Weather

Nov. 25th, 2008 08:02 am
olivia_sutton: (Tardis)
I woke up to about an inch of snow, again -- but it was still snowing hard.  By the time I left for work at 12:09pm, there was a winter weather advisory -- we're supposed to get 2-4 inches of snow today.  It was snowing during my drive, tho' it had let up alot by the time I got to work (which is south of town, so that probably had something to do with it).
I had to get my grades in today by 6pm, so I was a wreck -- trying to get everything done.  All but one of my networking students passed (whoo -hoo) which is good, considering three were failing going into the final exam and project.  My networking students also did fairly well on the final.
The XP class, OTOH, was a mess.  Two students didn't even show up for the final.  (One of them went from a B to failing because she didn't show up, didn't call, didn't email and didn't contact me, my chair, or the school at all).  The other one was a pertutual screw-up so that was no surprise.  For that class, they have to do a individual project which they are given as a practical final exam -- it's basically a list of things to do (such as set a screensaver with password protect), which I then grade -- there's a point scale for each item.  Of course, I have to score EACH person, on EACH item as they do it.  And I was running around trying to score the exams of 26 students all *screaming* at me for attention -- and I'm doing the best I can but no one's being patient.  It was AWFUL!  Finally, the chair (my boss) who's really sweet comes in --- and by this point I've taken off  my blazer and I'm just in my shirtsleeves and skirt (it was hot as *eck in the lab) and I'm like "I NEED a TA!" (a TA is a teaching asst)  He's like -- "You need help?"  And I kinda' looked at him.  Anyway, he did help me out which was great and eventually I got all the projects graded.
I also had to listen to all the students complain, and complain loudly about the final -- with colorful vocabulary.  I can't completely blame them 'cause it is a difficult final. (The final is part of the Microsoft Curriculm, so it's a standardised test -- as opposed to my quizzes which I write myself based on the homework).  BUT -- on the other hand, I tell the students about the final being hard all the way thru' class, I offered to do more reviewing, and most nights I ended the class with some of the test bank questions (tho' most of the students had left by then -- but techincally they are to stay until class is dismissed).
It's the class from heck --- at least I have a term off from teaching it.
And my networking class was great -- the students were great, and I even got a lot of complements from one of them.  It was cool!

Oh, before I forget -- answers to the music meme will be posted next weekend.  I want to give folks a week to think about it.

Here's the weather from NOAA.  It's 35 F (2 C) Snowing, with fog and mist.  Wind chill is 27 F (- 3 C) and humidity is 96%.  Oh joy.

--Olivia

olivia_sutton: (Default)
Hi all,

Well, I may have mentioned this before, but the technical school where I adjunct has been planning a move for the last term.  Well, last week we were closed for the move, and this week it was completed.  I've now been to the new building twice and it's kinda' a pain to get to, tho' not quite as bad as I expected.  Still, my drive's gone from 22 minutes to 40-plus.  And today, I was halfway down Knapp before I realised I was going the wrong way to get to work.  I ended-up taking a different expressway, and going thru' downtown which is NO fun.  And it was snowing.  It snowed pretty hard while I was entering papers into the grading system and then grading labs.
Tomorrow I get to "babysit the old building" - for pay.  I'm not really sure what this entails, but it's probably re-directing students who show up at the wrong building.
And here's the weather, direct from NOAA:  holy frack 28 degrees F (-2 C) -- I thought it was *cold*.  Wind chill 19 degrees F (-7 C), with snow and cold predicted for the rest of the week.  Winter's here!
Not much else going on today so I'll sign off.
--Olivia

olivia_sutton: (Supernatural)
Hi all,

Well, readers of this blog know that my job is I'm an adjunct professor at a technical school.  Earlier this term when the planning info came out my boss told me I'd have TWO classes -- database on Thursday nights and networking on Saturday mornings.  Both classes have been massively updated with new curriculum from corporate, so I'd have to put a lot of work in -- but not having a third class I figured I could swing it if I worked really hard.  AND I need at least two classes just to pay my bills (never mind like saving or anything).  Well, last week I went in and discovered I was dropped from the database class and instead of working WITH another instructor, and one with a lot of hardware experience for networking, now I'm expected to do everything myself.  I'm less than happy with the decision and I really need to seriously look for another job.  Yes, another teaching job, because I like teaching -- and even an adult education based (non-traditional) student might be Ok, but something, either to add to what I'm doing now, or if I could find it something full time, esp. if I could get benefits - that would help alot.  Sorry to be so whiny, I'm just pretty upset.

