Happy Holidays and Winter Break From Daba Town

Student Quotes

"Trinomial times Trinomial! Hold on. Better turn my paper to landscape." 

 

"Monomial? I thought you said Malt-o-Meal." 

"Someone left their fingernail on my keyboard. I'm not going to touch it - it isn't on a key I use much anyway."

Have a merry dead week and a happy finals week, too!

Snow Day Highlights

Drank coffee with my husband at Starbucks.

Finished knitting my monster scarf.

Finished watching Bones season 4.

Finalized some grades.

Played Skipbo.

Advice from a College Math Instructor (part 1)

This new idea for a post came from an encounter with a student today. I thought I would advise (rant) about general college behaviors along with math study tips.

Today's Topic: Special Favors

• Don't ask for extra credit or special favors in front of the rest of the class.
• If you ask for extra credit, extensions, answers to a test, or other special favors that make your life easier, then, when you receive a polite no, don't laugh and pretend you were just kidding.
• Don't ask for special favors multiple times per meeting and pretend you are kidding.
• Don't criticize the class or instructor for a mistake you made in regards to special favors, especially in front of other students.
• If you are always asking for special favors, then complain when it appears someone else got one (when they didn't), then you probably won't receive one in the future.

Teacher in the Crosswalk

Hit my teacher with my car.
Goal achieved: she flew quite far.
But of me she got the best-
When a proctor gave her test.

Quote

"I wouldn't want to get a concussion on the way to school."

"Neither would I - it's not conducive to learning."

I loathe... (part 8)

I loathe songs that are played over and over again on the radio.
I loathe a huge bag of candy containing no chocolate (such a waste).
I loathe clutter.

Didn't Get It

So I wanted to write a blog reporting whether or not I got the full time teaching job I'd applied for at one of the schools I am teaching part time. The process has been long, but has taught me a lot about the field.

I didn't get the job, but was told to apply next time there is an opening because they really liked me and my talent/knowledge.

Knowing me (which most of you do) you can expect that I've already come up with a list of "on the bright sides."

BRIGHT SIDES:

• I most likely won't have to teach 5 or more sections of DEVELOPMENTAL math next semester.
• I have the opportunity to get an even better suited position in the future.
• I met some nice people: peers I'd only emailed before this process.
• I re-acquainted myself with a friend.
• Other adjunct math teachers have talked to me more since finding out I'd made it past the first interview.

"Where's my hand?"

David was sleeping when I called him last night. He doesn't remember talking to me. What he does remember is what happened in the middle of the night...

Him: "Where's my hand?" - said in a PANIC.

Me: "What do you mean? It is right here." And I grab both his arms to show him his hands.

Him: "No that is your arm! Where is MY arm and hand?"

Me: "Right here!"

Him: "Oh I thought that was your arm." Almost instantly he went back to sleep.


I thought he had been dreaming. Apparently, his arm was asleep so he couldn't feel anything and the weight of his arm felt like it was coming from me.

I love... (part 13)

I love The Killers.
I love Mates of State.
I love Arcade Fire.

Logic in Math Class

My students had a quiz this week and there were logic circuits on the quiz. The directions required the student to "write a logical statement using the diagram." Since I didn't emphasize that their answers should be in the form of a *symbolic* statement, one student decided to only write an English statement, which would have been alright if the student had done it correctly.

Here is what the student wrote:
"If it is delicious it is fried or it is not pork, but if it is fried it is pork."




This is funniest while grading at 2 am. The handwriting only makes it funnier.

Crazy!

Crazy, chaos, unorganized, hectic, busy...

These words decribe my life at the moment.

In the middle of beginning a new semester, for which I am teaching 8 class total, 4 for two different colleges, we are moving to a house with my parents, brother, and a friend... Three separate "families" coming together is not easy to organize.

Daba Town has relocated, but the citizens are happy and healthy - just busy.

I want to continue to write blogs and I have accumulated some funny things that have happened (also some crazy things, frustrating things, and sad things).

