The Fora: A Higher Education Community

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: wareagle on September 07, 2020, 06:34:38 AM

Title: A Day of Labor
Post by: wareagle on September 07, 2020, 06:34:38 AM
How many of us are working today?

I know a lot of institutions are plowing right through fall holidays in an effort to condense the semester.  Is yours one of them?

We sacrificed three fall holidays; today is the first.  Still, my campus seems eerily quiet for what is supposed to be business as usual.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: arcturus on September 07, 2020, 06:38:36 AM
My institution only recently started to recognize Labor Day. So the revised schedule (work straight through until American Thanksgiving) is just reverting to normal practice for us. However, they did not give us back the week in August that they stole in the previously revised schedule, so we are actually teaching MORE this semester than normal.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: apl68 on September 07, 2020, 07:24:41 AM
The library is closed for the holiday, but I'm here for a while this morning to get a couple of things done.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: mahagonny on September 07, 2020, 07:27:14 AM
I work seven days a week year round. But I should explain it's difficult to separate my self employment, artistic life from the requirement of my teaching life. They are intertwined. My work is what I do for money and also what I do for enjoyment in my 'spare time.' However, should I ever get solvent enough to retire, I expect I would retire from teaching but not from the other.
Labor day is meaningless to me as an academic worker, because my contract depends on a certain number of meetings throughout the semester. It is piece work. There are no paid sick days, no personal days, although there is a space for these on the paycheck.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: mamselle on September 07, 2020, 08:23:10 AM
I was just thinking of starting a thread on "Laboring on Labor Day," so, great minds....

I have a number of projects whose progress reports will be the subject of a phone meeting tomorrow.

So....no rest, etc.!

On the other hand, I had a very productive, enjoyable weekend, as well, so, no complaints.

Or at least, not very loud ones.

M.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: mahagonny on September 07, 2020, 08:27:44 AM
Quote from: mamselle on September 07, 2020, 08:23:10 AM
I was just thinking of starting a thread on "Laboring on Labor Day," so, great minds....

I have a number of projects whose progress reports will be the subject of a phone meeting tomorrow.

So....no rest, etc.!

On the other hand, I had a very productive, enjoyable weekend, as well, so, no complaints.

Or at least, not very loud ones.

M.

One complainer is an entitled whiner. Ten is a support group. Two hundred is a bargaining unit and positive change.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: Nightshade on September 07, 2020, 08:29:41 AM
Laboring here. No holidays for us at all - even Spring Break is eliminated next semester! Giving exams today, so easier than usual.... but then the grading begins.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: mamselle on September 07, 2020, 08:34:35 AM
Quote from: mahagonny on September 07, 2020, 08:27:44 AM
Quote from: mamselle on September 07, 2020, 08:23:10 AM
I was just thinking of starting a thread on "Laboring on Labor Day," so, great minds....

I have a number of projects whose progress reports will be the subject of a phone meeting tomorrow.

So....no rest, etc.!

On the other hand, I had a very productive, enjoyable weekend, as well, so, no complaints.

Or at least, not very loud ones.

M.

One complainer is an entitled whiner. Ten is a support group. Two hundred is a bargaining unit and positive change.

I don't think I'm whining, nor do I ever see myself as entitled. Venting about something inconsequential, at the most, and acknowledging it as such.

Please don't generalize about individuals based on a word-prompt that triggers a response from some database of epigrams.

OK, back to ignore.

M.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: AvidReader on September 07, 2020, 08:36:29 AM
Labor indeed: in class all day (except this hour, my office hour). I have already answered six emails about whether we are having class today, even though it is clearly stated in multiple places.

AR.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: mahagonny on September 07, 2020, 08:46:05 AM
Quote from: mamselle on September 07, 2020, 08:34:35 AM
Quote from: mahagonny on September 07, 2020, 08:27:44 AM
Quote from: mamselle on September 07, 2020, 08:23:10 AM
I was just thinking of starting a thread on "Laboring on Labor Day," so, great minds....

I have a number of projects whose progress reports will be the subject of a phone meeting tomorrow.

So....no rest, etc.!

On the other hand, I had a very productive, enjoyable weekend, as well, so, no complaints.

Or at least, not very loud ones.

M.

One complainer is an entitled whiner. Ten is a support group. Two hundred is a bargaining unit and positive change.

I don't think I'm whining, nor do I ever see myself as entitled. Venting about something inconsequential, at the most, and acknowledging it as such.

Please don't generalize about individuals based on a word-prompt that triggers a response from some database of epigrams.

OK, back to ignore.

M.

I don't think you're self entitled. I am making the point that while everyone may have vents, but they come be seen as legitimate when a group is able to advocate for those people A kind of pep talk for would be union activists.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: AmLitHist on September 07, 2020, 09:41:14 AM
I'd worked all weekend, planning today as a sit-in-front-of-tv-and-do-nothing day.  Of course, here it is, nearly noon, and I've graded some things, posted Bb announcements, and done a half-dozen odd tasks for my kids, after an early-morning run to pick up groceries curbside at WalMart.  NOON.  I'm stopping working at noon.  (We'll see.)  Our school is off today, though.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: sinenomine on September 07, 2020, 10:06:06 AM
My supervisor is working today, but amazingly, hasn't contacted me. I just spent hours on some paid consulting work, class prep, and a job application, so I've ticked the working today box.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: FishProf on September 07, 2020, 10:27:31 AM
I'm working today (well, not *right* now), bit mostly b/c I am sitting outside an animal hospital awaiting word on my furry little idiot.  Luckily i have my laptop.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: ohnoes on September 07, 2020, 01:23:58 PM
I'm on strike.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: Sun_Worshiper on September 07, 2020, 01:33:02 PM
We're off today, and I've been incredibly lazy, but I am going to pull it together and do a little class prep for tomorrow
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: hmaria1609 on September 07, 2020, 02:02:59 PM
As apl68, library closed for Labor Day weekend. Enjoyed an afternoon of reading today!
*Sniffs* I smell someone's doing BBQ on my street.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: kaysixteen on September 07, 2020, 06:59:17 PM
Took a road trip to Connecticut to visit what perhaps is the best used book store I have ever encountered, but cannot get to often enough, in Niantic.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: mahagonny on September 07, 2020, 07:13:44 PM
In recognition of Labor Day, I could envision someone publishing a list that identifies individuals who intend to spread hatred of workers at the bottom rung of the academic ladder. If we can go on and on about systemic racism we ought to be able to recognize something so conspicuous.
Title: Re: A Day of Labor
Post by: apl68 on September 08, 2020, 07:26:13 AM
Quote from: kaysixteen on September 07, 2020, 06:59:17 PM
Took a road trip to Connecticut to visit what perhaps is the best used book store I have ever encountered, but cannot get to often enough, in Niantic.

It's over 400 miles to the best comic shop I've ever encountered, so I sure can't get there often.  The last bricks-and-mortar shops that I'm aware of in our state just shut down, so I can't even visit there twice a year like I used to.

I've been smelling outdoor grilling here and there when I bicycle in the evening.  The main thing I did by way of holiday celebration was go to the local Sonic and get a banana shake.