Friday, April 30, 2010

The Light in the Distance...

I need a break. This school year has been difficult at best. Not just for me...our entire campus is exhausted.


Yesterday and today a particular student called me multiple times to beg me to let her turn in her end of the semester work.  I told her that my grades for her online course were due at noon today.  If she could get me her binder before noon, I would count it.  At 12:10 today her sister entered my office with the binder in question.  I opened the binder and guess what was in there?  Blank pages.  Yes, you read correctly.  Blank pages.  After holding up an entire class of grades, this student turned in a binder with blank pages inside.

I called said student on the phone and told her that her binder was incomplete; she would not pass the class. 

Said student responded, "What do you mean my binder is incomplete?" 

I explained to said student that her pages were there, but that the pages were blank. 

I promise on a stack of bibles that said student began to argue with me about whether or not her pages were blank. 

I described the blank pages to her.

It gets even weirder.

After I described the blank pages, said student continued to argue that the pages were NOT blank...BUT the reason she didn't do the assignments was because she didn't understand them.

Yes, I was confused at this point as well.

I explained that 10 minutes after grades were due was not the appropriate time to mention to the instructor that you did not understand the assignments and that there was nothing I could do to help her now...the binder is a major portion of the grade in the class.  Without a complete binder, she would fail. 

Then, yes, ladies and gentlemen, said student continued to argue...apparently she expected me to take some kind of responsibility for her lack of work, the excuse of not understanding should negate the fact that she didn't complete her work, and with the rising volume and tone of her voice, I guess I was supposed to be intimidated.

At this point I was stunned.  That's really just about all I can say.  I was stunned.  Speechless.

Said student then yelled into the phone, "My binder is NOT blank!!" and hung up on me.

Right now I'm having a difficult time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel...I know it's there...I can even hear the distant rumbling of the train. But, I'm still at that place where I've just picked up the sound and haven't quite decided whether it's a welcome sound or an ominous one. 

After spending 3 hours entering grades for 3 classes of students due to a server reminiscent of dial up internet, I have put 3 of the 7 classes I teach to bed.  The other 4 will be tucked in next week.


I'm looking forward to focusing on other things...I have books and magazines to read, a pool to swim in, a house that needs a serious cleaning, and 3 girls who need a full-time mommy the last few weeks of their school year. That's me. And, I can't wait.








Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Best Buds

We rescued Hermione after Hurricane Katrina, and she is just about the most laid back, gentle dog I've ever had.  She loves everyone and everything.  

Even Beneigt.
Beneigt and Hermione are buds.
Well, sorta.


Beneigt likes to test Hermione's patience.



I think it drives Beneigt crazy that Hermione doesn't act like most dogs and chase him.



C'mon, Hermione...don't ya just want to jump at me??  Even just a little?



Well....nah...no thanks, Beneigt.


You gotta be kidding me! What kinda dog are you anyway?



I'll even let you be the boss.


It would really be a lot of fun.......



Sheesh!



I believe Hermione secretly enjoys driving Beneigt crazy. ;)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Landscapes

PW is having a Landscape Photo Contest over on her blog.
I love to participate in her photo contests...if for no other reason than to see all of the submissions from around the country from real people just like moi :)

The last photo contest was "macro"
I know nothing about macro so I just enjoyed everyone else's work.
Another thing I don't know anything about is Photoshop.
I'm a SOOTC kind of gal (I learned just recently that means straight out of the camera) ;)

The only thing I have experimented with is saturation.
I like the way it makes the photos "pop."

 These are the pictures I'm submitting for PW's Landscape Photo Contest:

I took these photos in New Mexico last Spring Break.


I LOVE New Mexico.



How much I love New Mexico probably has something to do with the fact that the Head of My Household and I went there on a skiing trip during Spring Break last year.
Just the two of us.
Our kids were MAD!!!


The Head of My Household tricked me into riding on this thing.
I had to talk myself out of having a panic attack the entire ride.
I'm not afraid of heights.
It was the fact that the little carrier thingie swung around as it made its way up and down the mountain.
There were also these little kids who kept jumping around!!
Hooligans!


I so enjoyed the rugged natural enviornment in New Mexico.


The artistic culture is everywhere and took my breath away at everything from landscaping, architecture, folkart, and even our hotel bungalow.

This is the house we bought while we were there.
We plan to retire here.
Ha!! Yeah, right!!!!
In my dreams ;)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

May is around the Corner

This is not an academic blog. 
But, it's impossible to ignore my reality as May approaches.
The end of the semester is getting closer and closer.
This is what my desk looks like:



As a rule I don't bring my work home with me.
That's not always been my rule, but since I've been following this rule, I really think I like it.
Yet, this still awaits me at work:


These need to be graded too.



Looks like a stack of A's to me ;)

Oy!