--Olivia



olivia_sutton: (Default)
Hi all,

Well, I had an fairly awesome weekend.  Well, except for Friday, and even Friday wasn't THAT bad, all in all.
My schedule this term has me teaching Thursday and Friday nights.  Just before class I popped the lens out of my glasses.  Now I managed to kinda' fix it right away.  And latter during the evening I managed to get the lens in there somehow so it didn't feel like it was going to pop right out any minute.  But when I got home and was changing I forgot to take my glasses off first, pulled off my top and my glasses went with it.  Lost the screw on the frame, andof course the lens came loose.
However, Saturday morning I got my Dad to drive me to a nearby optical place and they fixed it -- for free!
Now, I still need to get an eye appt with my cousin (well, second cousin), since I've been having trouble with things being blurry, but at least I could see.
After leaving the eye place, I went to the Eastown Art/Street Fair.  It was nice -- real small, and I had Dad along since he had to drive me to the optical place (I can't drive without my glasses) so - I couldn't spend as much time as I normally probably would have.  But still, I had a really good time.
Saturday or Sunday I posted my first ever Supernatural fic to fanfic net.  Now, I'm not new to fanfic writing (or reading) but this was my first fic for Supernatural, a fandom that's producing really, really good writers.

Anyway to read "A Far Better Thing" point your browsers this a way:

My Profile:  http://www.fanfiction.net/u/288577/Olivia_Sutton
Directly to the story:  http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4550539/1/A_Far_Better_Thing

I have another longer Supernatural story in the works with an actual Hunt.  And I have an idea for a crossover between the new Who and Supernatural.  (Let's put in this way -- I really liked Donna Noble).

Sunday, I went to mass in the evening which was nice -- the the "contemplative" mass (first time I've ever been handed an instruction sheet for mass) but instead of being boring, it was nice and quiet and the music was actually good for a change.

Also, on Sunday I finally finished off watching Psych S2 -- and it is an awesome show, quite funny, but with angsty character relationships.  I loved "Black and Tan a Crime of Fashion", and the Museum one.

Today, I actually starting watching S3 of Supernatural on DVD -- I re-watched "All Hell Breaks Loose" eps 1 and 2 to start, and then "The Magnificent 7".  Hopefully, I'll catch up on Supernatural quickly.  And I'm watching as well as recording on the new DVR Supernatural S 4.

That's all,

--Olivia


olivia_sutton: (Default)
Hi all,


Well, I'm back at school - as an instructor as regular readers of this journal know.  Yesterday was my first day back (after missing a week due to a chronic illness).  I got a bit done yesterday, preparing folders for each student, especially for the XP Admin class I teach.  Today, I finished up getting XP stuff ready - at least entering all assignments in Pinnacle Gradebook and get three weeks worth of lesson plans posted to the school server, well, handouts.  Today, I worked on the networking class a lot - the handouts are ready to week 5, and assignments are ready on-line in Pinnacle gradebook to week 5 too.  And since we have a staff meeting tomorrow at noon, I'll have time to get other stuff finished.  It's going to be an interesting term since we move to a new location week 10 (of an 11 week term).  So management's solution is to make EACH class session an extra 20 minutes long, and skip week 10 entirely, and then the students and staff report to the new building for finals.   It sounds pretty stupid to me!  I'm worried students will forget to come to the new location to take their final (and complete final projects).  Oh, well, it's out of my hands.

Weather-wise -- well, I'm in the northern US, Michigan to be precise, and about as far from Texas as you can get -- but we had a very wet weekend and Monday.  It was pouring down rain most of the time and heavily overcast otherwise.  All due to the hurricane, I'm sure.
BUT -- the bad weather has blown over and yesterday and today were GORGEOUS!!!  Sunny, cool, few if any clouds.  Just beautiful.   I wish our weather could be like that all (or at least most) of the time.

--Olivia

olivia_sutton: (Default)
Hi All,

Sorry to be so out of  touch for such a long time.  I've been terribly busy with work and then a friend got my hooked on a new show, Supernatural.  Plus I've been having troubles with my electronics at home, so things have been a bit nuts.

First - work.  I ended-up with THREE classes to teach this summer, which is almost a full load.  Two are brand-new to me.  Networking has actually turned out to be a really good class.  I enjoy teaching it (much, much more than I enjoyed studying networking in grad school).  Most of the class is theory-based, which is a strength for me to teach anyway.  And I've added to the out-of-date slides I was given.
Next - Database Development.  Now, that is a class I LOVE.  I love anything to do with databases (I probably really should get my DBA but that's bloody expensive!), and it's a class I've really, really wanted to teach.  I've actually worked with databases since the DOS days (having taught myself FoxPro for DOS with the manual in one hand and the keyboard in the other), as well as using Microsoft Works (flat), Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Transact SQL (including taking the official course), and both the intro and advanced DB classes at Ferris.  I also had a internship in database at a local school system.  The only thing I haven't really had experience with is Oracle (or MySQL, come to think of it) tho' Oracle is supposed to use the SQL language and not it's own.  For database, I've not only added to the slides (plus I have my own slides from the week I subbed last semester), but I've built databases in Access from the case files and in the case of one of the case files - I added dummy data, so I have something to work with when I demo SQL statements this Friday.  I also use my own Media db (Access) and flat-form Excel spreadsheets as samples in class -- trying to teach the universals rather than the specific examples in the book.  Oh, and Visio drawings too
The third class is XP again - and again I have lab first, which just sucks.  It's very difficult to teach the practical labs, then theory - not to mention half my class walks out early!  And, I don't actually like XP admin - it's so picky, and because we're using an official MS book - I can't change any of the slides or presentation.  Yuck.  Anyone out their with suggestions - email me or drop a response to this blog, because I'm hitting my head against the wall trying to get the students at least somewhat interested.
The other problem is I have my DB class on Friday nights (and I love the class - I really do), but I'm usually in the building until around 11pm or later -- and then XP on Saturday mornings (so I have to get up at 6:15am, leave the house by 7:30am to get to work by 8 and get ready for class by 9).  My XP class is turning into the *asterd step-child, 'cause I'm always working on the other two classes (since they are earlier in the week) and not finishing thing like grading  for XP.  This makes *me* feel like an incompetent teacher -  I *don't* want to phone in my class (so to speak).
So -- that's most of the reason I haven't been keeping up my blog -- work's been driving me batty.

