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Where was I?

No work, not enough work, too much work, work. That’s been the last six months. Nowhere near enough money, even with too much work (really blew it on this last freelance job—shoulda charged double),...

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You should be dancing, yeah

Okay, that title has nothing to do with this post, but I’m listening to a WNYC program’s discussion of the Bee Gees, and they played this song, so, y’know, why not. Anyway. Classes begin tomorrow, and...

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They tell you not to hang around and learn what life’s about

Another late-late, quick-quick: Started my summer class last week, and man, it was a good start. A small class, but lively, and ready to talk about anything—crucial when you’re stuffed in a room...

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Keep it loose, keep it tight

Sorry for the light blogging, but I had to get my shit together. This is how I am: I let things go, then reel ‘em back in. Not my hang-ups—Hera forbid I would let go of my hang-ups—but various tasks...

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Teacher tells you stop your play and get on with your work

Oy, is teaching takin’ it out of me this semester. In a good way. Last semester I taught 2 courses on Tues-Thurs and 1 course Mon-Wed. Which meant I was commuting from Brooklyn to the Bronx 4 days a...

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It’s gone, gone, gone, and it’s never coming back

File this under “oh for fuck’s sake!” All City University of New York campuses were closed that Monday-Thursday of the storm, and although weekend classes were held beginning that Friday, most of us...

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I can see you in the morning when you go to school

Have I mentioned recently my. . . delight? satisfaction? relief—yes, let’s go with relief—that I live in New York City? That’s because I don’t have to worry about my governor or mayor suggesting that...

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Don’t forget your books

Yes, I am going to comment on David Brooks’s syllabus and no, I am not going to make fun of it. Easy stuff first: attendance and participation–20%; two 2500-word essays, 40% each. That’s not far from...

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You can’t get no cornmeal made

Oh lordy, am I lazy. The less I have to do, the less I get done. Now, on the one hand: Duh! If I have two things to do I get fewer things done than if I have 8 things to do, but that’s not what I mean....

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Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto

It’s a bit of a pickle. How does one—how do I—create the conditions for a good debate on an issue which I think is not debatable? This is a 100-level class on contemporary issues—and the students are...

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Catch a falling star

I’m pretty good at riffing, which serves me well in front of the class. Yeah, I sometimes go off my rails, but if I have to choose in lecture between adherence to a tightly-written script and...

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Doctor, doctor, give me the news

I am a doctor. It’s not a title I use very often: in civilian matters, I stick with Ms. Beats, but in some professional situations, wherein everyone else is using “doctor”, I go with it. I’ve earned...

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Why can’t we be friends

I’m not friends with my students. Friendly—yes, but hanging out with them, exchanging casual e-mails and texts, inviting them to read this blog? No. I’m not opposed to becoming friends with students,...

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She blinded me with science

Quick note/plea: I’m putting together a proposal to teach another 300 general education course (as is the bioethics class), tentatively and excitingly called “Technology & Society”. I’ve begun...

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Teacher teacher, can you reach me

Classes have started again. Thank goddess. I need the money (of course: I always need the money), but it’s more than that. While I’ve been working at home for the 2nd job, I just get. . . antsy before...

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Stand up for your rights

All professors hate grading. Okay, I know, I shouldn’t presume to speak for all professors everywhere, especially since I’m just a punk adjunct and lack the tenure Real Professors™ have, but on this...

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Turn and face the strange

I knew that birthday call to my sister would last awhile—it always lasts awhile—but I didn’t think it would go on that long. This, by the way, is my excuse for not posting last night ~~~ Classes begin...

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Boom boom boom

I am a mine-layer. Some days—most days?—the most I can accomplish is to fling out enough mines that at least some will burrow into rather than merely roll off of my students. I’m a pretty good...

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Wait wait wait

Two things: 1. The reasons I want to be on Twitter are the reasons I shouldn’t be on Twitter. 2. Want to make something relatively small relatively big, and then small again? Easy: Don’t do that small...

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This whole frigging place will be down to the ground

I’m teaching Weimar this semester. Two months ago—a month ago—I didn’t know that’s what I’d be teaching, but once I hit on it, I thought Yessssss!! This is actually the 4th version of my Politics and...

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