So today was the EVALUATION. I was so nervous, the event certainly deserves all caps. It went fine, though not spectacular. Dept Head was only there about 15 minutes, and when I read the written eval, I'll keep that in mind. How well/shittly can I have done in a few minutes, really? This is my grain of salt.
My TA is a flake though. This is the second time I stayed after class to meet her, no big thing, I just wanted to say hi. Nada. Never called, no email now. I hope she makes my copies for me for Wednesday. If she keeps standing me up, I'm SO NOT buying her a Christmas present. For. Reals.
Kev got a tattoo today. It's ginormous. So big. I'll post a picture when he and his arm come home. I have decided that I am going to get my own tattoo, probably with this guy. I am worried, however, that I'll be allergic to the inks, seeing as how I can only use unscented soaps and detergent. Perhaps I shouldn't make a lifetime commitment to having a substance under my skin. Ya know, for eternity?
In other news, my Good Friend Andrew (formerly of Sheepshank) and his wife Nicole had a baby this weekend. It's a girl, named Kira Noelle Mariposa. She's beautiful, I can't wait to meet her. I have a link up to his blog, over on yonder table, but it's in some way all effed up. Any suggestions on what I did wrong/how to fix it, I'm all ears. Actually, all hair, I'm having the Frizz Problem again. Holy hell, my hairdresser needs to come back from vacation, doesn't she know that my appearance was the most stressful consideration of the EVALUATION today?!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Lauren's Secret
Well, the honeymoon's over, ladies and gentlemen. Whine whine whine, I have to be observed lecturing this coming Monday. Perhaps this is so my supervisor can make sure I'm not teaching the students to make bombs or hosting early-morning keg parties or something. I dunno. But he wants to do this in the next week or two. Dun dun dunnnnn.
Problem being:
Mon- I've planned a short-ish lecture on MesoAmerica (not at all my strongest subject, and sure to be lackluster in my performance)- followed by a quick run-through of the course site and a quizlet
Wed- review for exam
Mon after that- Yom Kippur- we're off
Wed- the exam
So, naturally, he took my suggestion of the Monday after that, (when I lecture about Egypt, and will be super dorkily into it) put in in a neat little box and packed it under his bed. He's coming on Mesoamerica Monday, and I now have to weekend to fill out my lecture.
Owww, agita. But! I am going to buy a new and professionalish looking shirt for the occasion, and perhaps new shoes as well.
So here it is, a previously well-kept secret I have for boosting confidence when presenting. Sexy underwear. Because then, right there, you have an advantage over everyone else in the room, who do not know about your cute booty! Far better than imagining the audience naked, which, given their ages, seems more inappropriate than bomb making and keggers, by a long shot.
Problem being:
Mon- I've planned a short-ish lecture on MesoAmerica (not at all my strongest subject, and sure to be lackluster in my performance)- followed by a quick run-through of the course site and a quizlet
Wed- review for exam
Mon after that- Yom Kippur- we're off
Wed- the exam
So, naturally, he took my suggestion of the Monday after that, (when I lecture about Egypt, and will be super dorkily into it) put in in a neat little box and packed it under his bed. He's coming on Mesoamerica Monday, and I now have to weekend to fill out my lecture.
Owww, agita. But! I am going to buy a new and professionalish looking shirt for the occasion, and perhaps new shoes as well.
So here it is, a previously well-kept secret I have for boosting confidence when presenting. Sexy underwear. Because then, right there, you have an advantage over everyone else in the room, who do not know about your cute booty! Far better than imagining the audience naked, which, given their ages, seems more inappropriate than bomb making and keggers, by a long shot.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Blogging is, like, totally hard sometimes!
Argh! Don't worry, I am not signing off or anything, but I have been very very scattered recently. I have to get into a routine, and while it's starting to come together, I haven't made time for blogging in a bit. Or studying for prelims, but oh well!
RE the groundhog- his name is Henry and I may have made my peace with him. We'll see, as long as he stops going nose to nose with my cat!
