The Inhale Thread !

[Antiphon1]

We are employed and look to be for at least the next contract period.  My work is challenging in an annoying but bearable fashion largely due to the wrenching change in delivery.  But so be it.  It's not perfect, but it never is. 

Our children are safe.  The extended family is well so far.  We are trying to worry less starting with ignoring all things coming out of under qualified elected officials mouths.  An unexpected upside to social distancing is not being bombarded by squishy propaganda in every random public space. 

We were just discussing that it feels like the beginning of summer.  It's slightly disconcerting to be working from home on my own schedule at this time of the year; however, the landscaping has never looked better.  We've mulched, trimmed, fertilized and planted in a timely manner and it shows.  The lilacs and irises are stunning.  It's gone from neighborhood shame to yard of the month quality.  Stunning what happens when we have daylight and energy. 

I don't think we've really appreciated how this tiny, out of the way location prepared us for the ennui of forced isolation.  While I'd like a bit more conversation occasionally, I'm not feeling particularly lonely at this point.  The phone works just fine.  Our town is very walkable with less traffic.  I walk to campus and back every morning which wasn't even a possibility three weeks ago. 

All thing taken equally, we've tried to choose to be satisfied with our time away from work and friends.  It's not unpleasant at all.  We're thankful for having a safe, healthy home.  And we'll be happy with this reality until this is no longer our reality. 

[archaeo42]

We received our stimulus money today (direct deposit). I used some if it to make a sizable donation to our local food pantry. My job is more than enough for the two of us and we are lucky to not be in financial straits of any kind.

[Larimar]

We received our stimulus money today (direct deposit). I used some if it to make a sizable donation to our local food pantry.

That's a lovely thing to do, Archaeo. Yay for you!

[AmLitHist]

I had my conversation with the dean to conclude my 3-year faculty evaluation yesterday.  It was far better than I ever expected possible.  (My service narrative was very thin, partly because of health issues the past year and partly because I just stopped giving a damn about 7 years ago.)  She was extremely complimentary and included a lot of substance in her feedback, not the usual "nice job" kind of things.

Interestingly, this followed a very contentious meeting involving her, our chair, the president, and my department faculty last week.  She hasn't learned all she needs to know about our discipline or about our department's history of poor treatment by Admin (e.g., the recent RIF hit our people more than twice as hard as the next closest department's firings), but she's willing to listen and to learn and to admit that our complaints have merit.  She's the first admin in a decade who's done any of this, so while I've never been impressed with her, I am now, in a cautious but hopeful way.

She closed our talk yesterday by saying that of the ~40 evaluations she did this spring, my student evals*, classroom observations, and service and teaching narratives were the best she saw.  It's nice to get that compliment after a rough few years, and also to have it come from someone I feel I can finally work with and respect.

---
*Averages of the marks on my student evals were all 4.5 or higher, with about a third of the questions getting 5.0! That's WAY better than I'd expected, based on a few "problem children" over the past three-year cycle.

TL; DR version:  an unexpectedly good faculty eval, plus, I'm done for another 3 years!

[Vkw10]

I had my conversation with the dean to conclude my 3-year faculty evaluation yesterday.  It was far better than I ever expected possible.  (My service narrative was very thin, partly because of health issues the past year and partly because I just stopped giving a damn about 7 years ago.)  She was extremely complimentary and included a lot of substance in her feedback, not the usual "nice job" kind of things.

Interestingly, this followed a very contentious meeting involving her, our chair, the president, and my department faculty last week.  She hasn't learned all she needs to know about our discipline or about our department's history of poor treatment by Admin (e.g., the recent RIF hit our people more than twice as hard as the next closest department's firings), but she's willing to listen and to learn and to admit that our complaints have merit.  She's the first admin in a decade who's done any of this, so while I've never been impressed with her, I am now, in a cautious but hopeful way.

She closed our talk yesterday by saying that of the ~40 evaluations she did this spring, my student evals*, classroom observations, and service and teaching narratives were the best she saw.  It's nice to get that compliment after a rough few years, and also to have it come from someone I feel I can finally work with and respect.

---
*Averages of the marks on my student evals were all 4.5 or higher, with about a third of the questions getting 5.0! That's WAY better than I'd expected, based on a few "problem children" over the past three-year cycle.

TL; DR version:  an unexpectedly good faculty eval, plus, I'm done for another 3 years!

Congratulations!

[mythbuster]

We just put the e signatures on the refinancing of our mortgage. Somehow, we timed this just right and now have a rate below 3%, and shaved 2 years off the life of the loan. The monthly payments are several hundred dollars less that before, which will make up the paycut Mr. Buster took this month. We are coming out ahead. I'm calling it the unicorn mortgage. Even Clean would approve of this deal!

