Independence?

For the first time since I was 15, I came home for a holiday and did NOT do laundry. (I don't think this is actually reflective of some new-found independence. This is a direct result of a purchase of a new washer and dryer.)



What did you do for the first time this holiday?

5 things Meme

Overwhelmed by a food coma, this seems to be the perfect time for a meme.
Tagged by EcoGeoFemme

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago

1. Trying to decide if I would apply to additional colleges.
2. Off school for my trimester break. (I *loved* being on trimesters in high school)
3. Fighting a wicked case of mono.
4. Listening to a lot of Tool.
5. Dreaming of having a car of my own (I finally bought one, more than 5 years later.)

5 Things on my to do list today

1. Be nicer to N.A.
2. Map out the shopping route for tomorrow. (no, Mom and I will *not* be shopping at 5 am)
3. Figure out this whole college loan repayment thing. (I've been deferring up until now, so I've completely ignored the whole situation.)
4. Eat pie.
5. Watch Survivor!

5 snacks I love

1. Chocolate crossiants
2. Gouda on french bread
3. Cheerios and soymilk
4. Chocolate-covered coffee beans
5. Oatmeal

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire

1. Buy a Prius
2. Buy a house
3. More travel (some trips off the top of my head: Japan, Australia, and Argentina)
4. Travel to meet my sponsor child (the organization I go through actually helps facilitate trips like this)
5. Pay off my mom's house

5 places I've lived

1. A very, very hot city
2. A very, very cold city
3. LargeUtown
4. California
5. TempCollege Village

5 jobs I've had

1. Plant pot washer at a nursery
2. Day care worker
3. High school teacher
4. Grad student
5. College prof!

I tag.....anyone too full to think of a non-meme post. If you do this meme, be sure to comment so that we can all go read your answers!

Breaking bad habits

Old habits die hard. As a grad student, I never took Thanksgiving off. No classes meant more time for lab, not turkey. At Christmas, I took between five and eight days off, but only because travel was at least 12 hours one way. Throw in a few long weekends and a summer nine day, and you've got about three or four weeks of sporadic vacation time a year.

Not bad, right? Well, the problem was that I never truly unplugged. Even out of cell phone range, I would still locate an internet cafe, plug in a few Euros, and answer work emails. Christmas at home meant I could catch up on literature or do preliminary research for a grant.

Yet even though I made vacation time semi-productive, I always felt guilty for taking time off. I knew that it was important to take a break, to recharge; indeed, I frequently found myself pleading with younger students to take some well-deserved time off. Still, from the moment I wheeled by bags to my car to the second my plane returned to LargeUtown, I was guilty for leaving the lab. We had a saying in the group: "Every day you take off is a day added on to your time in grad school."

So this week is a milestone of sorts for me. All of my colleagues took this week off. We mostly follow the academic schedule. Sure, the little breaks from class are great opportunities to get caught up on grading or research, but Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break? You are considered odd NOT to take the chance to travel. So the milestone? I'm sitting here, typing, far away from TempCollege Village, and I have no guilt for being away from the office. My pile of grading will be finished by next week. I'll finish my lectures in the next couple of days. Today, I will do some Christmas shopping, pick up some coffee, and maybe even read a book.

Although it had become second nature for me to feel guilty away from work, perhaps this is one bad habit I can actually break this year!

Sick Students

It seems like my students are always sick. Last month, it was the flu. Two weeks ago, a stomach virus was going around. Last week, three students informed me that they had a very personal kind of infection. (Remember? I get all the gory details.) And this week? They all sound like they have whooping cough.

But do my ailing students ever go to the doctor? Do they take advantage of the health center and get as much free cold medicine as possible to balance out their insane tuition and fees? Heck, no.

I don't understand it. They act surprised that the health center will actually do them some good. Sure, back in my undergrad days, all I ever got from the health center was some gatorade and a pat on a head. But the health center here at TempCollege is staffed by a team of actual doctors, and the facilities are awesome.

What will it take to get them to the doctor? I perpetually smell like Purell and orange juice as I try to keep their germs away from me. All I want for Christmas is a germ-free classroom

Dance your Ph.D?

