Enfin!

Well, well, the quarter is now behind us, or at least behind me! Aside from some meetings tomorrow and grading the finals, j'ai fini!

I have finally decided not to teach next quarter, and it was a tough decision, given the fact that it is the only thing that keeps me sane (a regular dose of communication of math!). Hmm, but the last quarter almost teared me apart with its divergent and numerous tasks, and i am still recovering from that unforeseen avalanche. So i decided to put me first this quarter by dropping the only responsibility that i could, and received a 'that a girl' from my twenty-five. :-P Okay, okay, i won't gush! But do allow me a happy sigh?

Mmmm...

Even though i felt quite like the rat on a 'crack'ed up wheel, trying to submit a major proposal, hosting a workshop and presenting at a conference, all within the span of a week (in addition to my already over-extended schedule!), i am happy to report that end results were all good. Of course there were some unforeseen hurdles, such as churning out my slides on plane (LOL, who am i kidding, i do that for every talk!) or getting a last minute email from an administrator asking me to change the name of my proposal if i were to get an LOS. I basically said screw you, i don't fucking care for your letter, but being an academic used a tamer won't happen love and voilà, there was the letter on my desk the next day! And lastly, some dept chairs who were being unresponsive about sending me some reps for my workshop. I asked my dean to work his charm, and guess what, out come rushing reps! Aww, i love my new dean along with my power to use him for blackmailing! hehe, anything for a good cause!.

So yeah, i am getting to be quite a tough cookie, if you ask me :-D in a don't mess with me way.

I had many things to say about the quarter but sadly by now i forgot most of them. Oh yeah, i realized (again) how very different my tests are from all other professors and that how just a different approach can stop most learners on their tracks. But not the ones with, how do i say, well-oiled learning. You gotta have your C&G abilities, Connection (horizontal and vertical), Coordination (flexibility and reversibility) and Generalization (patterns and problems), or you are so heading for a disaster grade in my class. Tough, is all i say!

LOL, sometimes i wonder how i got the tenure with some of the student comments i received on my evaluations! Perhaps because for every 'she is too hard, goes at break-neck speed, expects us to know everything' there were ten 'she is the best i have had, and i learned the most'. Only goes to show that most people are honest and their sight is not tainted by the color of their grades. It's funny nevertheless, how i am well-liked but my tests are well feared at the same time. Now if only we can change the culture of straightforward 'do this, do that' tests, all will be well. Sigh, a girl can dream, can't she?

So yeah, that's all i have time for now, gotta get some stuff done, cause, as one might have predicted, i am off to see mr. mcstudly :-P aka mr jones, as soon as the sun says hello on friday! Yep, yours truly is celebrating the end of quarter in grand style, as she so rightfully deserves!

Yumm, what a treat!