The Fora: A Higher Education Community

There are four hungry little robins in the nest, and increasing numbers of hummers at the feeders!

I've never thought about it. At a glance, two years seems insufficient--I'd be relatively comfortable with five, I think, and I guess I could make three or four work. But I'd really have to believe that my writing was on the wall.

Quote from: Parasaurolophus on May 13, 2024, 07:24:33 AMMore today.

I did it.

There's a rumour going around at my place that some senior faculty will be offered buyouts this fall.

I can be bought, and everyone has their price. I'm sure my price is too high, but I'm curious . . . . .

What's your price? Two years' salary? Three? One? A fake gold watch and steak knives?

There's been a few bear sightings in the DC area lately:
https://wtop.com/animals-pets/2024/05/watch-black-bear-politely-wanders-through-arlington-co-neighborhood/
Scroll past ad breaks to read full article. Posted online 5/13/24

We went to the shopping outlets and had To Go dinner from Olive Garden. It was a nice day to be outside too!

Quote from: bio-nonymous on May 13, 2024, 12:09:04 PM

Quote from: apl68 on May 08, 2024, 06:15:49 AMI heard coyotes a good deal growing up, but never saw any.  They apparently don't get close enough into town here to hear them.  We do have them in the region.  A couple of years ago a young woman in our church went deer hunting and said that all she saw was a coyote.  Somebody told her "You should have shot him--I hear they make great tacos!"  I really don't think that coyote tacos will ever catch on.

Ick! That seems to me to be like eating dogs--not my style. I hope they were just kidding around?

Definitely kidding. 

Although, now that I think about it, I've never been to a coyote function on Taco Tuesday.  For all I know, maybe they do know how to make great tacos.

Quote from: apl68 on May 08, 2024, 06:15:49 AMI heard coyotes a good deal growing up, but never saw any.  They apparently don't get close enough into town here to hear them.  We do have them in the region.  A couple of years ago a young woman in our church went deer hunting and said that all she saw was a coyote.  Somebody told her "You should have shot him--I hear they make great tacos!"  I really don't think that coyote tacos will ever catch on.

Ick! That seems to me to be like eating dogs--not my style. I hope they were just kidding around?

Not a predatorial journal per se, but this was just kind of funny.

Even though I no longer work for my old uni, I still have access to all their pages and apps.  Someone just neglected to push the "off" button on me.  Since I am trying to register for some grad classes, I checked my email and got this email from one of those on-demand, personalized textbook publishers.  It was just, well, odd how the frustration bled through.

Subject Line: "Last Email From Me For a While, I Promise!"

QuoteDear Wahoo,

As the subject line says, this will be my last effort to get in touch with you! Similar to dating, it takes two interested parties for it to work :).

Are you open to having a conversation on course materials?

If you aren't interested, please let me know and I'll move on with my efforts.

Thanks, Wahoo! Wishing you all the best!

Sincerely,
Camryn

I feel like this is one of those online dating stalkers (I mean, I've never had that happen to me, just supposing...).  Or is this a badly designed ploy to get a reaction?

I'm gonna continue to ghost Camryn just to see what happens.

Thanks, Clean. I already teach online every summer, so this won't interfere with that.

The problem with taking more partial FMLA in the fall is that it eliminates my chance for OL. I'm scheduled for load, plus 2 OL sections (as I was last fall when I had to take the entire semester off). Then, and again this fall if I have to do it, I was unable to teach my 2 F2F classes but still taught my 4-class load online. It probably makes me sound money-hungry, but I really need all the OL I can get, both to beef up my retirement as I near the end of my career, but also because I'm the only one working. (My spouse has been retired for 10+ years, with only minimal Social Security each month, and I also support our oldest adult child who is bipolar and has a TBI but has repeatedly been denied SSI.)

So. . . it will all work out, somehow. I'd just rather hobble to work for the first few weeks of the fall, if needed, and keep the online OL. Push come to shove, I'll get my doctor to prescribe/requisition an on-campus aide to help me get to/from the car when I teach (only Tuesdays and Thursdays). Aside from the OL, though, I do like your plan, Clean! We don't get to take our sick leave with us when we quit, either, and I have over a semester's worth built up. Once the pension is where I want it to be, I plan to take that semester off to do exactly as you say and get all the "maintenance" done while I still have the health insurance!

And I shouldn't be venting at all: I do have a job and insurance, so there's that.