(How about FINISH your Ph.D.) Yes, folks, tomorrow is the deadline for submissions for the 2009 AAAS Science Dance Contest. I must say, I'm impressed. Not by the choreography or stunning technique. Okay, there is one that is about lobsters (which I love to EAT), which has impressive (although pointless?) effects (FIRE!!!) and a Cirque de Soleil shark:



No, I'm impressed that these grad students, postdocs, and professors have the time to choreograph the "moves", design costumes, AND perform the pieces. What. The. Hell. This is truly impressive. When I was a grad student, I barely had time to eat (let's not talk about grad student hygiene, okay?) let alone create a dance about my thesis.

If I had though, mine would DEFINITELY have looked something like this (as this was what I was doing most nights around 10 pm, just to stay awake long enough to continue my underwater basketweaving):




So. (yeah, you lose all words after watching that, right? I wonder what Mia Michaels would say??)

What would YOUR dance interpretation of your dissertation be?

An open letter to my students

When you miss (skip?) class, I do appreciate your emails letting me know that you are, in fact, alive and (mostly) well. I'm glad to hear that you've gone to the health center to get checked out. I'm more than happy to go over missed material with you once you are back on your feet.

However, it would be GREAT if you would hold back a FEW details. For example, I don't need to know that you missed class because of

- a case of persistent diarrhea

- a horrible breakup with your boyfriend

- a failure to recharge your cell phone

- a hangover

- a need to finish a paper for your history class

- an infection "down there"



Mmmmkay?? Thanks.


Sincerely,

Dr. Reaction

happy birthday to me

Somewhere along the way, I completely missed my blog's birthday! So happy birthday to unbalanced reaction.

I started this blog during the start of my job application process. Although I never expected (or wanted) to end up in a visiting position, here I am. It couldn't be a better fit for me, both professionally and personally. My collegues are wonderfully supportive, my students are (mostly) open-minded and hardworking, and the whole environment is very intellectually stimulating for me. Although it sucks being so far away from N.A., if I hadn't taken this job, I would have accepted a tenure-track (or instructor--yikes) position even further away from N.A. Then we'd have the ultimate two-body problem: who gives up their TT position for the other?

Right now, we're trying to figure out the best job situation for me. Slowly, things seem to be falling into place. I haven't put any official applications out yet, and it's hard to get motivated to put out job applications for places far away from N.A. I know that it is important to cast a wide net as well as get leverage from offers (therefore putting pressure on institutions in N.A.'s area). I just hate wasting my own time (and that of letter writers) if I just end up staying here at TempCollege for another year or obtaining a job in N.A.'s area.

At any rate, stay posted! Who knows what unbalanced reaction's second year will bring?

Separation of Politics and Classroom?

Today I had to fight against every fiber of my being not to hop up and down with glee during my lectures. I had to keep my hands in my pockets to keep from spontaneously hugging random students, colleagues, or cafeteria staff.

When it come to politics, I like to keep it out of my classroom. I don't think it's professional for me to discuss my political beliefs with my impressionable students. After all, balancing reactions is keeping them busy enough!

Here at TempCollege, it's very acceptable to post political signs on office doors, etc. I refrained, although I must admit I came very close to posting a celebratory "SUCK IT, BUSH-LOVERS" up today....although I suppose that phrasing wouldn't have been so kosher, either.

So what about you? Do you think it's okay to talk about your personal beliefs with students? Did you campaign at your school?

Instant productivity: just add tiny airplane seat

I've been gone all week at my first conference as a (semi) Real Professor. I'm happy to report that I've suddenly found my happy place: my tiny, tiny airplane seat.

I'm queen of small talk. I like chatting with strangers (yes, I realize that that puts me into that category of Americans That Most People Hate). But since I've gotten my Ph.D, my airplane conversations go something like this:

Seat 3D: So, is XXX your final destination?

Me: Yeah, but I have to drive to TempCollege Village.

Seat 3D: Oh, so what is your major at TempCollege?

Me: Oh, I'm not a student; thanks. I teach there.

Seat 3D: Oh.


I guess my life is (1) super boring, (2) no one wants to talk to a professor, or (3) see number 1.

At any rate, I now avoid the small talk trap altogether by keep my laptop out upon takeoff, poised to turn it on the instant the seat belt light flicks off. With typically three hours of gloriously uninterrupted work time, it is just sick how much work I get done.

It's no wonder. I have no email access, no open office door, no faculty meetings, no cell phone going off....ahh....complete technological isolation (well, except for Powerpoint).


Oops, there's my flight. Time to go finish my lectures for the week!