One GOOD thing that's happened is that one of my friend's got me majorly hooked on Supernatural this summer.  She let me borrow S1 -- which I watched in about three weeks.   The first 4-7 eps seemed like your run-of-the-mill supernatural show -- but about halfway thru' the season, as  we got  to  see  more of the boys and their  personalities -- wow, was I  hooked.  And the end of S1 just blew me away, esp. the car crash. S2 I ended-up watching in about a week -- getting very little sleep, I'm sure, in the process.
I was majorly hooked!  Since I'm an angst and h/c junkie anyway, my favorite eps won't be a surprise -- "Croatoan", "Born Under a Bad Sign", "All Hell Breaks Loose" -- all of which I've watched multiple times (well, I had to listen to commentaries, and I found a new toy -- our Gateway has a DVD ROM drive that came with still capturing software -- Can you say neat?)  I also liked "In My Time of Dying", "Playthings", "Houses of the Holy" (poor Sam - you'd think he'd *KNOW* better than to hold a seance in a Catholic Church), and "Nightshifter".
From first season:  "Home", "Scarecrow" (OK - they're borrowing plot elements from Neil Gaiman's American Gods - but at least they are stealing from the best), Shadow (need to get the captures from it), Skin (gross - but poor Dean - you know, these guys have GOT to learn to not touch weapons or bodies when they find a dead one), "Something Wicked", and of course "Devil's Trap".
But honestly, I don't think there are any eps. that I really disliked.  And it's very, very rare that I can say that about a TV show (esp. an American one -- the British stuff I watch and am a fan of tends to be more consistent).  And now I'm working my way thru' a lot of fanfic while waiting for S3 to come out on DVD.

Let's see -- work, SN, oh yes -electronics.  My VCR broke -- and I've discovered it's become really difficult to find a new one.  Then my old 27" analog TV broke.  Now -- it's been close to giving up the ghost for awhile now, but it finally died.  And I had replaced my DVD player in, what was it - January or something?
So that was a DVD player, VCR, and TV -- all in 6 months.  Granted, a lot of the equipment was old, but I also think the really, really bad thunderstorms we had early in the spring and early summer had *something* to do with it (I'm in the upper Midwest -- it got BAD; I mean people died!  And my own cousin had a tree fall on his car while he was inside, thank god he was OK 'cause he could have died).  Anyway -- I did end-up with a new DVD player; and a new TV (26" Toshiba flat-panel LCD 720dpi, it's nice), I also finally upgraded our digital satellite service (DirectTV) to a DVR on the new TV.  It was a bit of a nightmare getting all the various pieces to work together, but I've now got everything but a good VCR.  I still need to look for one before they become completely archaic  (if for no other reason than to input the tapes I want to keep into a computer, clean them up, and burn 'em to DVD.  I've also been collecting TV on DVD for awhile now, having started buying things before I even owned a player).
I finally caught up on watching season 3 of Psych - I've been recording it on the DVR.  Still working my way thru' S2 on DVD - as you can tell, been busy.
Ta' ta for now,
--Olivia
olivia_sutton: (Default)
Hi,

Readers of this blog know that I'm a college instructor, in IT, and brand-new at it.  This past term was my first EVER term teaching, I don't even have TA experience, ok?  But I tried, hard, and over the term I really improved.
So, over the last couple of weeks, I was trying to find out my schedule for NEXT term.  And my boss in the IT department wanted me to teach the XP class again.  I said yes, of course, then asked about possibly adding networking or database.  (Not that I like networking, but it seems to be a class that's always open).
Well, then the business chair approached me and wanted me to teach the Microsoft office class, on Saturday afternoon! At the time my IT class was scheduled on Saturday morning.  So I actually refused.  (Well, I said I'd have to think about it).
THEN, a week later, my boss from IT told me they'd re-arranged my schedule (no one had told ME this) and I'd be teaching the IT class on Monday nights, and two sections of the office class, one on Friday nights and one on Saturday mornings.
Well, fine -- three classes, more money, not the best of schedules, but I'm flexable enough that I figure I'll just go for it.
Today, the business chair told me they've taken away BOTH of my office classes.  So now I only have one class.
I didn't whine about it, I just took the news as professionally as I could.  And I'm determined to do a good job in the class I have, expecially with organization.  Besides, I've been through it once, it should be OK.
And, overall, I really think it's unfair.  I mean, the office class, which is for non-majors, had a LOT of students with major behaviour problems.  It was like teaching special ed, or grade school/high school.  And I didn't sign-up for that.  But I did the best I could.
But I do think it's unfair of the business chair to (a) take away my classes, and (b) tell me so LATE - I can't even apply and hopefully get a class at another college as an adjunct.  Brilliant, eh?
So, you tell me, dear readers (as Ann Landers used to say), was it unfair?
--Olivia
olivia_sutton: (Lassiter Head Shot)
Hi all,

