Stephen Black wrote:
> While introductions are interesting and welcome, there`s nothing
> either in the the TIPS guidelines (see the TIPS website at the
> url in my signature file) or in our general practice which
> requires this. Many of us (ahem!) have never done so. So the
> blunder concern is unfounded. And if everyone who never
> introduced now rushed to do it, we`d really be in trouble.
Well, Stephen, I personally like the idea and now realize that I have never
told you much about myself. So let me get started.
I was born in Massachattakatapequa, New York on February 29th, 1980. Having
attained the Ph.D degree at the University of South Central North Dakota
(Visa and Master Card accepted) at the tender age of nine, I worked briefly
at Cornell, then Yale, and finally Harvard. (As you probably have guessed,
I purposely avoided working at any school that belonged to a sports
conference with a "Big" in its name.)
Desiring a real challenge, however, I applied to the Maricopa County
Community College District (Slogan: "We Put the Community in Community
College") in the Spring of 1994. I was overjoyed when I was hired on as an
assistant grounds keeper at Scottsdale Community College (home of the
Fighting Artichokes), and immediately set to work trying to move up the
hierarchy. Instead, the school quickly hit hard times (a summer brush fire
wiped out most of the grounds) and I was forced to take a job as an
instructor. Since all the real sciences already had enough instructors (the
other grounds keepers had more seniority than I), I was forced to teach
psychology.
Because I never had taken a psychology course before, I prepared for my
first teaching assignment by reading everything ever written by Dr. Joyce
Brothers, as well as watching any appearance that Abigail Van Buren had
ever made on the Mike Douglas Show. With a solid background in psychology
now under my belt, I felt confident that I would tbe a great teacher.
And boy, was I right! Now, I can't wait to run into that classroom each and
every day (including Saturdays and Sundays) unless the room is full of
students. Then, I try to show a video and trudge back to my office to have
a cigarette or two until it's over. We then spend the rest of the class
period mostly watching highlights from Jerry Springer and trying to figure
out what kinds of trauma the guests probably experienced in their past
lives.
I like to think that I am helping my students to get in touch with their
inner lost children. Hey, somebody's got to do it.
Peace and Love,
Jeff
P.S. Just in case anyone is wondering, I'm only having fun with this. I
definitely intended no disrespect to Bruce. In fact, I quite enjoyed
reading his introduction. Thanks, Bruce.
--
Jeffry P. Ricker, Ph.D. Office Phone: (480) 423-6213
9000 E. Chaparral Rd. FAX Number: (480) 423-6298
Psychology Department [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626
"Science must begin with myths and with the criticism of myths"
Karl Popper
Listowner: Psychologists Educating Students to Think Skeptically (PESTS)
http://www.sc.maricopa.edu/sbscience/pests/index.html