RE the teaching- have had a couple of good classes, but rightthissecond, am freaking the fuck out. My boss would like to observe me, and I hate hate hate that. And what's worse, he wants to do this in the next two weeks. Well, in two weeks on Wednesday(my natural inclination to be putting it off as far as possible!) I'm giving an exam. Monday is Yom Kippur, and we have the day off (wow! A religious holiday, something my own fine institution would nevah grant!). Okay, so that's out. Next Wednesday is the review session/ "how to write a thesis because omg that part of our project is due on Friday- shit!" workshop. So that leaves Monday. As in 4 days from now. And? AND?! I'm lecturing on Mesoamerica, something I know precious little about. And I am going to give a practice test. Bah! So this is conceivably one of my rockier lectures, and he wants to observe me then? Ohhhh noooooo!!
I finally got them to talk today, which was very nice. I'm going to start doing this every class, because now that I'm more comfortable with them, I want to get to know them. I am getting better about waiting for them to talk. I feel a little like they're testing me, and I don't think they know the infinite patience I possess. I will win.
And since this section of the class is my weakest area, I've been preparing for class a LOT. Very dependant on my notes, which totally frickin sucks, but I can't do much about that. I can't WAIT! to start teaching stuff that I'm more familiar with. But I like this teaching thing, all in all. It's tough sometimes, but I can admit now that I was deathly afraid that I'd get to this class and realize that I had wasted my time in grad school. I want to be better for them, and though I'm more than a little afraid of the criticism I'll receive (in this observation and in the course evals), I have to do it so I can be better for them.
outro- sappy orchestral music, and the audience chants- Laur-en, Laur-en, Laur-en (a la Ru-dy, Ru-dy, Ru-dy. Except I'm not a not-too-bright but very nice football player. Or something)
RE the groundhog- his name is Henry and I may have made my peace with him. We'll see, as long as he stops going nose to nose with my cat!
RE the teaching- have had a couple of good classes, but rightthissecond, am freaking the fuck out. My boss would like to observe me, and I hate hate hate that. And what's worse, he wants to do this in the next two weeks. Well, in two weeks on Wednesday(my natural inclination to be putting it off as far as possible!) I'm giving an exam. Monday is Yom Kippur, and we have the day off (wow! A religious holiday, something my own fine institution would nevah grant!). Okay, so that's out. Next Wednesday is the review session/ "how to write a thesis because omg that part of our project is due on Friday- shit!" workshop. So that leaves Monday. As in 4 days from now. And? AND?! I'm lecturing on Mesoamerica, something I know precious little about. And I am going to give a practice test. Bah! So this is conceivably one of my rockier lectures, and he wants to observe me then? Ohhhh noooooo!!
I finally got them to talk today, which was very nice. I'm going to start doing this every class, because now that I'm more comfortable with them, I want to get to know them. I am getting better about waiting for them to talk. I feel a little like they're testing me, and I don't think they know the infinite patience I possess. I will win.
And since this section of the class is my weakest area, I've been preparing for class a LOT. Very dependant on my notes, which totally frickin sucks, but I can't do much about that. I can't WAIT! to start teaching stuff that I'm more familiar with. But I like this teaching thing, all in all. It's tough sometimes, but I can admit now that I was deathly afraid that I'd get to this class and realize that I had wasted my time in grad school. I want to be better for them, and though I'm more than a little afraid of the criticism I'll receive (in this observation and in the course evals), I have to do it so I can be better for them.
outro- sappy orchestral music, and the audience chants- Laur-en, Laur-en, Laur-en (a la Ru-dy, Ru-dy, Ru-dy. Except I'm not a not-too-bright but very nice football player. Or something)
Monday, September 11, 2006
So not a nature girl
I've lived in the city of Philadelphia all of my life. In fact, I've lived in the same zip code for most of my 27 years. I am very much a city girl. This fact became blazingly apparent when my boss started looking for a house. Being of suburban origin, herself, she became interested in lot sizes and the elaborateness of the yard (art historian, can make up own words, remember?). I'm all, "why?" Because stuff like that is not really important to me- ya know, trees and grass and stuff.
This being said, I have to say that there is just one thing about living in the current house we have that disturbs me. In general, living in a single house has many advantages over living in a rowhome. For instance, I can vaccuum at whatever time I want to, I'll only disturb those who live in the house with me. And I can also build any furniture at any time, for the same reason.
The ginormo lawn at this house doesn't bother me too much, nor does the pear tree in my neighbor's yard that shits little pears everywhere.
