The Venting Thread

[Parasaurolophus]

Dear editorial assistants,

Anonymizing my paper does not necessarily require me to remove all mentions of my name. It's true, I cite another paper of mine for corroborating evidence. But I did so third-personally, as I would and do invoke anyone (and everyone) else in my paper. I could easily have cited it as [redacted for review], as you suggest I do, but I judged that doing so would compromise review, because it's obvious which paper is being cited (hint: it's the only other one on this topic in our whole discipline). So, you know. Worth a thought.

Your zealousness does you credit, but you are wrong. Nonetheless, I've now resubmitted it as you instructed.


Yours,
-[redacted for review]

[mamselle]

Linked In, you're a useful pain at times, but has it ever occurred to anyone there that there might be a REASON I don't want to be linked to, congratulate, or otherwise associate with certain former co-workers?

One was a make-work fluffernutter, on was actively dangerous, and one was a well-meaning, clueless idiot who didn't back me up when they could have, and made me decide I didn't need the cachet of writing for them after all.

Oh and that other one? A true raspberry-filled flakeypuff who smiled and spoke inanities that set ones teeth on edge.

So, no. Please just stop suggesting them.

I even hit "Ignore," and you still drag them back before my eyes.

Just. Stop. Now. Please!

M.

[ergative]

Mmm--raspberry-filled flakeypuff. Want.

Or rather, I would want if I could taste it. Right now I have the tail end of a cold that a student gave to me. She asked for a meeting, and then marched into teeny office, announced she'd been in bed the previous day, and could barely speak as a result, and then proceeded to sit right next to me for an hour and breathe on me. And now I'm sick.

My colds always last the same amount of time from beginning to end (about a week), with an odd break in the middle. For a really bad cold, the break is short---half a day or so, between the time my throat stops hurting and my nose stuffs up. With this cold, my throat stopped hurting on Sunday, and then on Wednesday my nose stuffed up. I really hate that mid-cold break. It always lulls me into thinking I've fought off the infection (how funny--this time I didn't get a stuffy nose!), and then I always get worse again with the remainder of the symptoms.

[AmLitHist]

The 90 minutes I spent on documenting the plagiarism in a Comp I student's first paper* this morning could have been spent grading 7-8 other students' papers, and I could have been all done by now.  Yes, I know:  if I weren't here on the fora, I could be done already, too.  Don't get all logical with me.  I'm grumpy.

*No, I don't usually pursue plagiarism charges on a first paper, either in Comp I or II; I usually give a stern talking to, record a zero, and hope to scare the hell out of the writer. 

In this case, though, the guy lost those considerations.  He clearly knows everything and tried to teach the class each of the the first three days. (That finally stopped after I took him aside--for the third time!--after the third class and and explained, essentially, that if he didn't STFU and settle down, I was taking him to see the dean so she could meet him before she'd come in to observe him teaching the next two class meetings while I sat in the back corner).

That, plus the fact that all but 16 words of his 523-word paper was copied verbatim from two extremely crappy websites, made me feel less than generous. Oh, and the paper he gave me was poorly written, poorly organized, vague. . . and an explanation of the S.M.A.R.T. decision-making technique used in business. 

Did I mention that the assignment was to write an informal personal plan for succeeding in my class, complete with four specific questions that need to be answered (What do you expect to get out of this class?  How will you reach that goal? What are bad habits affecting your academic work and how will you break those? What will you do if you struggle in the class?)

Other than that, what he submitted--and what I still need to do another 30 minutes'-worth of documentation on-- was just dandy.

--Sorry.  I'll stop now, and finish those last few papers.  (I told you I'm grumpy.)

[bioteacher]

AmLitHist, it sounds like you have earned a pitcher of Dear Ladies. Free refills, too.

