accomplishments...
1) Cleaned off computer "desktop"
2) Tricked senior work student into doing a project of mine that will actually be USEFUL.
3) Chose date for physics midterm, only to be told by students that the date falls during spring break.
4) Agreed to work on sprawling international physics curriculum project, without discussing how much I will be paid.
5) Had the Sex.
6) Did I mention I cleaned off my desktop?
Thursday, February 21
...
Some stuff went down today that I was going to post about, but then I got home tonight to learn via email the one of my students for two semesters was killed yesterday. And I'm finding it, for various reasons, more upsetting than I would expect. Anyway... it would be inappropriate to talk details, of course. Sad, though.
Some stuff went down today that I was going to post about, but then I got home tonight to learn via email the one of my students for two semesters was killed yesterday. And I'm finding it, for various reasons, more upsetting than I would expect. Anyway... it would be inappropriate to talk details, of course. Sad, though.
Wednesday, February 13
iced in, stressed out...
Today was more than a little bit exhausting. The stress from the weather started things off. We got about 4" of snow last night, topped overnight by an inch of sleet and freezing rain. The crap plowed over the end of the driveway was so solid, that when I tried feebly to shovel it, the blade of my snowshovel bent in a laughably cartoony way. It looked as if it should have been accompanied by a *boi-oi-oi-oi-oing!!* sound.
So the only way out of the driveway was to slam the car in reverse and floor it into the street. On the first try I got stuck halfway. Then I pulled up a few feet and slammed it back again. I made it out. I had planned to take a later train than usual (7:31 instead of 6:29) to give the plows some more time to work, and to let twilight begin so I could spot the ice better. I followed a few salt truck most of the way to the train station, which was good for my traction, but bad for my timing.
Good news, the 7:31 was 15 min late, so I had plenty of time. Bad news, the 6:45 had been cancelled, so there were twice as many people on the train as usual. By the time I got to school, I had about 20 minutes before class started. This, I hate, because it gives me no time to think. And today I had planned to derive the formula for the Bohr energy levels of Hydrogen from scratch, which is the kind of thing I like to "practice" first. No time for that. Miraculously, the classes seemed to go fairly well.
Then in my afternoon class, I'm teaching the biology of the ear. It's this "science of sound and music" class. I find this class really tiring, and I think I've figured out why. I think it's because I'm always teaching right up to the edge of what I know about. When I'm teaching quantum mechanics or relativity or thermodynamics, I'm only teaching up to about 1/4 to 1/2 of my depth of knowledge of the topic. When I teaching fucking BIOLOGY, I'm teaching 99% of what I know, which I think makes my brain hurt. And I think I live in constant fear that someone will ask me a question that I can't pretend to know the answer to. Not that I have a problem admitting to that, but I think the whole situation lends these sorts of classes a little edge of fear/stress.
Anyway. Wednesdays are tiring. No school tomorrow, though. I get to go to the DENTIST instead! Not much more enjoyable. In fact, I'm kind of starting to hate my days "off". There is always some activity demanding my time that is more objectionable than going to work. Maybe I enjoy what I do too much. I just wish it didn't give me such a headache.
Today was more than a little bit exhausting. The stress from the weather started things off. We got about 4" of snow last night, topped overnight by an inch of sleet and freezing rain. The crap plowed over the end of the driveway was so solid, that when I tried feebly to shovel it, the blade of my snowshovel bent in a laughably cartoony way. It looked as if it should have been accompanied by a *boi-oi-oi-oi-oing!!* sound.
So the only way out of the driveway was to slam the car in reverse and floor it into the street. On the first try I got stuck halfway. Then I pulled up a few feet and slammed it back again. I made it out. I had planned to take a later train than usual (7:31 instead of 6:29) to give the plows some more time to work, and to let twilight begin so I could spot the ice better. I followed a few salt truck most of the way to the train station, which was good for my traction, but bad for my timing.