Ok, before I get to the "oh boy did I have a bad day", let's go over last night.  Now, Wednesday is my *good* class.  And, anyway, I actually went in to work a little later (I left the house around 2:30pm) because I was reading thru' the textbook, having, already found my notes from MY Microsoft class, and transcribed the relevant parts on NTFS Permissions into my teacher notes.  Anyway, I left after 2pm, rather than around 1 or 1:30pm - and the drive was entertaining to say the least (she said sarcastically) <smirk>  It went from barely snowing to snowing so hard you couldn't see depending on where I was -- literally block by block, well, even less than a block since I live in a rural area and rural blocks are a lot longer than city ones.  But the drive was awful.  And, when I got into my classroom/lab area (the dreaded superlab I've complained about before) I had only like 4 or 5 students, however, eventually the rest of my class drifted in one by one (well, except the student who's about to be dropped for non-attendance).  Still, the class was great like always.  I really do enjoy it.  And, I managed to give my own "mini-lecture" on NTFS Permissions OK.  I mean, I was a bit nervous, but it really did go OK.
Then today, ok, I had a doctor's appt before by lab hours, so I was driving to my appt and there was a car accident RIGHT in front of me.  I mean, immediately in front of me.  Well, I was screaming "Oh, my god!" but also managed to pull over to the shoulder, and called 911 on my cell.  The whole thing was really scary.  This car changed lanes without looking and the other car swerved to avoid getting hit, and then the driver lost control and drove right thru' a road sign, into the median and landed in a snow drift. (Snow was flying everywhere - as did the road sign).  I called over to the other car, but she didn't respond and I couldn't see movement, so like I said I called 911 and said "There was a car accident right in front of me," and they asked if anyone was hurt, and I said "Yes - I can see into the car and the people aren't moving."
I then told the operator I was driving south on such-and-such road, but I couldn't quite remember what cross street I'd just crossed.  I did tell the operator the name of the restaurant I was sitting in front of, and eventually kinda' figured out what the cross street was.  But, it was weird that I couldn't quite remember where I was at first.  I then asked the operator/dispatcher if I needed to wait, and he said yes.  And after that I hung up.  Then I called the doctor's office, explained what happened and that I'd be late.  So I waited.  And waited.  And the driver of the other car eventually started moving around, so I called over to her from MY car, with the window down.  (This was on a VERY busy divided highway.  Luckily, the median is wide, and in summer - grassy.  Since it's obviously winter, it was piled high with snow.)  I explained that I saw what happened, and called 911.  And, I found out the girl was ok.  And we BOTH waited.  And waited some more.  After a bit, she called over to me, asking if she could use the cell to call her husband.  I said sure, so I ended up with her in my car for awhile, and she made a couple of calls to reach her husband.  She was also really glad that I stopped.  Then she went back to her car, and we both waited some more.  Eventually, I called work to try to find out what to do (the tech school where I teach has a criminal justice dept - and I didn't know if I could leave or what.  I mean, I wasn't the one who *caused* the accident, I just saw it).  I ended-up talking to my boss, who said it was OK if I was late, since I just had office/help lab hours.  Just after THAT call, the sherriff's dept *finally* showed up.  As did a tow-truck.  All told it took an hour and a half - hour 45 minutes for the Kent County sherriff to actually arrive.  To my surprise there were TWO officers in the car.  I ended up having to write out a statement - and I told the sheriff both verbally and in my written statement that another car caused the accident AND just took off - never stopped.  I also had to give my name, address, driver's license #, and phone numbers to the sherriff.  And I had previously given my business card to the other driver with my name and phone numbers (I hand-wrote my cell # on it, since the cell is new) and email, but not my physical address.  (The business card I'd made myself when I was looking for a job after graduating, so it had "IT Professional", and my certifications on it.)
But it was a VERY scary experience.  I've never seen an accident like that.  I've been in a couple (minor ones), but not had one occur right in front of me.  And the crazy thing is - I actually managed to get to work on time.
That's all for now.
Take care out there,
--Olivia
olivia_sutton: (Tardis)
Hiya--

