthes, but I a) don't care and b) passed anyways. I was irritated to hear that I don't work closely enough with the literature in my thesis, because there hasn't been any literature taught in this department since 2007, but at least they didn't mention the part of my thesis where I accidentally ended a paragraph midsentence. They say an oral exam is the pinnacle of the work you've done leading up to it, and for whatever reason, I feel as dissatisfied with the exam as I do with the work I've done in grad school. This isn't my everyday perfectionism - I've reigned that in here, on the advice of many current and former grad students, although all it's gotten me is a tendency to turn in papers with typos. Maybe this is burnout?
In other news, I got a big fat summer grant, so I won't starve. I actually wanted a summer teaching position, but I realize this is more prestigious. I will count my blessings and work harder tonot go stir crazy achieve healthier structure and balance in my life on my own than I did last summer (ten points if you find me a class on electrical wiring or carpentry that I can take). I was also awarded a fellowship for next year which involves some outreach stuff in area highschools.
I promise, I am excited about all this, even if it doesn't sound like it. Thing is, I'm also run down and facing the enormous mountain of work that piled up while I prepped for this exam and having doubts about the future of higher education. And it's been raining the last few days, reminding me about those repairs we need to make along with the repairs it would be really smart to make if we're going to mess around with repairs in the first place, and how that will cost more than I make in two years. Some people would say "le sigh" here, but now that I have a graduate degree in Germanic Studies, I feel obligated to say das Seufzen.
One more thing before I start unearthing my desk: Rob and I also registered at Menards. You can look at that registry here: http://www2.menards.com/giftregistry/internet/home.jsp
Unfortunately, you can't see pictures of what we want there, but if you're curious, you can take the name of the item and google it.
*Well, done except for finishing my courses for the semester and turning in some paperwork. Hopefully that will really be as easy as it sounds when I write it!
15 minutes before my exam, my substitute teacher hadn't shown up. I called him, and it had just slipped his mind. The exam itself was fine. I apparently misunderstand Roland Barthes, but I a) don't care and b) passed anyways. I was irritated to hear that I don't work closely enough with the literature in my thesis, because there hasn't been any literature taught in this department since 2007, but at least they didn't mention the part of my thesis where I accidentally ended a paragraph midsentence. They say an oral exam is the pinnacle of the work you've done leading up to it, and for whatever reason, I feel as dissatisfied with the exam as I do with the work I've done in grad school. This isn't my everyday perfectionism - I've reigned that in here, on the advice of many current and former grad students, although all it's gotten me is a tendency to turn in papers with typos. Maybe this is burnout?
In other news, I got a big fat summer grant, so I won't starve. I actually wanted a summer teaching position, but I realize this is more prestigious. I will count my blessings and work harder to
I promise, I am excited about all this, even if it doesn't sound like it. Thing is, I'm also run down and facing the enormous mountain of work that piled up while I prepped for this exam and having doubts about the future of higher education. And it's been raining the last few days, reminding me about those repairs we need to make along with the repairs it would be really smart to make if we're going to mess around with repairs in the first place, and how that will cost more than I make in two years. Some people would say "le sigh" here, but now that I have a graduate degree in Germanic Studies, I feel obligated to say das Seufzen.
One more thing before I start unearthing my desk: Rob and I also registered at Menards. You can look at that registry here: http://www2.menards.com/giftregistry/internet/home.jsp
Unfortunately, you can't see pictures of what we want there, but if you're curious, you can take the name of the item and google it.
*Well, done except for finishing my courses for the semester and turning in some paperwork. Hopefully that will really be as easy as it sounds when I write it!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Completely and Utterly Shameless
Good News: We started our registry (we'll add to it as time permits). You can look at it here, you just have to enter my name: http://macys.weddingchannel.com
Bad News: The bridal industry is OUT OF CONTROL. Good lord, there are a lot of gaudy and ridiculous things that are "must-haves for today's bride!" Because a) wedding gifts are only for the bride (not the groom) and b) we really need a complete dinner service for 10, and some crystal champagne flutes with sterling silver tray and matching ice bucket, and some throw pillows hand-embroidered by the Queen herself, and a magical sunflower-shaped butter dish the size of a dinner plate, we just don't know it.
Good News/Bad News: Macy's tells you how many gifts to have in which price ranges depending on the size of your guest list, and we failed spectacularly at registering for things in the $150+ range.