Good news, the 7:31 was 15 min late, so I had plenty of time. Bad news, the 6:45 had been cancelled, so there were twice as many people on the train as usual. By the time I got to school, I had about 20 minutes before class started. This, I hate, because it gives me no time to think. And today I had planned to derive the formula for the Bohr energy levels of Hydrogen from scratch, which is the kind of thing I like to "practice" first. No time for that. Miraculously, the classes seemed to go fairly well.
Then in my afternoon class, I'm teaching the biology of the ear. It's this "science of sound and music" class. I find this class really tiring, and I think I've figured out why. I think it's because I'm always teaching right up to the edge of what I know about. When I'm teaching quantum mechanics or relativity or thermodynamics, I'm only teaching up to about 1/4 to 1/2 of my depth of knowledge of the topic. When I teaching fucking BIOLOGY, I'm teaching 99% of what I know, which I think makes my brain hurt. And I think I live in constant fear that someone will ask me a question that I can't pretend to know the answer to. Not that I have a problem admitting to that, but I think the whole situation lends these sorts of classes a little edge of fear/stress.
Anyway. Wednesdays are tiring. No school tomorrow, though. I get to go to the DENTIST instead! Not much more enjoyable. In fact, I'm kind of starting to hate my days "off". There is always some activity demanding my time that is more objectionable than going to work. Maybe I enjoy what I do too much. I just wish it didn't give me such a headache.
Monday, February 11
bits...
* Scheduling a phone call this week with my producer from NPR (I've decided to start referring to him as "My Producer" since I don't know how else to refer to him, and because it sounds really snotty) to set up a time to do my next piece for The Bryant Park Project. (Topic: Time Travel) My current plan is to suggest a sort of unpaid-internship arrangement during my sabbatical semester in '09/'10 where I would work on some kind of extended "science correspondent" basis. I'm not sure how long to wait before bringing up this idea.
* Just the right number of students have dropped my classes, bring the totals down from 38 and 25 to 32 and 22.
* I watched the movie "Helvetica" and it has had several lasting effects. First, I am hyper aware of the fonts on all of the signs in NYC now. Second, I have the urge to redo my blog and all of my Keynotes in said font. Third, I would like to start labeling all of the objects I own in big 12" descriptive lettering.... "CAR", for example.
* Some kid left his iPod in the class before mine this morning, and I tucked it away for safekeeping until he returned frantically looking for it. It was just like mine. Had it been an iPod Touch instead, the urge to reply, "iPod, no... didn't see one" would have been awfully powerful.
* Meanwhile, on Valentine's day, there will be a drawing for a MacBook Air which I have entered to win every day since early January. Cross your fingers for me.
* It was four degrees when I left the house Monday morning. I read somewhere that the water on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan would be frozen so thoroughly at -200ºC that it would be as hard as granite. After scraping the snow off my windshield when at 4º... I find this fact easier to believe.
* The kids and I have just passed the 60-hour gameplay mark on "Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". This means that we got our money's worth, but I think all of us are waiting for it to just be OVER.
* Scheduling a phone call this week with my producer from NPR (I've decided to start referring to him as "My Producer" since I don't know how else to refer to him, and because it sounds really snotty) to set up a time to do my next piece for The Bryant Park Project. (Topic: Time Travel) My current plan is to suggest a sort of unpaid-internship arrangement during my sabbatical semester in '09/'10 where I would work on some kind of extended "science correspondent" basis. I'm not sure how long to wait before bringing up this idea.
* Just the right number of students have dropped my classes, bring the totals down from 38 and 25 to 32 and 22.
* I watched the movie "Helvetica" and it has had several lasting effects. First, I am hyper aware of the fonts on all of the signs in NYC now. Second, I have the urge to redo my blog and all of my Keynotes in said font. Third, I would like to start labeling all of the objects I own in big 12" descriptive lettering.... "CAR", for example.
* Some kid left his iPod in the class before mine this morning, and I tucked it away for safekeeping until he returned frantically looking for it. It was just like mine. Had it been an iPod Touch instead, the urge to reply, "iPod, no... didn't see one" would have been awfully powerful.
