The Coffee House

limr · Jun 19, 2015

KenC said:
limr said:

Y'know, by the time the readings were over, I was so punchy that I couldn't help but laugh at the whole thing. At one point, our receptionist just looked at me and said, "And what the hell happened to your hair?" I just couldn't stop laughing. Apparently my hair looked good before I started reading and then afterwards, all the hair pulling and clutching and propping up of my head in my hands had ruined my 'do

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Kudos to you for being able to do that job without going postal. The little bit of teaching I did many years ago was at times very aggravating, even though it was only part-time, and I can't imagine what would have happened if I had to do it for an extended period of time.

It's funny - I think I might go crazy if I don't get to do it for too long.

Both my "desk" jobs (the admin at school and the paralegal job) are ones that I tolerate for the moment. I regularly feel trapped and there are often moments when I just have to leave for a few minutes and take a walk or something because I would start screaming if I didn't get out of there. If these were my only jobs, I'd have totally given up by now. I'd probably be drinking and smoking like crazy because I just wouldn't care about self-destructing.

Teaching is different. As much as I bang my head against the desk when I'm grading or sometimes fielding aggravating emails from students, when I am actually in the classroom, it all falls away. I almost never feel bored or trapped. Some days I might be tired or not in the mood and so I start the class watching the clock and wanting it to be over, but I tell you, within the first 10 minutes, I become so immersed in what we're doing that I don't notice the clock anymore until suddenly it's time to stop. And when I've had a really good class, I'm on cloud 9 for days.

KenC · Jun 19, 2015

limr said:
As much as I bang my head against the desk when I'm grading or sometimes fielding aggravating emails from students, when I am actually in the classroom, it all falls away. I almost never feel bored or trapped. Some days I might be tired or not in the mood and so I start the class watching the clock and wanting it to be over, but I tell you, within the first 10 minutes, I become so immersed in what we're doing that I don't notice the clock anymore until suddenly it's time to stop. And when I've had a really good class, I'm on cloud 9 for days.

Yeah, I experienced this at times, but I also had a lot of resistance from students who claimed the course work was unreasonably difficult. This was an introductory Chemistry course at the college level, which really was something overlapping HS and introductory college level. On a couple of occasions when I got a little annoyed I pointed out that in many other countries all of this course would be HS level, and some of it even below that.

Gary A. · Jun 19, 2015

I haven't the patience to teach. I haven't the patience to learn. And I'm so broke I can't even pay attention. (Which hasn't any relevance to anything but digression.) I think that two of the the highest paid positions in our society should be cops and teachers. (But, but, but ... with a lot of caveats tossed in).

limr · Jun 19, 2015

KenC said:
Yeah, I experienced this at times, but I also had a lot of resistance from students who claimed the course work was unreasonably difficult. This was an introductory Chemistry course at the college level, which really was something overlapping HS and introductory college level. On a couple of occasions when I got a little annoyed I pointed out that in many other countries all of this course would be HS level, and some of it even below that.

I finish that sentence a little differently: "When I get annoyed, I point out that college is hard and it's also not compulsory, and there's the door should you decide to leave."

minicoop1985 · Jun 19, 2015

Howdy, hosers. Another craptastic day here. More suicidal issues. More depressive issues. Can't move and go where I need to go today. All I can do is sit here and wallow in my misery, which makes me MORE miserable. Yay!

Gary A. · Jun 19, 2015

limr said:
KenC said:

Yeah, I experienced this at times, but I also had a lot of resistance from students who claimed the course work was unreasonably difficult. This was an introductory Chemistry course at the college level, which really was something overlapping HS and introductory college level. On a couple of occasions when I got a little annoyed I pointed out that in many other countries all of this course would be HS level, and some of it even below that.

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I finish that sentence a little differently: "When I get annoyed, I point out that college is hard and it's also not compulsory, and there's the door should you decide to leave."

When I run into college kids whining ... I just tell then that college isn't for everybody.

limr · Jun 19, 2015

Gary A. said:
When I run into college kids whining ... I just tell then that college isn't for everybody.

Ayup!

In the meantime...

minicoop1985 · Jun 19, 2015

Well, I'm alive and got to do the things I needed to get done, so there is that.

vintagesnaps · Jun 19, 2015

Michael you are having quite a week, aren't you? Glad you at least were able to get out and get done what you needed to do.

Leonore I love the teaching part, the working with kids part. It's all the other crap that gets in the way. I've thought I might want to teach a class at college level sometime... or nah, maybe not! lol I don't feel in any big hurry to get into that.

I'm doing (or supposed to be) a couple of different online courses, one on film noir and the other being two video courses on bookbinding and printing. I say supposed because instead of working on it yesterday I got to watching Annie Hall. Not my fav but it kept me from having to do any real work! lol Sleeper is more my kind of movie.

minicoop1985 · Jun 19, 2015

Yeah, it's been a doozy, to say the least. Have a wedding tomorrow, so here's to hoping that goes well.

vintagesnaps · Jun 19, 2015

Sometimes I think it can help to have work to focus on, to fall back on your skills and what you enjoy. Hope it's a good day.

Have watched the film that was for 'class' - and it was a good one! - this kind of 'homework' is fun! In every movie everybody is wandering around in the dark half the movie and there are windows with blinds or stair railings casting shadows... Well I like being in a darkroom so I guess this is right up my alley!

limr · Jun 19, 2015

vintagesnaps said:
Michael you are having quite a week, aren't you? Glad you at least were able to get out and get done what you needed to do.

Leonore I love the teaching part, the working with kids part. It's all the other crap that gets in the way. I've thought I might want to teach a class at college level sometime... or nah, maybe not! lol I don't feel in any big hurry to get into that.

I'm doing (or supposed to be) a couple of different online courses, one on film noir and the other being two video courses on bookbinding and printing. I say supposed because instead of working on it yesterday I got to watching Annie Hall. Not my fav but it kept me from having to do any real work! lol Sleeper is more my kind of movie.

Loved Sleeper! That class sounds fun. Do you get to watch The Third Man?

vintagesnaps · Jun 19, 2015

I don't know... Sleeper isn't for the class, Woody Allen is what got me distracted instead of doing what I planned to get done! lol

It's thru Ball State (continuing ed.) and on TCM's site. Their 'Summer of Darkness'... ooh, spooky... I get emailed a Daily Dose of Darkness (dum da da dum), and there's a weekly quiz. But anyone can do as much or little as they'd like, just need to take the quizzes to get the certificate of completion.

Just looked and it's on next Friday night, late. The films for the class are on during the day and you're supposed to watch/record at least one or two. The evenings are just for fun, although the 8pm tonight was suggested. I'm trying to stay up for the later movie tonight, I've seen the one on now, but I don't know if 'll make it! already yawning.