Sanity is Restored

One downside of being at my favorite retreat this weekend was missing the blow-by-blow of the Rally to Restore Sanity.  Dang!  

I've been catching up with the reports both near & far, and I'm feeling better about my world just now--two days before election day.  

Crowd estimates for the Washington Mall are hard to come by but most put Saturday's gathering at over 200,000 making it considerably larger than Glen Beck's recent gathering in the same spot.  Regardless of the number, the crowd seen in clips and photos is, indeed, impressive--and many of the signs are memorable! It warms a worried heart.

Seattle had one of the many local 'companion' rallies, and some reports said Seattle was the the largest outside of DC--there were several thousand there despite the rainy day.  (Included three of our favorite Seattle students--way to go guys!)

Couldn't help but add this 'pep talk' from John Stewart as I was uplifted by it--& wanted you to have a chance to hear it, too (it's about 13 minutes long).  Predictably, the press is having difficulty describing the event, especially after many pointed barbs in their direction when criticizing the fear factor.  Thought the words from Stewart's mouth were better than any re-hash... 

Peace.  

Vote if you haven't already...

Hope You Have a Treat, Not a Trick!

Even though I'm not, it feels a little like playing hooky--today after morning classes I'm off to the semi-annual quilting retreat at Warm Beach with my local quilt guild.  It's been the little carrot hanging out there for the last couple of months.  What fun!

I'll be back on Sunday night (in time for the trick-or-treaters).  

Have a great Halloween, wishing you the treats of your choice, and I'll check in with you next week...

Wednesday on Whidbey

Fun Day Out!

Jim & I had a fun 'day-off-the-island' yesterday! Not that we did so much--as in activities--but we spent the day with Nick, Dev & Brittany filled with good food, great chat, and just a tiny bit of shopping/snooping at the 'snooty' center--which is a great place to hang out when it's cold & rainy. Thanks you guys!

Learn vs.Teach

Today marks the end of week 5 for the quarter--are you sick of hearing about my new world yet?
Yesterday was a watershed of sorts. I met with all of my advisees (isn't that a weird word?!) for mid-quarter evals--which is less about writing & more about 'how's it going'.  Couldn't help thinking about my previous job-that-ate-my-life & how onerous and unsatisfying evaluations had become--much more about writing & meeting external regulations, and much less about how people were doing.  Anyway, in my brave new world that would be twenty-one individual appointments throughout the day...("okay, I can do this!")
Needless to say, I was a little travel-weary by the time I was packing up on a dark, rainy night, but I was energized by the process, too.  It was one of those bittersweet kind of days:  some happy, laughing moments, but also hard questions for some, and  listening to others who know that the end may be drawing near.  For all of them it was the first pass through my office door--as Julie said early on, office hours are seldom utilized.  I'm hopeful it won't be the last for many, and for several I hope the next visit will be sooooon.  We are nearing the point of no return; the place where it becomes statistically impossible to pull out of a quarter gone wrong.  For a few, they will need considerable direction & TLC regarding next steps and their possible choices for the future--as they will be unable to advance to the next quarter.

Which in some ways must look like the 'lightning round', I think.  As in:  you thought this quarter was bad, just wait...  For the full-timers this quarter, every morning is a three and a half hour class with one afternoon clinical session per week.  Next quarter they pass go, collect their $200 and move to a clinical site (with me) for two days a week and decrease their class time to only two days a week--but the sessions are over five hours.  I keep looking at that & wondering. Five hours. In a classroom with fifty students. In charge.  Huh. Really? Five hours...  And the course content is much more complex?  Okay then...
But I digress--there will be plenty of time to consider that little gem over the holidays.  Meanwhile there is the second half of this particular game plan to complete.  The quarter is ramping up.
    
This week another mystery of my new world was revealed:  'vocational certification'.  In this state, the 'VC' is a requirement, and although it, too, is a three year process, it is separate and away from the tenure-track process.  I am currently in the midst of writing my completion plan for the objectives I've chosen to meet the state standards.  (I think this might be the payback for not having to write long, torturous evals.)  Continuous quality improvement, or performance improvement plans, or whatever; the language is the same in every work environment I've been in.  I can do this, right?

My land-speed record is increasing but almost imperceptibly.  My goal by the end of the year (as in this quarter) is to have my class preparation less about housekeeping & more about things that matter--and whichever, less time consuming.  I had a tiny glimmer of that in this week's class--but darned if I can quantify what made it different.  The sleuthing continues...    And by the way, in case it's not clear?  I love my new job.  Every day.

The Heroine & the Wacko--or Martha Mitchell Lives!

