The Ohio Expatriate Blog

I’ve finally started prepping for classes; since I finished the first draft of the novel (excerpts from the first draft are posted at my other blog. ),I knew I’d have some down time (it takes me a few days to separate long enough to edit properly.)  I haven’t got the Blackboard sites put together yet, but I have until the 21st to get that stuff up and running. No worries. Classes start on the 24th.

Since I have no choice but to go back to the academic grind, I am going to make the best of it… for my sake and for the sake of the students who aren’t aware of the giant gaping trap they’ve fallen into by attending a school that’s prouder of it’s size than it’s quality… the John Holmes / Ron Jeremy of the higher education world, as it were.  It is important to start off on the right foot – to present the appropiate image and the appropriate tone.

So, a few strategies then. Feel free to adopt / adjust to meet your own needs:

1. I am limiting my committee and service obligations to a bare minimum; since they want to treat me like a professional when it suits them, I’ll act like one when I damn well feel like it.
2. I will keep to my set office hours and establish CLEARLY when I will not answer the onslaught of emails.
3. I am going casual: cargo shorts, comfy button-downs, sandals and/or flip flops. Hawiian shirts aren’t out of the question. It’s too damn hot for decorum. Also, see #1 above.

I think I’m well prepared for this year; though I hadn’t really PLANNED on being prepared. Sometimes these things happen in spite of our intentions. Organically, if you will.  And  I know I’m starting off with the appropriate tone because of this sign I left posted on my office door.

(Just so you know: I have nothing against the Teach for America Program or for the silly young un’s who want to be educators. It can be a noble endeavor. HOWEVER — these pesky little dumbasses took over our offices summer before last and moved everything around — without bothering to put it all back. Furniture was moved. Lamps and file cabinets disappeared. I knew I wasn’t going to be around this summer, so I left this note posted to let them know how I feel about people who use other people’s things with complete disregard.)