* Meanwhile, on Valentine's day, there will be a drawing for a MacBook Air which I have entered to win every day since early January. Cross your fingers for me.
* It was four degrees when I left the house Monday morning. I read somewhere that the water on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan would be frozen so thoroughly at -200ºC that it would be as hard as granite. After scraping the snow off my windshield when at 4º... I find this fact easier to believe.
* The kids and I have just passed the 60-hour gameplay mark on "Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". This means that we got our money's worth, but I think all of us are waiting for it to just be OVER.
Thursday, February 7
impetus...
I'm not sure why, but the impulse to hop on the train, open the laptop and write a blog entry every morning has almost completely disappeared. I only write now when I feel like I should write because I haven't written in a while. Maybe that's part of the natural ebb and flow of these things. Maybe 8 and a half years of blogging is too much to expect. Most days the minutiae seem too minute anymore.
I'm not sure why, but the impulse to hop on the train, open the laptop and write a blog entry every morning has almost completely disappeared. I only write now when I feel like I should write because I haven't written in a while. Maybe that's part of the natural ebb and flow of these things. Maybe 8 and a half years of blogging is too much to expect. Most days the minutiae seem too minute anymore.
ego...
I spent a while on Tuesday reading my teaching evals from last semester. Top three quotes...
"The only reason people at this school (outside of science majors) take science courses is b/c of Dr. Dave"
"I could listen to him lecture all day. Dr. Dave is the best teacher at The College."
and finally...
"Dr. Dave is a teaching God"
This month is the time of year when nominations for the "Distinguished University Teaching Awards" go in. I know it's stupid, but I really want to win that one year. This year would be perfect, actually... what with the upcoming tenure review and all. I considered putting a link to the nomination form on my Facebook page, but decided that might be unethical. Or at the very least... tacky. I don't think you are supposed to "campaign" for these things. I mean... if you really are a Teaching God, you shouldn't have to ASK, dammit.
I spent a while on Tuesday reading my teaching evals from last semester. Top three quotes...
"The only reason people at this school (outside of science majors) take science courses is b/c of Dr. Dave"
"I could listen to him lecture all day. Dr. Dave is the best teacher at The College."
and finally...
"Dr. Dave is a teaching God"
This month is the time of year when nominations for the "Distinguished University Teaching Awards" go in. I know it's stupid, but I really want to win that one year. This year would be perfect, actually... what with the upcoming tenure review and all. I considered putting a link to the nomination form on my Facebook page, but decided that might be unethical. Or at the very least... tacky. I don't think you are supposed to "campaign" for these things. I mean... if you really are a Teaching God, you shouldn't have to ASK, dammit.
Tuesday, February 5
i, on the other hand, do NOT love a parade...
It's only the first stop, and already I can tell that the train is going to be clogged with non-commuters traveling to the city for the big Giants victory parade. I hate non-commuters. They don't know how to behave. THERE IS NO TALKING ON THE MORNING TRAIN!!!
Last week, some guy gets on the PATH train and asks if it goes to 33rd street. Then he says he's trying to get to New Haven and solicits some advice. He was from California. I know this because after asking directions, he launched into his entire life story. Hey, buddy... welcome to New York, please join us in our stone-faced silence!!
Anyway... what kind of people keep their kids out of SCHOOL to go to a football parade?? If three teenage boys in football jerseys try to squeeze into my block of seats here, I'm going to be PISSED.
It's only the first stop, and already I can tell that the train is going to be clogged with non-commuters traveling to the city for the big Giants victory parade. I hate non-commuters. They don't know how to behave. THERE IS NO TALKING ON THE MORNING TRAIN!!!
Last week, some guy gets on the PATH train and asks if it goes to 33rd street. Then he says he's trying to get to New Haven and solicits some advice. He was from California. I know this because after asking directions, he launched into his entire life story. Hey, buddy... welcome to New York, please join us in our stone-faced silence!!
Anyway... what kind of people keep their kids out of SCHOOL to go to a football parade?? If three teenage boys in football jerseys try to squeeze into my block of seats here, I'm going to be PISSED.
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