How ironic that Anita Hill has suddenly surfaced in the news again--she's really been on my mind these last weeks and it turns out, I wasn't the only one!  I'm sure you've heard by now that Virginia Thomas--wife of our infamous Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas--left an early Saturday morning message over a week ago for Anita Hill (now a law professor at Brandeis University), suggesting that she apologize to him (them)...nineteen years later.
I think that Ginni Thomas has it backwards--it's long overdue for Clarence Thomas to come clean with his sleaze factor and apologize to Anita--and the rest of us.  About the only thing positive about this story is that an old girlfriend of Clarence has come forward in defense of Anita Hill, saying the behavior she had described was very consistent with the Clarence she knew in those days.

Anita was, and continues to be, a true heroine in my eyes.  She stood by her convictions in the face of horrible press & fame, never wavered from her testimony in the face of unbelievable odds, and was grace-under-pressure personified.

In sharp contrast, Ginni Thomas was--and it turns out continues to be--a sour, loose-lipped spouse.  The pit bull of the duet.  She is now the CEO of 'Liberty Central' taking in unbelievable amounts of money in an attempt to 'better organize' the Tea Party movement--or in their words "...secure the blessings of Freedom.".  It's one of the 'corporations-make-person' by the recent supreme court decision, a 501(c)(4). (No conflict there, right?) Their website has a video with a down-home Clarence Thomas lookalike (and likely one of the few black faces in their midst) fear-mongering the apparent movement towards a 'European-like social democracy that must be stopped'.  (OMG!--how scary is that image--helping the have-nots!)
Also turns out that Anita is not the only person receiving out-of-the-blue phone calls getting suggestive direction from the girl who think she knows best.  But ya don't suppose that Ginni's cheap shot at Anita Hill is just one more way to rally attention for the wacko factor, do ya?  It made me go looking for their website, unfortunately, and I'm guessing I'm not alone.  (Or maybe she is just another Martha Mitchell:  a little too much substance on board, Clarence isn't home when expected, so let's just make a call for old times sake...that, at least, would make a possible excuse for her outrageous behavior.)

In any case, Anita continues to be a model for all of us--taking the higher road but exposing the unacceptable.  Way to go!

Wednesday on Whidbey

Early morning fog on the spider webs

Three...

Today marks the end of year three for the Untamed Threads blog--although I'm not sure if that's worth a demarcation in time.  Somehow it seemed worth mentioning--if only to myself! 8-) 

I've been inconsistent at best--averaging about 60 posts a year--although since leaving the-job-that-ate-my-life, the inconsistency has become less consistent (is that a double negative or something?!) There are things I enjoy about posting --but the old familiar doubts crop up from time to time.  (It obviously provides something or I wouldn't keep pursuing it, right?) I try not to get too hung up at those moments--just learn from the bump in the road & move on...
I've enjoyed the addition of 'Wednesday on Whidbey' this year, how about you?  For me, it's caused me to be more attentive to a wonderful environment that  surrounds me.  It's so easy to take it for granted after all of these years--but I am truly lucky to live where I do.

Anyway, I have no plans to stop as yet--so here goes another year.  

I appreciate all of the visitors that drop in--just drop me a comment from time to time & tell me what you like (or what you don't). 

Thanks for being along for the drive!

Learn vs.Teach

(this post can be skipped if you're already clear of the difference...)
So ends week five of the new job and week four with students, aka: school daze(d).  Since we last visited with our protagonist, she was finding her way around the building, into the classroom, the clinical lab, and continued to have a puzzled--but pleasant--look on her face.
Two weeks later, 'mid-quarter' is looming and life progresses.  I am still slower than skaditch but my cruising speed is gradually increasing. I'm nearing 80% accuracy with name recall of 72 students. I've met with my newly assigned 'mentor' and so far have not forgotten my lunch.  The puzzled look no doubt has continued but most students now greet me pleasantly--& I consider it a plus that they do not run in the opposite direction when I approach!
I just this week received my assigned list of 'advisees' for the remainder of this quarter and also the next.  That translates into twenty-two individuals (ten in the full-time class and twelve in the part-time class) that will begin meeting with me next week for 'mid-quarter evals' & then will be assigned with me in the clinical setting next quarter (for the full timers)--part timers will still be with me in the lab.  This is the watershed time of the program for some students:  it is nearing the time it becomes statistically impossible to pull out of a stall of poor grades--thus preventing them from progressing to the next quarter.  That forces the conversation of withdrawing from the program and deciding if the exit should be orchestrated such that an option remains to return next year or after. *sigh* It's a sad reality--as I can honestly say every student is giving their all. It's just that in some situations it's just not enough to want it to succeed.  The final verdict is not in for all of them, but it adds a serious tension to the weekly exams.  I respect them all:  it's a grueling schedule.  As I learn more in the 'program planning' phase of my job responsibilities, it's clear things become more challenging next quarter as we pass out of 'fundamentals' & delve deeper into specific areas.  I am 'relearning' many topics & am occasionally surprised to find some texts make topics more complicated than necessary for students.
Lest we think otherwise, though, I think it should remain clear that treading water with tasks is mostly accurate.  Many miles aways from 'hitting my stride' but I can now imagine that could be possible.  It is accurate to say:  I really like it!  I enjoy the challenges. I love seeing a light bulb fire up over someone's head, or the look of accomplishment that replaces the look of worry when a clinical task is 'passed' in the lab. I can't yet imagine how many cycles of certain tasks need to be repeated before they feel 'usual'--but I'm hoping that this time next year, I can anticipate the next step before it comes hunting for me.
I mentioned a mentor.  That's a nice option offered to new staff:  someone outside of your department volunteers to meet with you periodically to offer support, answer questions, smile & listen.  Very helpful!  I've also met with my Tenure Committee--which has helped to demystify the process.  Two years from now will be the beginning of final decision-making--so it's not quite a three year process but more than two.  I've been reassured that one would know well before that time if there is Trouble in Rivercity.  (I can only hope!)  There will be a quarterly meeting, following quarterly observation visits to the classroom--and later to the clinical sites.
So--my fellow students of life:  here's to life-long learning!  Trying to teach the concept is certainly enhanced by the fact that "I R One!".  More later...

