Writing is a great outlet for our emotions, especially when we don’t publish it.
One of my favorite episodes of Seinfeld saw George being mocked for devouring his lunch. He was so stricken in shame that it left him searching for the right comeback. On his way home from the office, he ruminated over and over until he found the perfect one. He couldn’t wait to set up a new scenario where he could get back at his colleague.
How often do we do this?
I, myself, used to hold so much conflict in some interpersonal situations that I would run home and re-write them, making me the “victor.” Words — fueled by my…
I've had to "shut up" many times in the classroom. The heat doesn't come from administration--it comes from the students. My evaluations tell me that students don't want to hear people who disagree with them--from the right or the left.
There are so many--TOO MANY--assumptions of how college professors are "indoctrinating" students. To be honest, we're not that influential. In reality, many aren't really paying attention. It's mostly the outliers that are causing the stir.
I want students to be free to express their opinions--just as long as they're informed ones.
What drives us can lead to pain or resilience.
As first responders pulled Tiger Woods’ car from the ditch, the newscasters mulled over Woods’ future as a professional golfer. They recalled his various back and knee surgeries, his age, and his “bad luck.”
They underestimate the power of the human ego…and the human spirit.
When people tell you that you can’t, your ego and your spirit will tell you that you can. Both give you the necessary drive to accomplish goals. …
It’s a path that requires endurance.
One of the managers at work declared she wanted to run the Boston Marathon by the age of 30. She had done a little bit of research, knowing that she would have to qualify for it by running another marathon in three and a half hours. She did the calculations, which meant running the 26.2-mile distance at an 8-minute pace.
“I can run a mile in 8:30,” she said. “I can shave that down.”
I was slightly jealous because I knew my 10-minute training pace often broke down to a 10:30 pace in the marathon.
She asked if she could…
The Power of Zero can be a motivator
My friend, a high school teacher, was telling me her latest frustrations of the changing tide of education. She was told that she needed to accept late work until the end of the term, which meant grading papers, projects, or homework up to three months late.
For students who did no work at all, she was supposed to record their grade as a 50 rather than a zero. Why? Because a zero would make the student “lose motivation.”
In three or four years, I’ll see these students in my class. Although I don’t accept work later than five days past…
Let it begin with you.
My childhood chorus used to sing “Let There Be Peace on Earth” during our Christmas concerts. It was such an easy melody with simple words, even if it ended with high notes some kids couldn’t reach.
Although the song itself is a prayer for peace, it implores us to take action. We encourage the peace within when we sing, “And let it begin with me.”
Outward circumstances might disrupt us and cause us to respond with rage, but peace has to arise somewhere. Martin Luther King, Jr. …
It did with me this week.
My 15-year-old dog took a turn for the worse early Sunday morning. In fear, I rushed him to the emergency room and was thankful that he could be seen right away. After the doctor gave me her initial report, the front desk called me with her estimate of my dog’s plan of care.
The high estimate was $4300.
My heart sank, knowing that this would not only deplete my savings, but also my monthly responsibilities to my bills. People assume college professors are affluent. That assumption is often incorrect, especially for me. …
It wants what’s best for you.
My senior dog’s heart condition drags me out of bed at 3 a.m. After taking care of his business, I retreat to bed, of course bringing my phone. I order the senior dog some more of his senior food.
I check the news. Looks like Warnoff won a Senate seat. I might have to wait a few hours to hear about Ossoff. Stacy Abrams really knows how to get things done.
Let me check Instagram before going back to sleep. Wow, that’s a beautiful picture from National Geographic. Trevor Noah cracks me up. …
Satire
If only job ads could tells us what they really want from us.
The Department of Name Your Major is seeking candidates for the position of Assistant Professor. We are looking for a highly talented and dedicated individual who will spend countless hours feeding the beast. We especially desire candidates who work well with others and possess integrity, although eventually we will promote candidates who step on others’ toes and throw others under the bus. We value hard work, but we can only pay you a salary that will encourage you to teach extra courses during the summer to help you pay the bills.
We believe the right candidate should adhere to the…
It might even help you finish it.
I am one of the world’s biggest procrastinators. I can’t tell you how many projects I’ve started but not completed. In fact, I bought a book on procrastination and didn’t finish it.
Working in the news industry didn’t allow me to procrastinate because each project had to be finished by 11 p.m. — or sometimes earlier. Big projects that took several months or years were more difficult. The only reason I finished my Ph.D. in three years was that I was tired of the meager graduate school stipend.
I’ve been working on the same project for about eight months now…
