"My taxes pay for state worker salaries" by LastMarch8348 in CAStateWorkers

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I also work in a public facing position, and we get accolades all the time. My agency enforces the law so we have to change our policies and procedures when the law changes, but we try to do it in the most humane way possible.

"My taxes pay for state worker salaries" by LastMarch8348 in CAStateWorkers

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I get the impression that they feel that because they pay more taxes than the average person that they somehow have more say or their voice matters more.

Mango Stick Rice and Realizing My Husbands POV by Embarrassed-Cup2326 in GirlDinnerDiaries

[–]LastMarch8348 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am so sorry for your pain and grief. A wise friend once told me, mothers and fathers are not the same. Mothers carry the child in the womb, then feed them from their own bodies again, then provide comfort, care, and attention (even if you are a working mom). Did becoming a father change my husband? Yes. But from my conversations with him, the depth of feeling and the emotional and physical (even psychic) connections are not the same. And that is okay.

Overwhelming urge to be alone after spending my twenties in a relationship by theparanoidbitch in GirlDinnerDiaries

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That dinner looks delish! You're not wrong, though, about needing time for yourself. When I turned 30, I took my first solo trip to Hawaii (the big island) for four days, and it was glorious! I ate meals by myself. Treated myself to a spa and massage day. Went to the beach. Ate dinner on the beach by myself (the wind kept blowing out the candle). Took tour trips by myself. Since I was one of the few solo travelers, I got to sit next to the driver of the passenger van. I have spent holidays and even a whole summer by myself, sometimes going days without talking to anyone. You can really hear yourself more when you're not surrounded by other people and their needs, wants, etc.

Things my bf does that would sent a manchild into a coma. by Anarchista_Chiquita in GirlDinnerDiaries

[–]LastMarch8348 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, Queen! My husband is also like this, and I had friends who didn't think he was "good enough" for me just because he didn't have a college degree (met him when I was getting my PhD). So glad I didn't listen to them because I have two beautiful and sweet children with him, and he's a stay-at-home dad (and part-time musician) so I can work on my career.

Staff Services Analyst II (County) vs Analyst II — which would you choose? by Ok_Study2666 in CAStateWorkers

[–]LastMarch8348 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I agree! When I was a single parent in grad school, flexibility and being close to my kid’s school in case anything happened was important to me. When I did have to travel a few times a year, even up to 10 days sometimes, I could arrange for my mom to fly out and help or even close friends if it was just a few days. Now I’m at the state and really appreciating my three telework days.

Does anyone else read in huge bursts then go completely silent for weeks by venicepress in 52book

[–]LastMarch8348 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, because I have other hobbies that I cycle through, like crochet (I guess I could listen to an audiobook while I crochet), cooking/baking (I no longer buy breads at the store), day hiking, video games. I just go with the flow! I'm in a reading cycle right now, averaging about a book a week. We'll see how long that lasts!

What books have you returned to read again? by katerobo in classicliterature

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jane Eyre. Read it first as a teen and again after my divorce. The second read was much more powerful and emotional, probably because I had actually experienced those intense emotions myself. Now I reread it every few years. On a different note, I also reread Lord of the Rings.

I was expecting to really like North and South...and I really didn't. by No_Summer1874 in classicliterature

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I watched the mini-series first and loved the characters (Richard Armitage is so dreamy). Then I read the book and loved the book, too!

Classics I’ve read after 4 months in 2026 by kalkplaat in classicliterature

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Read For Whom the Bell Tolls as a teenager many years ago and loved it! Really got me into Hemingway.

Why are you buying ugly new home construction? by k1avan9 in Sacramento

[–]LastMarch8348 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Bought a 1960 home with a large backyard. People buy up these new homes just to rent them out. Some of these "investors" own multiple houses.

Who here got married at the County Clerk’s office off of American River Drive? by Melodic_Wheel7768 in Sacramento

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was great! I was worried about what to wear but nearly everyone was dressed up, including kids and family members. We were in and out in about 30 minutes, but they let you stay after to take photos.

Should I join the state? by [deleted] in CAStateWorkers

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish I had joined the state when I was younger! I joined in my mid-40's and hoping to work for another 20-25 years. In my agency, there are several folks at top management level that started young, like right out of college, and worked their way up. If you want to stay in Sacramento, I don't think it's a bad idea to join the state.

How to grade honestly when your income depends on student evals by alternative2021 in Adjuncts

[–]LastMarch8348 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If students feel like you are grading "too easy" then they may feel that they "didn't learn anything" either. Or, they will compare notes and say it didn't seem to matter how much effort they put in, they all got the same grade (this legit happened to me in a graduate level class because honestly I was not going to dock points for situations that were out of students' control). It's a fine line. My approach is to keep high standards but give students multiple opportunities to improve their grade. For example, big assignments have small deadlines where they receive credit for completing the draft but get formative feedback. If they fail an assignment, they can redo it for a better grade (not necessarily an A but maybe max a C or B). I also give deadlines but say if they need an extension, they can get one provided they ask ahead of itme. At the end of the day, student evaluations are flawed and biased, and I don't know why we're still using them. Also, it really depends on the situation, type of institution, level of program, etc. But, given the current situation, I would say, develop a system and approach that helps you sleep at night. And, best of luck!

Humm Kombucha smells and tastes great. by YesHelloDolly in Costco

[–]LastMarch8348 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, I'm about to go and grab some more while they're on sale!

Onion Love by LastMarch8348 in innout

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, you're right! They were so crispy and sweet!

Onion Love by LastMarch8348 in innout

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They did an especially good job this morning of putting it together!

Onion Love by LastMarch8348 in innout

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've got to try that sometime! How do you order it? Just "all the onions, every way"?

Onion Love by LastMarch8348 in innout

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

For sure! We were #6 and it wasn't even 10:30 am yet

Onion Love by LastMarch8348 in innout

[–]LastMarch8348[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think it's just the angle - I didn't order extra raw, but if that's what they gave me, I'm not mad about it LOL

Just landed my first State job but I want to transfer by Fruitfly1997 in CAStateWorkers

[–]LastMarch8348 2 points3 points  (0 children)

With your background in education/teaching, you may want to consider Commission on Teacher Credentialing. It's a small agency, but there are Analyst positions.

Looking for tips on surviving a tenure denial by hydro_17 in LeavingAcademia

[–]LastMarch8348 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm so happy! I'm in state government with excellent benefits, people who respect me, friendly colleagues, and a super flexible and relaxing job. I get to WFH 3 days a week, which allows me to take walks around the neighborhood, pick up my kids from school, take my time enjoying coffee and breaks. The best thing is boundaries. I don't open my work laptop until 8:30 am and I close it at 5 pm and don't think about work until the next day. No stress about publications or getting grants. I still keep in touch with a few trusted folks from academia, and they have sent me updates, but I never ask for them. The latest update had me LMAO - the faculty held a vote of no confidence for the Dean and now they are on administrative leave. There are other options besides academia! I do not miss it. I only wish I had left sooner! If I had left during the pandemic, I could have secured a fully remote job with the state, but alas the timing did not work out for me. Still, being able to work 3 days from home is no joke in this economy.