Rather, it is the vicious little creature that steals the pears. We have a groundhog, y'all. For serious. Bill Murray/Andie MacDowell action up on our street, and this ain't Punxatawney. It's the strangest looking animal I've ever encountered, and it bothers my cat when she's in the yard.
Seriously, why do I have to share my yard with this?
Please, send help
This being said, I have to say that there is just one thing about living in the current house we have that disturbs me. In general, living in a single house has many advantages over living in a rowhome. For instance, I can vaccuum at whatever time I want to, I'll only disturb those who live in the house with me. And I can also build any furniture at any time, for the same reason.
The ginormo lawn at this house doesn't bother me too much, nor does the pear tree in my neighbor's yard that shits little pears everywhere.
Rather, it is the vicious little creature that steals the pears. We have a groundhog, y'all. For serious. Bill Murray/Andie MacDowell action up on our street, and this ain't Punxatawney. It's the strangest looking animal I've ever encountered, and it bothers my cat when she's in the yard.
Seriously, why do I have to share my yard with this?
Please, send help
Friday, September 08, 2006
Tidbits of fun
There are quite a few things I've been meaning to write about, but right now I am at my only normal job. This might be one of the tidbits, which will commence, in list form, startinggggg....now.
1. I've acquired the supposedly extra-cash gig of watching my nephew on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I haven't gotten paid yet, but it's very fun. Except when he has an earache. Which he did yesterday. This lead to the bizzarre event of me reaching in my bag today and pulling out a (clean, for goodness' sake!) diaper. I DON'T HAVE A KID. But I do have a carseat. And apparently, the means to change said kid I don't have, should the need arise.
2. I picked up the two copies of my thesis that I had library bound. I look like a REAL writer, woo hoo! I may take photos, if I can find a way to blur out my last name and the university (ya know, teh interwebnet crazies and all) and still have an interesting image.
3. I gave a really boring ass lecture on Wednesday. I felt like a turd standing up there, all blah blah blah. (Hey, did you know that there are no pictures available of Charlie Brown's teacher that I could post here? Weird! Did we ever see her? I recall shoes, at least.) Nevah again! Luckily, there aren't too many lectures that I have to give that I know nothing about- Native American architecture is Monday, but it's a little more understandable to me, and I'll be more animated if I have to have espresso delivered by IV!!
4. There's a guy in my first section who stares at me the whole time I'm talking. I think he thinks I'm the biggest idiot in the whole wide world. Hatred, I tell you. Then, when we're finished? Thanks me and tells me to have a good day. CRAZY! I know.
Well, that may be all. No one will ever read this blog if I don't get in the habit of posting something (awesome) every day. Blah! Off to WholeFoods for lunch! Viva las organicas! Or something
1. I've acquired the supposedly extra-cash gig of watching my nephew on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I haven't gotten paid yet, but it's very fun. Except when he has an earache. Which he did yesterday. This lead to the bizzarre event of me reaching in my bag today and pulling out a (clean, for goodness' sake!) diaper. I DON'T HAVE A KID. But I do have a carseat. And apparently, the means to change said kid I don't have, should the need arise.
2. I picked up the two copies of my thesis that I had library bound. I look like a REAL writer, woo hoo! I may take photos, if I can find a way to blur out my last name and the university (ya know, teh interwebnet crazies and all) and still have an interesting image.
3. I gave a really boring ass lecture on Wednesday. I felt like a turd standing up there, all blah blah blah. (Hey, did you know that there are no pictures available of Charlie Brown's teacher that I could post here? Weird! Did we ever see her? I recall shoes, at least.) Nevah again! Luckily, there aren't too many lectures that I have to give that I know nothing about- Native American architecture is Monday, but it's a little more understandable to me, and I'll be more animated if I have to have espresso delivered by IV!!
4. There's a guy in my first section who stares at me the whole time I'm talking. I think he thinks I'm the biggest idiot in the whole wide world. Hatred, I tell you. Then, when we're finished? Thanks me and tells me to have a good day. CRAZY! I know.
Well, that may be all. No one will ever read this blog if I don't get in the habit of posting something (awesome) every day. Blah! Off to WholeFoods for lunch! Viva las organicas! Or something
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