[bioteacher]

First world problem? Yes. But changing my bed today raised my blood pressure. My less than 2 year old cotton sheets are now worn thin to the point where there are holes. It's in the area where my feet are. This is the second or third time I've had this happen in recent years, coinciding with my switch to 100% cottons sheets. I prefer the all cotton. But seriously, king size bed sheets are not cheap! And going online to figure out why this is happening is not helpful. All I find is ten gazillion articles on how to choose better sheets for your budget.
All I want are sheets that are soft, last a long time, free of polyester, and cost less than my mortgage.

[Bede the Vulnerable]

I'm ready to start writing the final chapter of my manuscript.  But I can't get going, because I'm in the middle of an arthritis flare-up.  Even sitting for any length of time hurts badly. 

I'm mid-career, so in no way under the gun with a publication deadline.  But still . . .

[mamselle]

Very sorry to hear of the arthritis issues.

A friend incapacitated by serious RMI in her wrists "wrote" her whole diss. on DragonSys (voice-activated software; you could even stroll around the room, or stand, if sitting were painful)

I think they (then, anyway) used to have a discount for issues related to physical disability. The learning center at one campus I worked at also had people who helped faculty with such issues; I wonder if they might be able to help?

Very painful in any case; again, my best thoughts to you.

M.

[Bede the Vulnerable]

Thanks, mamselle!  I appreciate the good wishes and the advice.  I'll check this out with IT soon.

[FishProf]

Really, Administration?!  The day before classes start was the day to hand down suspensions for ongoing investigations?  I have to staff those classes you fools!

And no heads up?  A complaint was made in MAY and you didn't act until today, but you also didn't tell us in advance.  Thanks.

And it wasn't just me.  You handed down four today that I know of.

[Vkw10]

First world problem? Yes. But changing my bed today raised my blood pressure. My less than 2 year old cotton sheets are now worn thin to the point where there are holes. It's in the area where my feet are. This is the second or third time I've had this happen in recent years, coinciding with my switch to 100% cottons sheets. I prefer the all cotton. But seriously, king size bed sheets are not cheap! And going online to figure out why this is happening is not helpful. All I find is ten gazillion articles on how to choose better sheets for your budget.
All I want are sheets that are soft, last a long time, free of polyester, and cost less than my mortgage.

Are they equally worn top and bottom? If not, try rotating to make them last longer.

[Thursday's_Child]

First world problem? Yes. But changing my bed today raised my blood pressure. My less than 2 year old cotton sheets are now worn thin to the point where there are holes. It's in the area where my feet are. This is the second or third time I've had this happen in recent years, coinciding with my switch to 100% cottons sheets. I prefer the all cotton. But seriously, king size bed sheets are not cheap! And going online to figure out why this is happening is not helpful. All I find is ten gazillion articles on how to choose better sheets for your budget.
All I want are sheets that are soft, last a long time, free of polyester, and cost less than my mortgage.

Would you please 'name and shame' the inferior brands?  My decade-plus old flannel sheets are finally wearing out and, since Sears bought and ruined Lands End, I'm at a loss to know where to find equivalent quality.

[mamselle]

Apropos of nothing above...

OK, this is not the fun it once was.

I'm either going to retire, move to France, or get another job.

Maybe all of the above.

Actually, that nice French pharma is hiring...

Hmm....

M.

[ciao_yall]

First world problem? Yes. But changing my bed today raised my blood pressure. My less than 2 year old cotton sheets are now worn thin to the point where there are holes. It's in the area where my feet are. This is the second or third time I've had this happen in recent years, coinciding with my switch to 100% cottons sheets. I prefer the all cotton. But seriously, king size bed sheets are not cheap! And going online to figure out why this is happening is not helpful. All I find is ten gazillion articles on how to choose better sheets for your budget.
All I want are sheets that are soft, last a long time, free of polyester, and cost less than my mortgage.

Would you please 'name and shame' the inferior brands?  My decade-plus old flannel sheets are finally wearing out and, since Sears bought and ruined Lands End, I'm at a loss to know where to find equivalent quality.

We splurged on some super-expensive sheets 3 years ago and they are already worn out - holes, rips, etc. Is that a reasonable lifetime for sheets?

[archaeo42]

Hiccups. That is all.