Monday, January 13, 2020

weird tweak that changed my life in 10 days [from Wombat of the Copier]

We'll see how long this lasts, but....

I don't have work e-mail on my phone anymore.

My chair, his secretary, and all of the adjuncts I supervise have my number.  If they need me they can text.

The reply-all fights about new policy and institutional vision can wait for when I'm at a computer.

The "I'm only 12 points away from a B+ and I was wondering if you could bump me to an A and maybe write me a letter for med school and some scholarships." e-mails can wait for when I'm at a computer.

The "Can u tell us what is on the test?" e-mails (that come in even after my scandalously-similar-to-real practice tests get posted to Blackboard) can wait until I'm at a computer.

I never actually answer any of that **** until I'm at my computer anyway - so why the **** have I been getting notifications on my phone?  What's wrong with me?  It's so stupid to choose to get them.

I got a new phone for Xmas.   I was carrying both phones around until I was comfortable with the new one (no phone service anymore, but in places where I could get WiFi it still functioned as a communication apparatus - i.e. work e-mail). 

I was as anxious as always through my whole holiday break.  I got a little *more* sleep, but I was still stressed and miserable.  The really horrible semester wasn't fading.

I didn't remember that work e-mail was only on the old phone and hadn't set it up on the new phone.  When I got comfortable with the new phone, I started leaving the old at home.  I got a few texts from boss man and coworkers.  I checked e-mail at work.  In the week since I returned to work I've felt more like I'm on vacation than when I was actually on vacation (I'm an administrator - so I've been back for a week).  I never look at my phone at red lights anymore - I just listen to my podcasts and smile until I get to work.

So this is the new thing.  I don't have a lot of data on it (the semester hasn't even started) maybe it was just a prolonged mental detox and this would have happened eventually with or without phone e-mail once enough time elapsed since the semester from hell - but hey, I will accept the placebo effect if it gets me out of having a semester as **** as last semester was.

So - if you can - turn off the work e-mail on your phone. 

Happy New Year

--Wombat of the Copier

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

new year's big hungry

How has the winner-take-all economy affected your job, your school, your students, your life, your expectations?


SRU to adopt Tracy Rule; university to ban athletes found responsible for sexual assault [ellwoodcityledger.com]

The flava:
Slippery Rock University, an NCAA Division II public school in Butler County, will adopt the Tracy Rule, it said last week in a statement to the USA TODAY Network.

The Tracy Rule, named for Brenda Tracy, a survivor of rape by college athletes, outlines specific procedures for vetting prospective athletes’ backgrounds and disqualifies those who were administratively or criminally disciplined for sexual and violent misconduct.

“Slippery Rock University is currently reviewing its application for all transfer applicants with legal counsel to develop a question that asks about disciplinary history, including pending charges, at all former colleges,” the statement said.

The article:
https://www.ellwoodcityledger.com/news/20200101/sru-to-adopt-tracy-rule-university-to-ban-athletes-found-responsible-for-sexual-assault