Stuart, I certainly appreciate what you're saying. And, I don't necessarily disagree with you. But, (here comes that proverbial but), you cannot give what you don't have. When you're not there, stiff upper lip and mustering whatever not withstanding, and you're just going through the motions to fill up time. That rarest of occasions (this is the first time in three semesters I felt this way--worried and a tad distracted about the rash of my Susan's severe chronic disk pains) it is not very productive. And, Ed, as far as your straw men are concerned, that's why the medical field is coming down on 24, 48, and 72 straight hour shifts. As far as the public is concerned, let them shadow me when I'm up at 4 am, as I am now, working on my book, reflecting on teaching, reading and responding to some 180 daily student journals and weekly issue papers, and am using every minute of my time until I leave the computer at 6 pm--unless I have a night class--for my daily glass of wine, ball of cheese, and delightful conversation with my Susan. Everyone needs down time and sometimes, as long as it is not chronic, it is human to be very occasionally and unintentionally down at the "wrong" time whether because we're hit with the flu, a low level bug, or we're just physically and emotionally drained on that given day. And, we profs, are human and should just accept it without much macho bravado. Back to issue papers.
Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - -----Original Message----- From: Stuart McKelvie [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 10:25 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] I need a break... Dear Tipsters, In answer to Louis: I disagree. We have an obligation to offer our services even if we do not feel like it. Actually, for myself, the only activity that challenges me seriously is mounds of marking. But that does not mean that I do not require students to write. Sincerely, Stuart _____________________________________________________ Sent via Web Access "Floreat Labore" "Recti cultus pectora roborant" Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: 819 822 9600 x 2402 Department of Psychology, Fax: 819 822 9661 Bishop's University, 2600 rue College, Sherbrooke, Québec J1M 1Z7, Canada. E-mail: [email protected] (or [email protected]) Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy " Floreat Labore" _______________________________________________________ ________________________________________ From: Louis Schmier [[email protected]] Sent: 04 March 2010 19:26 To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] I need a break... Well, Stuart, when you're "Nike-ish," and just do it as you say, and you're not really there; your heart and mind aren't in it; you're forcing it; it's really a waste; and, the students know it. They really appreciate it when you respect them enough that you're upfront with them. Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - -----Original Message----- From: Stuart McKelvie [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 3:49 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE:[tips] I need a break... Dear Tipsters, Carol asked: What do you do when you have a day (or even part of a day when you suddenly) are so tired, unmotivated, unprepared fill in the blank, that teaching that next class becomes an almost impossible chore? Reply: When you think of all the people in the world who sometimes feel that there are aspects of their work that they would rather not do, but know that they have to do them, I think that what one ought to do should be obvious. So - as the old Nike ad used to say: "Just do it." Sincerely, Stuart _____________________________________________________ Sent via Web Access "Floreat Labore" "Recti cultus pectora roborant" Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: 819 822 9600 x 2402 Department of Psychology, Fax: 819 822 9661 Bishop's University, 2600 rue College, Sherbrooke, Québec J1M 1Z7, Canada. E-mail: [email protected] (or [email protected]) Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy " Floreat Labore" _______________________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13368.9b8fe41d7a9a359029570f1d2ef42440&n=T&l=tips&o=1070 or send a blank email to leave-1070-13368.9b8fe41d7a9a359029570f1d2ef42...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13510.2cc18398df2e6692fffc29a610cb72e3&n=T&l=tips&o=1073 or send a blank email to leave-1073-13510.2cc18398df2e6692fffc29a610cb7...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13368.9b8fe41d7a9a359029570f1d2ef42440&n=T&l=tips&o=1076 or send a blank email to leave-1076-13368.9b8fe41d7a9a359029570f1d2ef42...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1084 or send a blank email to leave-1084-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