Well, tonight's class went very very well.  I've kinda' got into a routine with my Weds night IT class.  Now, unfortunately, we have lab first and lecture second-- which is a** backwards, but it was set-up that way and I can't do anything about it, so I just have to play the hand I'm dealt, y'know?
But anyways, I try to *quickly* review the previous week's lab, then intro the current's week's lab, then tell my students, "OK, take out your lab manuals and ..." giving them the chapter and lab assignments.   I then pretty much let the students run loose, walking around helping students with questions, and keeping students on task.  I also have a couple of assignments/activities ready at least in my head that they can do if they finish labs early -- usually like researching that week's topic online, or simply exploring customization options (Like today I had them changing icons, passwords, and password requirements for the user accts that they created).  And I always have the students do screen shots of their labs so I have something to grade (which for labs is usually pass/fail, credit/no credit).
Then there's a school mandated break.
Then we go into lecture, and I do the "business" stuff first -- taking official attendance in our on-line system, handing back papers, having students hand in homework and labs, etc.
Next comes that week's powerpoint.  And this week I even managed to remember to ask students questions, and it worked well -- I got a lot of discussion, which was good.  And I've got better at moving around the room.   Forgot the laser pointer though.
Then I do the case scenarios, which I now have the students do in small groups.  Now, I only have 11 students, and tonight I had FOUR absences (which is awful!), with only one sending me an e-mail telling me what's going on (so tomorrow I have to go in at 11am and lookup contacts in our student system and send out e-mails and make calls; plus I have a failing student that I need to catch up with, and I had two students fail the quiz, so I have extra credit for them-- subject to my boss's approval).
Anyway, getting back to class -- after the case scenarios it's usually time for second break.  Then the last hour of class, I go over hw questions, and MOAC (official Microsoft test-ish) questions with the students.
But, that's always really casual, and tends to even turn into like a small discussion forum.  And I usually only have like four students for sure for that.   The only problem is, I'd like (a) to have more material so it's worth the students time to stay, and (b) to actually have students stick around.  But, OTOH, it's really FUN to sit around just being geeks and discussing computer stuff with the students.  I genuinely enjoy it, and I think my guys do too!  :-)

