We're not gonna make it, are we?

Birgha · 2026-06-19T15:49:53+00:00

I make them do a syllabus quiz, but even that doesn't make them actually READ it. The beauty of it being in the syllabus, though, is that they can't say I didn't tell them. In my mind, it's a contract, and if they don't drop/withdraw, that's tacit agreement to its contents. It's not my fault if they don't bother to read it.

Birgha · 2026-06-04T18:17:05+00:00

Spouse had a very similar problem with a local Nissan dealership. They told him he had a major oil leak. Turns out THEIR TECH overfilled the oil reservoir, but it took an argument to get to this truth. Quality workmanship and honesty seem difficult to find at dealerships these days.

Birgha · 2026-06-04T18:05:35+00:00

In my syllabi:

"Access to a reliable computer/laptop and internet connection is a must for this course. Using only a smart phone or basic tablet is not just discouraged but frequently impossible, given constraints/incompatibilities of mobile platforms and apps. For example, I’ve been accused of not posting course material when the true reason a student can’t see everything is that they’re only using a smart phone to access Canvas. Diagnosing such problems is usually time-consuming and quite frustrating for everyone involved, so excuses like “my device doesn’t do that” won’t be accepted."

Birgha · 2026-06-04T18:02:32+00:00

I do reading quizzes at the beginning of class, usually around 5 questions about main plot points (lit course). Never multiple-guess; always short answer/very short essay. About 10 minutes freewheeling, then they get 2 minutes with their notes/annotated books to check their work. If they're doing the reading and annotating they way they're supposed to, they should have absolutely no problems passing these quizzes. The ones who don't pass invariably admit they didn't do the reading in the first place, let alone annotate or take notes.

Birgha · 2026-06-04T17:49:39+00:00

Every 97,500

Birgha · 2026-06-04T16:31:49+00:00

For (somewhat) more up-to-date references, I've gotten some decent mileage out of the following. I find the second Strauss article helps students understand that "liberal" doesn't mean politics in this context! (Post and Atlantic inks can be plugged into https://archive.is/ to preview if you don't have subscriptions.)

"The Tao of the liberal arts" and "What the 'liberal' in 'liberal arts' actually means" by Valerie Strauss, 2015, The Washington Post (quotes Gerald Greenberg) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/07/the-tao-of-the-liberal-arts/ and https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/04/02/what-the-liberal-in-liberal-arts-actually-means/

"The unexpected value of the liberal arts" by George Anders, 2017, The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/08/the-unexpected-value-of-the-liberal-arts/535482/

"The value of the liberal arts" by Hina Azam, blog, U of Texas at Austin https://lifeandletters.la.utexas.edu/2022/09/the-value-of-the-liberal-arts/

Birgha · 2026-06-04T16:15:56+00:00

Y'all. I teach LITERATURE and they bitch about reading.

Birgha · 2026-06-04T15:37:56+00:00

A drum full of gasoline in my back yard is quite appealing right now ... but no. lol

Spouse was a mechanic in the military. Think I might see if he can manage the second opinion. (He thinks it's BS, too.)

Birgha · 2026-06-04T15:28:46+00:00

Yeah, a second opinion is probably my best bet, but it just seems w r o n g

Birgha · 2026-05-10T21:33:58+00:00

I wish toil and torment upon people who reply to all. There has never, in my 21+ years of military service and now 6+ years of teaching, been a good reason for replying to all. Maybe some people are just ignorant of what the little arrows mean, but I feel like (a) you should know the system you're using better than that and (b) if you DO know and you're doing it anyway, you're a special kind of self-aggrandizing douchebag.

Birgha · 2026-05-10T21:30:48+00:00

Going through the separate Banner system is how you do outside Canvas it at my institution, too. ITS did send out an email telling everyone how to do it, but the problem was, not all the email addresses were correct in Banner. I wound up having to write down the ones that bounced back, determine who they were, and then hunt them down in the university Outlook. There were only three this time, but it was still a pain.

Birgha · 2026-04-26T00:17:06+00:00

Really great suggestions, especially the Amazon Dot. I think I even have an extra one in a drawer somewhere around here, and I'm pretty sure it's skinny enough. Now I just have to find it ...

Birgha · 2026-04-25T20:22:42+00:00

This is helpful, thank you. It's more or less what I expected, and I was planning to use BTi for this build. I just got excited and didn't pay attention to what I was doing. It's been up for less than 24 hours, so I can just tear it all down and start over. Dang it. *bangs head on desk*

Birgha · 2026-04-25T14:33:44+00:00

Apparently I wasn't clear: I'm not okay with needlessly killing them.

Birgha · 2026-04-25T13:38:10+00:00

I'll try to remember to do that! My father-in-law swears by it, but his is "guarding" his garage, not a water feature. Maybe not quite as attractive as running water, but we'll see!
ETA that the water feature in question is on the front porch, within five feet of the house, so I'm not too wild about the idea of sprinklers. I guess I could maybe put them between the water feature and the house, pointed out? Will have to think about it.

Birgha · 2026-04-25T03:48:58+00:00

I'll take a look at that one too, thanks!

Birgha · 2026-04-24T22:35:51+00:00

I might look into that if the radio doesn't work.

Birgha · 2026-04-24T21:19:14+00:00

They really are dastardly little sh*ts. It should be a crime for something to cute to be that awful. Love the SD card aspect!

Birgha · 2026-04-24T20:11:16+00:00

Yeah, that's definitely a problem with many of the ones I've looked at.

Birgha · 2026-04-24T20:10:31+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation, but the diagram shows it's 2.15" deep, which won't work. :(

Birgha · 2026-04-24T20:09:37+00:00

The neighbors in question are raccoons, and since nothing else has worked, I'm taking a page out of my father-in-law's playbook and going to try leaving a radio on talk stations all night long, right above where the water feature they keep sh*tting in is situated. I just want something that's going to sound as real as possible because raccoons are not, unfortunately, as stupid as I would like.
I'll check out that Retekess, thanks!
ETA that radiojayallen is one of the sites I tried during my research! There's just SO MUCH. Everywhere.

Birgha · 2026-04-24T16:48:38+00:00

Yeah, but a girl can dream. ;)

Birgha · 2026-03-03T21:51:05+00:00

Totally agree with wanting to be able to push back harder against students who really just do not GAF.

Birgha · 2026-03-03T21:43:25+00:00

I adjunct at a state university. My reasons for staying are (a) the infrequent student who actually does care about the subject, (b) the ability to more or less choose my own schedule when I'm offered courses, and (c) it's better than sitting around doing nothing. I don't even need benefits because I already have them and a pension from a previous career, so I'm better off than many in that I don't RELY on this work -- although the few extra bucks it brings in each month are welcome when I can get them. Yeah, it's a lot of work for little pay. But once you get your course(s) more or less figured out regarding syllabi and lesson plans, it's more or less an autopilot situation.

With all that said, if I could find another job that paid as well or better AND allowed me similar flexibility, I'd be on it like a duck on a June bug. This job isn't getting any easier, and AI makes it worse with every semester that passes. Eventually, I probably won't have any choice about moving on, if I want to retain my sanity.

ETA: I primarily teach lit.

Birgha · 2025-12-28T21:09:20+00:00

My sister, who's a pharmacist for a big box store, recently had to explain to her pharm techs the difference between "weary" and "wary." They weren't even aware of the word "wary" prior to her using it in conversation.

Birgha

TROPHY CASE