Happy Birthday

Today is Number 22 for my favorite physicist.  

How great that it's a Friday--TGIF!!  

Celebrate! 

Reflect! 

Make a wish! 

Have a great day--and a great next year!  

Hugs & Cheers!

Wednesday on Whidbey

View from the breezeway at the back of my building on campus

Imagine

Today is the birthday of John Lennon.

Hard to imagine him at 70--he's frozen in our minds at 40.  

Also hard to imagine it's been 30 years since he left us.  

Remarkable how often he's present in our daily lives.  

Remembering his messages is comforting.  

Imagining his input during these times can be reassuring 

(and sad too, knowing we are without it).  His legacy remains...

Wednesday on Whidbey

Guilty Pleasure

Just wanted to share my extreme indulgence--last week I got my new 'toy' that somehow was rationalized as an assist in my new job.  It's a very sweet 10 inch netbook, weighs less than two pounds & has about 1000 times more power than the first (huge) computer we purchased a little over twenty years ago (at about ten times the cost).  "Bigger, better, faster" is now smaller, better, faster, cheaper--and blue.  (Jim always said we should have a blue computer!).

Truth is, I can certainly do my job without this little prize--but I've been increasingly envious of the mobility I see in others.  It's just too fun!

The Race is On

We're entering the home stretch.  For most of the state, the finish line is well before November 2nd with mail-in ballots.
The heat is on:  Joe Biden comes to Puget Sound next week, and Bill Clinton the week after to Everett.  The amount of money being spent is enough to make your head spin.  (Think of the food & health care that could be purchased with those coffers...)
An organizational change guru I liked used to say:  "What's at risk?  But most importantly, what's at stake?"  There is much at stake this fall.  Every vote will count.  Today is the last day to register to vote on-line but in-person registration is open until October 25th.  Most other states are similar.  As my parents often said, you can't complain later if you don't voice your opinion now.

Worth Noting

Just finished this delightful read. Jennifer Steil tells her story of a recent year spent in Yemen as an editor for an English language Yemeni paper.
It's warm, personal, and a tiny window into day-to-day life in a Muslim culture--especially as it pertains to women.  As a westerner, she has the unique ability to 'see both sides'--or in her perspective, function as a third gender with much more freedom than a native Yemeni woman.  I hope she has more books in her future...

Goodnight, Irene

Today is my Auntie Rene's funeral--which unfortunately I can't attend. She had a rich, full life & was engaged right up to the end of her 95 years (actually only a month shy of her 96th).  Remarkable!
Correction made--I was a year off! 

Although my heart is sad, I've had many warm thoughts this week of her 'welcoming' by all of the brothers (dad included) who have gone before her. We've been lucky to have them in our midst. This spring, while we were gathering photos for Mom's party, I rediscovered one of my favorite photos in the family archives.

Carl, Polly, Elsie (cousin), Irene

The caption on the back says:

"Aug 19, '35 Starting from Uncle Ray's. The beginning of a long drive." And it was--a long road trip down the Columbia Gorge to Oregon City & back.  Don't they look great?!  (Check out the 'driving gloves' on my dad!) What an adventure for the foursome! I loved this picture as a child--they looked so young & stylish & full of fun.  And in a rumble-seat, no less!  The story of this adventure was only one in a sea of many--all of which I loved to hear, over & over again.  

Bye, Rene--travel safely & with love on this road trip.  (...and have a blast!)

Farewell & Thank You

With sadness, the news arrived that Tony Curtis left us--one of my all time fav's.  The list is long, but I especially loved the pairing with Jack Lemmon in "Some Like it Hot", and I will always remember the chilling effect of his portrayal of "The Boston Strangler" as I sat in a dark theater.  

Thanks for the memories...