Ta' for now,
Olivia

olivia_sutton: (Default)
Hi all,

For those of you who have been following my daily posting of movie and TV quotes and are wondering what happened or where I went, I had a HORRID week.  Every time I sat down to work at work I wasn't able to get anything done, because either I was interrupted or someone handed me a major admin thing to do.  Monday I found out that I needed to record ALL student contact (I'm a teacher) in an admin program called IRIS.  I thought they'd upgraded to Pinnacle Gradebook and that was all I needed to do.  But no-- everything has to be recorded in IRIS too, including e-mail.  And after my first class; I'd sent three e-mails to the entire class, with the request that they e-mail me back.  It wasn't 'til Thursday, that I'd for the most part caught up with at least all the e-mail I'd received and any back and forth contact with students.  Tuesday I had help lab, and we had an ice storm (not as bad as the rest of the Midwest tho'.  The worst areas hit were south and west of here), and I had one student come in to install XP.  He did call first, so I encouraged him to come before 5pm.  I ended-up helping him until just before 6pm (when a class came in) - which I didn't mind, but it meant I didn't get much of my work done.  Then I went into the instructors section of my school, where, because I'm an adjunct I don't have my own desk, I don't even "share" a desk, I just have to find a computer, usually install the printer (I've gotten good at that) and start working.  I'd just gotten started when my cell rings, and it's Mom wondering where I am, and I can hear Dad in the background all worried and their urging me to leave and head home immediately because of the ice.  So, like a good little girl, I wrap things up pack up to leave, and as I'm leaving I get stopped by another student who had missed class and wanted the homework.  Now - he could have called my (school-supplied) voicemail, or my cell, or e-mailed me, or shown-up to help lab, but instead he like, what, staked out my office?  And I had no idea if I had any extra lesson plans or hw for that class with me (I usually leave the extra copies at home).  So I asked him to please e-mail me so I could send him the homework.  He didn't e-mail ME.  Hopefully, I remembered to e-mail him. -So that was Tues.
Weds - XP class.   I'd found a couple of new resources, granted at the last minute, but I was like - hey, great, with my Instructor Notes, lesson plan, and the supplied Pwrpt, plus hw, and labs, I'll actually run the class to bell.  I was reviewing the new stuff I'd found, when I got called into a staff meeting.  The business chair, who's nice but tends to talk alot, decided to have a strategy meeting - and I couldn't understand WHAT he was talking about - first he mentioned career services, but then he was talking about project management and scope creep and all this other terminology that made NO sense to me.  At a quarter to 6, one of the other girls, apologized and left.  I'm thinking, "precedent", so at 10 to six I also apoligsed and left.  I kinda' felt bad, but I was hired to teach and I had a class.  Probably shouldn't have gone to the meeting at all.  THEN I get into my XP class, and my boss is in there, to give me an evaluation.  I froze!  My teaching style isn't the most relaxed anyway, and I'm more comfortable in my Microsoft Office class because I really know the material.  But I was feeling a bit overwhemed, and I froze.  Stood there and did exactly what your NOT supposed to do - read the powerpoints.  Eventually, I started to relax, added some more material, talked a little bit, but noticed he had left.  Needless to say, I was worried.  I got an e-mail from him after class, which pointed out one or two good things, but several bad things (mostly the frozen reading of powerpoints and notes).  Went home feeling miserable - that was Weds.
Thursday - had a appt downtown (for a medical thing) that went badly, walked out of there confused and wondering "what the heck do I do now"? And drove straight to work.
Got into help lab, where I really was expecting several students to show up, but in the mean-time started some of my own work.  My boss says something to me, the just of it was, I think, "Can you meet me right now?"  So, I answered I had "announced help lab, expecting students, " and (I hope) "How about after?"
WELL - apparently I came off sounding like I was too busy, or I didn't want to talk to him, or whatever, because I went straight from lab to his office and he kinda' blew me off with "I'm busy, how about later?"  Which at the time I took at face value.  Then I went to instructors room and tried to get caught up, but didn't.
--That was Thursday.
Today I went in, on a Friday, desperate to get caught up on my admin stuff, my lesson plans, entering hw grades in Pinnacle Gradebook, filling out the help lab tracking form, correcting the notice that listed my help lab hours (it was wrong), and I managed to actually get a lot of stuff done.  And the few things that AREN'T done, I can finish this weekend, and still have time to do some Christmas shopping.  But after I had gotten most of my stuff done, I realised that next week (not this week) I have to give a quiz in my XP class (which is using official Microsoft courseware, don't ask).  I panicked, and started looking at all my resources, trying to figure out where this "quiz" was (found the final, couldn't find the quiz).  So I snapped off a panicky e-mail to my boss (I hope I realises I was panicked, anyway), pointing out what I had looked at, asked how I prepare the quiz - if I use hw, the test bank, or what?  Well, sorta.  Then I finished a couple of tiny cleanup things, locked my computer and went to his office.  He did answer my question about the quizes (for once my instincts were right, and I was panicking for no good reason), but he also mentioned I needed to be more flexible.  It's like - huh?  Considering how crazy it's been since I started. So Monday I have a meeting with him, mostly to go over my evaluation, but I think I need to eat a bit of crow too.
And when I talked to my Mom about the e-mail I received, she said I need to be focused on changing anything I'm asked to change.  It's like - OK, I need to try some of the suggestions out, in both classes.
--That was today.
Tho' after work, I did run out to Target and got myself a Ipod (wanted one for awhile), came home, plugged it in, and I was informed it wouldn't work unless I downloaded the newest version of iTunes.  So I tried to find out if downloading the new version would over-write my existing one (which has nearly 2000 songs, mostly uploaded from purchased CDs) and all my fan music vids from MVDs site.  No one at Apple seemed to have a clue either what the answer was, or to understand why I wanted to know!  So I'm currently downloading the new version, (it's at 22 %, I'm on dial-up, just over TWO hours to go!), and hopefully everything will import itself when I install the new version, otherwise I have several months of uploading CDs to look forward to (oh joy - I mean, I'm almost done!  All I have left to do is the Folk section.  I have a LOT of CDs in rather odd genres of music).  I'm just hoping that I when I install the new version, everything actually works out.  (The tech support woman was telling me to back-up everything to CD - Where does she think the music came from in the first place?)
I also found some CDs at Target for my Dad - nice classic/oldies but goodies mixes that I think he'll like, plus a best of The Beach Boys, which I know he'll enjoy.  Tomorrow, Mom and I are going out to look for my brother and sister-in-law and their twins.  Tomorrow night's the Christmas party at work.
So, yes, it's been the week from heck.  Thank gosh my best friend happened to call last night, I got to vent a bit.

If you're wondering - I like my job, I really do, and I felt GOOD when I finally got at least caught up with the necessary stuff today, but man, this week was just AWFUL.

--Olivia Sutton
olivia_sutton: (Default)
Well, I did the weather report this morning, so I won't tonight.  I have decided that, at least during the winter season, I'm going to post a brief summary of the weather in my journal, and also try to update this journal frequently.  (We'll see, I've never been successful in keeping a diary.)

Oh, and about work.  Yes, I had class tonight.  Windows XP OS - lots of geeks in the class including TWO girl geeks!  In a class of 11, two is phenonmenal.  One wants to get her MSCE, which is like, incredibly ambitious, and also totally cool!

I did actually feel bad about class tonight tho' because I was DONE teaching at 9pm.  Like totally done, way done.  And I had to keep the students, in a lecture hall, without student computers for another hour and twenty minutes.   I reminded them about homework - which a lot of the students started on in class, which was kinda' ok and kinda not - since in turned into a group project which I did NOT want.  I also showed some of the actual applets for Windows XP and what the various options were - my recommendations, etc.  I mostly concentrated on the help and support applet and the security applet.