So I guess this is to be continued. :)

Follow Up on Forced Changes

So we bought a new-to-us used car to replace our Altima. We shopped a bit, almost got a newer Altima, but fell in love with a cute, pearly white, 2006 Jettta TDI. Drives like a dream and gets good gas mileage. David named it Ula so he can say "Now Ula Dance" when we start the car.

Forced Changes

Getting your car smashed from behind forces your life to change.

Don't worry! We are okay! We just have a more interesting life now.

My brother and his family are moving about 1600 miles away. That forces another change in my life: not seeing my sweet nephew biweekly.

Has anything forced a change in your life recently?

Softball

When I was younger, I played ten years of softball. In the last year I was on my way to playing for a college team, but I had a shoulder injury and couldn't throw overhand farther than a few feet. Even though I was a pitcher, I still needed to be able to throw the ball from home to first in case of a bunt, but I couldn't even throw it that far.

My father has had similar shoulder injuries and so we decided to rehabilitate our throwing arms with a weighted softball his friend recommended. We've played catch every day for two weeks and I've already seen significant improvements in my abilities. It has been great to play the game again and to spend a little time with my dad every day.

Are there any fun activities you've put on the back burner that you'd enjoy picking up again?

Funny Book

I've loved Shannon Hale's books in the past so when I saw one on the library shelf I just grabbed it. I am currently reading The Actor and the Housewife and it is quite funny. I'm only about half-way through, but I've enjoyed it every much so far.

Shift in Interest

I feel a shift coming on. My reading has slowed and I think crafts are coming in the near future. I still have my 75 book goal this year, but since I am at about 55 books read, I am sure I can reach my goal by the new year.

I have two baby gifts to make and some other experimental projects coming up.

What are your favorite crafts and what projects are you working on?

Summer Reading

One of my favorite things to do each summer is read as many books as I can enjoy (which is usually a considerable amount). I like to read to relax, to be entertained, to get my mind off math, and to learn. I've been reading the Sookie Stackhouse "southern vampire" books and have been enjoying them in a fluff sort of way. They are easy to read, quick paced, a bit romantic, and very entertaining.

Here is my summer reading list from most recently read to read just after graduation - copied from goodreads.com - ignore the stars. I enjoyed Poison Study and Hourglass Door the most off of this list.

	Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5)	Harris, Charlaine		read, ebooks, own [edit]	4.00	Jun 21, 2010	Jun 19	edit view
	Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4)	Harris, Charlaine		read [edit]	4.15	Jun 19, 2010	Jun 12	edit view
	Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #3)	Harris, Charlaine		read [edit]	4.02	Jun 13, 2010	Jun 12	edit view
	Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse, #2)	Harris, Charlaine		read [edit]	3.92	Jun 12, 2010	Jun 07	edit view
	Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)	Harris, Charlaine		read [edit]	3.87	Jun 10, 2010	Nov 18, 2008	edit view
	Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, #5)	Mead, Richelle		read [edit]	4.57	Jun 05, 2010	Feb 06	edit view
	Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast	McKinley, Robin		read,ya_clean_recommendations [edit]	4.09	May 31, 2010	Nov 18, 2008	edit view
	Mountain Laurel (Montgomery Saga, #7)	Deveraux, Jude		read [edit]	3.59	May 31, 2010	Jul 07, 2009	edit view
	Enna Burning (The Books of Bayern, #2)	Hale, Shannon		read [edit]	3.90	May 29, 2010	Dec 30, 2009	edit view
	Poison Study (Study, #1)	Snyder, Maria V.*		read [edit]	4.21	May 27, 2010	Feb 06	edit view
	Living Dead Girl	Scott, Elizabeth*		read [edit]	3.84	May 25, 2010	May 01	edit view
	The Hourglass Door	Mangum, Lisa*		read [edit]	3.81	May 23, 2010	Feb 27	edit view
	The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, #3)	Bray, Libba		read [edit]	3.93	May 22, 2010	May 11	edit view
	Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle, #2)	Bray, Libba		read [edit]	4.02	May 18, 2010	May 11	edit view
	A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)	Bray, Libba		read [edit]	3.75	May 12, 2010	Aug 02, 2009	edit view