[mamselle]

I'm still really "out" (from the in/out board) to get work done (and it's getting done!...itself an inhale)...but I wanted to break radio silence just to say that, for all the entitled, worrisome kids one sees, there are still some good ones coming up through the ranks.

My (mostly) middle-schoolers' music theory online class includes one recently-acquired adult student who plays very well, but never had any formal theory instruction.

Two weeks ago, we were discussing intervals, and going over a quiz I'd set them, of identifying various written note combinations. We went round-Robin, calling out in turn, until the adult student said, "Ummm...minor 3rd."

Immediately three sweet voices chimed in, "No, I think that's a Major 6th...yes, it's a 6th...yeah, it's major because..." and I agreed, reinforcing the adult for his efforts...and we went on.

Later, in his lesson, the adult student was still chuckling over it.

He said, "My in-laws were visiting the new baby and I had the lesson on speaker phone in the next room. I had to explain to them that I was getting my b*** kicked by a bunch of 12-year-olds"

I was sort of proud of them....

M.

[apl68]

During our recent days of fine weather local residents have been arranging drive-by "parades" for people who can't get out, like nursing home residents and those with birthdays.  Lots of cheering and waving and knowing people are thinking about them while maintaining social distancing.  Looks like they're getting ready to organize something similar for our high school seniors who are going to be cheated of their graduation.

[mamselle]

We had a folk dance online, with our usual excellent teacher. 20 people total, including two from several states away!

This is the outgrowth of a new group that started last year at a nearby state college, based on the Tuesday night outdoor dances that have been running for 35 36 years now.

My healing foot/leg really appreciated the workout and it was fun seeing people in their living rooms, dancing away!

Thanks be.

M.

[Vkw10]

I broke down and ordered Mallo Cups, which are a once-a-year purchase when I take Great Aunt Nessie to her favorite restaurant, Cracker Barrel, during my annual visit. They arrived in excellent condition, on an unseasonably cool Texas day in May. I ate one gooey sweet cup, then popped them in the fridge to ration out over the summer.

Mallo Cups, rarely found in the South, overly sweet, and yummy.

[mamselle]

I attended the online folk dance again tonight!

We had people from Chicago, WDC, Maine, and our own state attending.

We did 10 dances from 8 different countries, 3 different continents.

My feet are worn out and happy.

Sadly, no ice-cream could be consumed afterwards (there's a very good ice-cream place near where we usually dance outside in the summer) But this time three people remembered to have their ice cream out when we talked afterwards.

Another thing you can do online that you couldn't do otherwise--sometime I bet we have overseas dancers joining us....

M.

[nonsensical]

What a lovely thread. May I join you?

Quarantine was really getting to me, but this past weekend was restful and helped me feel better about things. My husband and I had a date night; we got take-out and watched stand up comedy on Netflix. It was lovely to relax together, plus I went to get our dinner ahead of time and it turns out that the world was still there and I got to experience it. I've been feeling like my whole life is the size of a few rooms, and being out for the amount of time it took to get our dinner and come home was rejuvenating. Then on Monday we got burgers because it was Memorial Day, and they tasted like being on a boardwalk and hearing the sounds of the beach. Now I feel ready for my week to happen.

[mamselle]

Sounds silly, but my upstairs neighbors are gone for a bit!

This means I can practice without risk of complaints, and maybe even play out on the porch this evening, again, if the weather holds.

Small freedoms, such a joy...

M.

[AmLitHist]

Summer classes are ready to go--just need to flip the switch on Bb a week from Monday.

Finished the second baby blanket, which took only a week from start to finish (and could easily have been done in just a weekend of focused work on it).

Seem to have turned some kind of corner with my dean:  we've always been more or less polite, but she seems to be really showing that she "gets it" in recent weeks.  Just had a nice quick email exchange with her over a problem with the online schedule not working, and she is already looking into it.

[mamselle]

Summer classes are ready to go--just need to flip the switch on Bb a week from Monday.

Finished the second baby blanket, which took only a week from start to finish (and could easily have been done in just a weekend of focused work on it).

Seem to have turned some kind of corner with my dean:  we've always been more or less polite, but she seems to be really showing that she "gets it" in recent weeks.  Just had a nice quick email exchange with her over a problem with the online schedule not working, and she is already looking into it.

As I recall, you've been through the wringer with past admins/situations, it must be a sense of relief to have one edging towards the halfway-human side of the scale.

Glad to hear it!

M.