The thing is I seem to have the worst sense of timing on the planet when it comes to teaching my classes.  Monday I didn't get thru' everything - tonight I had a lot of extra time (and even worse I could have used more time in lab).
--Olivia
_________________________________________

Now on to fun Quotes

*Max Headroom:  20 Minutes into the Future* (1987) was a science-fiction action/drama that ran for two short seasons on ABC (US).  Season one had 9 eps, and I'm not sure of season 2.  The episode "Raking" (about violence on television) was, get this, ironically pulled from the repeats because it was quote "too violent" unquote.  This is of course, ironic, because the entire episode was about violence, and especially televised violence.  The entire first season (except "Raking") was re-run before season 2 started.
The show had a fantastic cast:  Matt Frewer as Network 23 news reporter (and TV-generated Max Headroom), Amanda Pays as Theora Jones - Edison's controller at Network 23, George Coe as Ben Cheviot head of Net 23, Jeffrey Tambor as Murray - Theora's direct boss at Net 23, Chris Young as Bryce - the resident computer geek but without a  conscience at first, William Morgan Sheppard (as Blank Reg) and Concetti Tomei (as Dominque, another Blank) and Charles Rockett as the head of Network 66.

*Max Headroom* was set in a dystopia future, where  television ruled all and huge television network/corporations ruled television.  Even elections were held by television, and ratings were taken every second.  Frewer, as Edison, is a decent reporter, trying to bring the truth to viewers - even if his bosses or the owners of other networks object.
Blanks are people who have "blanked" their names from all computerised systems and databases - so they have more freedom, but at the cost of not being able to work, receive government aid, etc.
Episodes tended to be about *something* (literacy, security companies vs. privacy, etc) which is good but the scripts also were witty, ironic, etc.  *Max Headroom* was cyberpunk before most people knew what cyber-anything meant.  (Most of the "computer" graphics were hand-drawn and animated, including Max himself).   Max was a computer-generated person based on Edison Carter.


Quotes from Max Headroom 20 Minutes into the Future

By episode

Episode 3: Body Bank

"We are the unlucky generation, we are the children who have to play in the poisonous back yard our parents decided not to tell us about." Edison Carter (o.s.- as part of his "I Want to Know" show)


"Losing a vidicam is a hanging offense at 23."
-- Carter

(Note: by my count, he loses four vidicams during the series 13-episode run. One, here in "Body Bank", which he gets back. One in "Security Systems"- he ditches it to avoid the Metrocops. One in "Blipverts". And he leaves one at the Zik Zak restaurant after using the "neurostim" device in "Neurostim".)

"If that’s simple, Bryce, complexity must be awesome." Ben Cheviot (Network 23 chairman)


"Welcome to Big Time television, all day, every day, making tomorrow seem like yesterday. And remember when we said there was no future? Well, this is it."
--Blank Reg

 

"You want me to choose between a girl’s life and a job? (long pause) You know my answer already. With respect, Mr. Cheviot, the priority is clear." Edison

"With respect, my priority is Max Headroom, and this network." Cheviot

 

"Asking is just polite demanding." Max Headroom (tho' he claims to be quoting "one of Edison's")

"Don’t be clever, Bryce." –Julia Fromby
"Sorry, I thought that was why I was here." –Bryce

"Sit down, we haven’t had a ratings battle for a couple of minutes.'
--Cheviot, last line of ep.

 

Episode 4: Security Systems (AKA. “A-7”)

 

“In today’s world your inalienable rights are: consumer credit, unlimited television, and personal security. In your home, in your place of work—you can count on Security Systems. Security Systems wherever you go, there we are.”
--Security Systems commercial on Network 23

 

“Security Systems is the largest and most powerful corporation of its kind in the world, it has access to more privileged information than any single government, and in the wrong hands it could be used to destroy businesses and lives.”- Edison


“Credit fraud? My God, that’s worse than murder.” Ben Cheviot

Episode 6: The Blanks (AKA “Simon Peller”)

 
"Smother technology and it rebels."—Max Headroom


“We’re going to go critical if we don’t act soon.”- Board member Julia Fromby
“We’re going to have riots out there, we should distribute emergency video players, immediately.” –Board member Mr. Edwards
--On the computer failures preventing Network 23 and others from broadcasting

 

“Simon, we all know the votes are computer-enhanced. My question is, whether your opponent isn’t sabotaging your victory.”—Mr. Cheviot
“Of course not, we negotiated election results weeks ago.”—Peller, in response.

 

“Without regular picture transmissions, thousands are swarming the streets desperately buying black market tapes from video vendors.”—Janie Crane (Network 23 reporter, introduced in “War”)

“Simon Peller’s ordered all the Blanks arrested. He says it’s untidy not having people on the computers-- makes them hard to catch.”—Metrocop, Blank Girl’s apt.

“Edison—an off switch.” Janie (pointing to the TV)
“She’ll get years for that, off switches are illegal.”—Metrocop

“Without televisions, this city would be ungovernable.”—Julia Fromby

“Reg, I believe in the principal, but the method stinks.”—Edison, to Blank Reg, on the program.

Episode 7: Academy

“Head sysop? Does it teach or devour maidens?”— Edison, to himself.