Bad News: The bridal industry is OUT OF CONTROL. Good lord, there are a lot of gaudy and ridiculous things that are "must-haves for today's bride!" Because a) wedding gifts are only for the bride (not the groom) and b) we really need a complete dinner service for 10, and some crystal champagne flutes with sterling silver tray and matching ice bucket, and some throw pillows hand-embroidered by the Queen herself, and a magical sunflower-shaped butter dish the size of a dinner plate, we just don't know it.
Good News/Bad News: Macy's tells you how many gifts to have in which price ranges depending on the size of your guest list, and we failed spectacularly at registering for things in the $150+ range.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Update
Good News: It's warm enough that I'm not wearing any socks!
Bad News: It's already so dry here that there are brush fire warnings, etc.
Good News: I turned in the final draft of my M.A. thesis to my committee. My exam is April 27th.
Bad News: Like pretty much everything else I've ever written, I don't feel very proud of it. And when I shared that with one of my advisors, she said it never changes.
Good News: I'm going to Germany to interview an author, and I just learned that I don't need to apply for or get review from the Internal Review Board (IRB) here for my project.
Bad News: I'm going to Germany to interview an author, and I feel completely unprepared.
Good News: I got a grant for the summer which will pay me to pursue the research I was already going to do. Yay! I actually wanted to teach, but I've come to terms with the fact that this might actually be better for me.
Bad News: We need a new roof. Depending on a variety of factors, we may also wind up needing to replace the siding and storm windows. Boo! Pray, chant, do whatever it is you do to convince the fates to...well, frankly, to shower us with money, or at least help us get a good loan.
Good News: Since I won't be working this summer, I will actually have time to work on the house and especially the yard. We prepped the vegetable garden over the weekend, but haven't planted anything yet. Suggestions?
Bad News: Garden fantasies are really taking a toll on my concentration.
Good News: 4-5 weeks left.
Bad News: 4-5 weeks left.
Bad News: It's already so dry here that there are brush fire warnings, etc.
Good News: I turned in the final draft of my M.A. thesis to my committee. My exam is April 27th.
Bad News: Like pretty much everything else I've ever written, I don't feel very proud of it. And when I shared that with one of my advisors, she said it never changes.
Good News: I'm going to Germany to interview an author, and I just learned that I don't need to apply for or get review from the Internal Review Board (IRB) here for my project.
Bad News: I'm going to Germany to interview an author, and I feel completely unprepared.
Good News: I got a grant for the summer which will pay me to pursue the research I was already going to do. Yay! I actually wanted to teach, but I've come to terms with the fact that this might actually be better for me.
Bad News: We need a new roof. Depending on a variety of factors, we may also wind up needing to replace the siding and storm windows. Boo! Pray, chant, do whatever it is you do to convince the fates to...well, frankly, to shower us with money, or at least help us get a good loan.
Good News: Since I won't be working this summer, I will actually have time to work on the house and especially the yard. We prepped the vegetable garden over the weekend, but haven't planted anything yet. Suggestions?
Bad News: Garden fantasies are really taking a toll on my concentration.
Good News: 4-5 weeks left.
Bad News: 4-5 weeks left.
Friday, April 10, 2009
The waiting game
Still no news about summer funding. So I'm distracting myself by reading the internet working very hard on finishing my M.A. thesis by Monday. And trying to win free soap, which looks good enough to eat. You can check it out too: http://theule.blogspot.com/2009/04/good-clean-soap-giveaway.html
Friday, April 3, 2009
Third time's a charm
I hope that's true, because today after class, my overly tidy professor (see below) handed back the replacement papers we had emailed him, and he COULDN'T FIND MINE. He swore he had read it. I asked if he could at least give me verbal feedback. He replied that he might have given my paper to one of the other students. I said he might print off another copy, since he has it in his email, and give it to me with his comments at the departmental dinner tonight. He said he was at least sure he gave me an A, even if he couldn't remember what comments he wrote below it.
I wonder if I can do this with all the other papers for that class?
I wonder if I can do this with all the other papers for that class?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
More bad news...
No, no, not economic news. It's just been a rough week for those allegedly brilliant academics who run things around here. Below, and excerpt from an email sent to me by a professor (who will remain nameless) about a paper I handed in five weeks ago.
I had guests over Saturday evening, and I did hours of cleaning before they came. Unwittingly, I may have thrown some of your papers away.Unfortunately, this is NOT a joke. He seriously THREW AWAY our papers. Now, maybe it's just me, but I really have MUCH higher expectations for an institution that demands so much of my time and energy that could be going to other things. If I threw away my students' work, I would be reprimanded, disciplined, and probably never allowed to teach again. I have essays, quizzes, and homework from 24 students to keep track of, and this guy, with his humongous brain, can't keep track of 6? Argh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
