The Venting Thread

[AmLitHist]

It's only Week 3 of the semester, and I already hate people.  I usually don't hate people until at least Week 10.

Better to get it started early. The anticipation can often be worse than the experience.

One of the biggest silver linings of the pandemic for me was that I hated people a lot less when I didn't have to physically go and deal with them. There's something about having that red "X" in the upper corner of Firefox that made it so much easier.

(And Histchick, I'm right there with you, but it's only Week 2 here.  I've had to redo my office hours schedule four--FOUR!--times already, because the secretary, chair, and dean can't get their collective shit together.  I'm not doing them a fifth time. If they try to make me, so help me, I'm filing a grievance for a hostile/capricious work environment.)

[fishbrains]

Okay, people. I'm happy to help with these various concerns, but the solutions cannot involve my engaging in any kind of time travel. I do not possess that superpower.

And if I did happen to possess that superpower, I certainly wouldn't tell you goofballs about it.

[apl68]

Okay, people. I'm happy to help with these various concerns, but the solutions cannot involve my engaging in any kind of time travel. I do not possess that superpower.

Okay, how about mind reading?

[clean]

Okay, how about mind reading?

sometimes just being able to Read Between the Lines is invaluable.


an update:
Provost sends an 'attention all shoppers' tome of an email that included that we CAN put a sign on the door that students entering must be masked.  We can 'sort of' enforce it!  If the student wont wear a mask, we are supposed to go to a bigger room (where the student wont have to wear a mask).

As I have said somewhere, I have months and months of sick leave... If a student wants an in person meeting and wont wear a mask, I will announce that I dont feel well and am heading to the bathroom. IF the student is still here when I return (after 'thinking things over') and still wont wear a mask, I announce I am feeling worse and Im going home.  Once home, I will submit the sick leave request form for the hours remaining in the day.  (YOU MUST DOCUMENT!!!)

[AmLitHist]

During Service Week, faculty were all told--in repeated meetings, with increasing sternness--that faculty MUST ABSOLUTELY determine which students in a room are vaccinated and which are not, so that we could separate the sheep from the goats. . . er, vaxxed from non-vaxxed. . . . and assign small group work accordingly (i.e., only vaxxed work with vaxxed, etc.).  Should we not do this, and someone come up sick, the College and we individually could be liable for forcing a dangerous situation on a student.

[You can probably see this next part coming down Broadway.]

Yesterday, at the end of Week 2 of classes, we received an even MORE sternly worded email from the VCAA, with a distinct "oh, f---, we royally screwed up" undertone, admonishing all faculty that, in no situation and under no circumstances, on penalty of disciplinary action, are any of us to EVER ask any student, faculty colleague, staff member, or other employee, for any reason, about their vax status. 

I can't make this stuff up.  (BTW, this is the same a-hole who personally went out of his way to get himself and the school in a heap of hot water via a grievance and a Federal complaint I have in the works.)

Gives one a real sense of trust that things are being handled well, and the concurrent boost to morale that will light the fire of inspired teaching and faculty engagement.

Um....wait.....

[mamselle]

You (meaning them, not you, ALH) can't serve two masters.

Either you please the brainless idiots or you please the folks with their minds connected to their feet, hands, and mouths.

You (meaning them, again) can't do both, which is what it sounds like they're trying to do.

M.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Interthreaduality.

I only called the plumber THREE times and requested that the guy wear a mask. Did he show up with one? He said they didn't tell him. Luckily, I had a mask to offer that my students wouldn't take.

[clean]

Interthreaduality.

I only called the plumber THREE times and requested that the guy wear a mask. Did he show up with one? He said they didn't tell him. Luckily, I had a mask to offer that my students wouldn't take.

I reported my experience (not one student accepted a mask in the face of the numbers, including that 17% of THAT class' students were positive or quarantined after week 1).  What was your experience when you offered a free mask?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Interthreaduality.

I only called the plumber THREE times and requested that the guy wear a mask. Did he show up with one? He said they didn't tell him. Luckily, I had a mask to offer that my students wouldn't take.

I reported my experience (not one student accepted a mask in the face of the numbers, including that 17% of THAT class' students were positive or quarantined after week 1).  What was your experience when you offered a free mask?

The plumber wore it with no problem. Students ignored me when I offered them. We also have extras in the lab. Maybe they're overly confident? Our state is exploding with cases, but hey... not a big deal- right?

[clean]

While there are earlier sources for this, I had heard that this was the Motto of James Dean.  Perhaps we should put up a poster with an Anti Mask message:

"Why wear a mask?
Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse."

[smallcleanrat]

People I was really hoping would be there for me just...aren't.

Phone calls aren't returned, emails aren't answered, appointments are canceled last minute or the other person just doesn't show up (no explanation).

And it's been happening for months across the board: doctor, therapist, ombud's office, accessibility office, etc...

I'm still getting bills for therapist sessions that were scheduled but never happened.

Ordinarily, when multiple phone calls and emails aren't getting responses, I would go visit the relevant office in person, but that's not currently an option as everything is still remote. All those physical spaces are currently closed.

And there are other services I can't access yet simply due to very long waitlists.

I get that everyone has a lot going on these days, especially with our university's ramp up towards in-person instruction this fall. So...I'm not feeling aggrieved so much as...eh...adrift.

But I do feel very frustrated when reading or hearing someone say "Problems X, Y, and Z aren't something you should be burdening your friends, family, or colleagues with. That's what the such-and-such office is for! Quit complaining, take responsibility for yourself, and reach out for help through the *appropriate* channels." As if it's a given that anyone feeling a need to vent or seek moral support is too lazy or immature to try to solve their own problems.

I've mostly been keeping stuff to myself lately, but after months of this I feel like I'm approaching the limits of my ability to cope.

[arcturus]

SCR - We are here! Vent to us! Use this thread or any other. You are not alone!

[clean]

or hearing someone say "Problems X, Y, and Z aren't something you should be burdening your friends, family, or colleagues with. That's what the such-and-such office is for! Quit complaining, take responsibility for yourself, and reach out for help through the *appropriate* channels.

Hopefully, this 'person' isnt your spouse.  I seem to remember that the SO was not as supportive as probably should be. 

Good luck!  We ARE here.

[paddington_bear]

For three classes I'm using our CMS (Moodle/OnCourse). Something I want to do is working for two classes but not the third! I'd rather it not work for any of them, because then I think I'd have a better chance of fixing whatever it is I'm doing wrong! But I'm doing something right for two classes and then weirdly doing something wrong for the third one? It's driving me crazy!

[mamselle]

Could it be an IT setting behind-the-scenes/software?

Sometimes if a different person sets up a class, they have some tiny quirk in how they do it that creates a code conflict or blocks something that would work otherwise.

At least, then, it wouldn't be your fault....

;--》

M.