 

“Grey areas are quite useless to a computer specilist. We don’t deal in guilt, we deal in information. That is why the appropriate party will be with us shortly. You will see.”
--Headmaster, ACS (Head Sysop) to Edison

 

“What about right and wrong?”—Edison
“Non-empirical concepts.”—Bryce

 

“I’m used to logic, not opinion.”—Bryce

 

“Sometimes I think I could use some legs and you could use some conscience.”—Max Headroom (sounding very much like Edison)
“What file is it in?” –Bryce, in reply to Max

 

“The last resort of the innocent is always publicity.”—Edison

 

“You remind me of myself.”—Bryce
“Should I take that as a compliment?”—Nicholas (ACS student & hacker)
“No.”—Bryce

Episode 11: Whacketts (w/ guest star Bill Maher)

"There's a nice irony in that, in a crisis, they watch a game show, television before life." -Murray

"He had something to tell me about the extra-ordinary events of this morning's apartment collapse tragedy --where people ignored victims and watched television." --Edison

"Whacketts is a video narcotic!" --Edison

I need to go through all the episodes and finish the quote list, but the show is awesome.  It needs to be on DVD!

--Olivia

 

 



olivia_sutton: (Default)
Well, after three months of fretting, and worrying, and plain-old wondering just what would happen and how, I finally had my first official class.  It went fairly well.  It was WAAAAYYY fun.  Extremely fun.  There were things that got a bit messed-up and things that worked out, but overall, I think I did well - those teacher genes must have kicked in.   Tonight (well, Monday Dec 3rd, but who's counting just because it's after midnight) was my first of two classes that I teach:  Computing and Productivity software (Microsoft office) for non-majors.  Most of the students are either criminal justice students or business (bus. admin) students.  Tho' I do have one student that wants to get into Cyber Forensics (EC Council Certified Ethical Hacker) and I need to get him some info. the next class is Wednesday, Desktop Operating Systems (XP) - that class is for (IT) majors, usings the Microsoft textbook and curriculm and is in Microsoft's admin track.  I'm expecting that class to be a little bit more difficult to teach, but it should still be fun.

Anyway, and I'm almost falling asleep here.  The first hour of my class is in the superlab, which sucks, 'cause there's four other classes going on at the same time - you can't really lecture, you don't have your own computer or a projector to run Power Point slides, and first the first class it was a nightmare.  I introduced myself, had the students introduce themselves, kinda' skimmed through the syllabus, went over the homework due the following week, mentioned the quiz for the following week (which I now need to revise because we never got thru' chapter 4 - so I have to take the questions from ch 4 out of the quiz).  Then, out of desperation and a student suggestion we worked on the labs I had on the syllabus - touring the Intel museum (www.intel.com/museum.index.htm) and having each student take a typing speed and accuracy test (www.typeonline.co.uk).  Most of my students had typing speeds in the 32-39 wpm range (fairly low) and about half of them literally could not type (e.g. traditional 10 fingered typing).  For the Intel site, I had everyone look at the "how sand becomes silocin chips" exhibit, then let them explore the site on their own.  It was choatic, and not much real work got done, but in following weeks I'll have to be prepared and creative about finding things to do in lab.  Plus give them assignments to work on in the following week's lab.
The lecture half - I went thru' about 2 2/3rds of the required material (I had four chapters to do).  I figure, given how much material I had, that wasn't too bad.  And I ran into Mark, another instuctor after class and asked him about it (not getting everything in) and he said not to worry about it - cover it later (like the next week).  I did also add a lot of info. as I was going thru' the slides, updating info, adding relevant data (or stuff that seemed relevant), trying to be engaging.  It was kinda' hard, but I think it went all right.  I did get some student questions/comments and that worked just fine for me.  Actually, the student questions made the class more lively, and added to the lecture.

Points for next week
Prepare LAB Stuff that can be done in superlab first.
Check Power Points, remove redunant slides, add more relevant slides/info
Fix quiz  -  remove questions from ch 4
HW - two assignments due next week
Readings for next week 1-4, week 2.

Nighty-night, zonk!
--Olivia

PS - The Weather - More snow this morning, trees encrusted with snow.  Last Saturday night, freezing rain, ice covering snow on Sunday, heavy rain Sunday afternoon and snow fog.
olivia_sutton: (Newfoundland Dog)
Woke up this morning to real honest-to-goodness snow, about four inches.  Mind you, this isn't the first snow we've had this year, that was actually on Thanksgiving.  Yep, we got a dusting on Thanksgiving, but the ground wasn't quite frozen so everything melted by afternoon.  And we've had flurries almost every day since Thanksgiving, but today was the first day of nice, measureable snow.  Yea.  You gotta love it - snow kills everything I'm allergic to.

Worked on my home work assignments and a handy-dandy website list for my students.  Classes start next week.  Monday is TB150 Office for Idiots.  (OK, "Computer productivity and software" (for non-majors) but it should be a really, really fun class to teach.  I'm just nervous cause I've got four PowerPoints that I have to get through, plus labs.  Wednesday I've actually got planned out a bit better, it's "Microsoft Operating System" which is basically XP.  Now, what my boss probably didn't realise is the class is part of the MS adminstrator's track, and I'm only certified as a MCP and MCDST (desktop support), but I think the class will be kinda' fun - lots of hands-on, which should be good for my students.

Not much else to say, so I'll sign off for now.
--Olivia

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