I am out of my campus office, except the packed boxes that the movers will pick up next Wednesday. Feels odd to be moving - physically - out of that life. The house is listed (nearly, we're waiting until I am really out of it), and I'm down to the final pre-final list:
oil change before the drive across country
multiple loads to Big Charity of non-moving items (ironing board, mismatched glasses & plastics, etc).
animals to kennel (Monday afternoon)
multiple loads of laundry (Monday night)
packers, all day Tuesday
loaders, Wednesday morning (3-5 hours?)
early Thursday: load up the dogs & bird and head northwest
Our Alaska cruise was interesting: Love Boat line was not what I expected. Food mediocre, cabins good (huge closet area.... why?), far too many people. Far too many people. Most of the cruise programing was aimed at getting people to buy stuff: diamonds! tanzanite! sapphires! furs! buy! buy! buy! But the excursions were great: we saw lots of bald eagles, humpback whales, orca!!!, seal lions, harbor seals, fish eagles. Incredible scenery and landscapes. I had no idea. None. The mountains were just... right there, almost touchable in their proximity but enormous, untouchable.
The majesty of the landscapes, the scale of things, the millions of trees - I finally think I have an insight into why the people there hold the opinions they do: the landscapes that would be so familiar to them inspire a feeling of unlimited resources, that nothing man does could reduce the gifts of the mountains. They are wrong, but I can see why they think that. What somebody from other areas saw was the fragility of the place, the encroaching diseases/insects that are already evident on the landscape and flora. That they are the care-takers of a vanishing world; and they don't seem to give a damn. Everybody talked about killing things: wildlife, trees, etc.. I think they intended to show their rugged individualism and abilities. You can probably tell I wasn't impressed.
On return, I got re-certified as an open water (scuba) diver. It was fun, interesting - what we used to have to do ourselves is all done by computer now. So the class, other than emphasizing that air density increases at depth while volume decreases, was a casual chat fest. In water exercises brought back the loveliness of the sport: it's amazing to fly underwater. We spent 2 days at a lake in the eastern part of the state doing our open water stuff. That was like swimming in soup: the lake was 28 feet above normal, muddy as all get out. At the end, we got our certifications. Now we can plan a better place to dive. I'm thinking Hawaii or Baja.
First things first. The move.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
San Francisco
Lordy, this is a great city. Every time I come here, I rediscover how lovely it is. And how expensive! We got here last night, and spent a relaxing evening in our hotel, recovering from the long flights. Today? Well, today was our play day.
We touristed the city: did the hop on, hop off bus tours of both the city and the Golden Gate Bridge, with Sausalito thrown in for kicks. I started noticing that my camera didn't work very well (or at all, after a while), so when we got off the bus, we dropped into a camera shop on the corner. Lovely shop, great guy, excellent salesman. He fixed my camera, then showed me how to make it better. And then better. And then he showed me a new camera that made mine look like something Fred Flintstone would like. And then he offered me great deal on the new one, and I thought "how can I possibly go back to that when I can get this for $500 off???" So I did it; bought self a brand new camera with a 60x zoom AND a fancy smantzy lens that i still need to learn how to use properly. He made it look so easy. Going from 8x zoom to 60x? Gah. Makes me want to go back down to Pier 39 and take even more pictures of the sea lions. These were with the old one.
We touristed the city: did the hop on, hop off bus tours of both the city and the Golden Gate Bridge, with Sausalito thrown in for kicks. I started noticing that my camera didn't work very well (or at all, after a while), so when we got off the bus, we dropped into a camera shop on the corner. Lovely shop, great guy, excellent salesman. He fixed my camera, then showed me how to make it better. And then better. And then he showed me a new camera that made mine look like something Fred Flintstone would like. And then he offered me great deal on the new one, and I thought "how can I possibly go back to that when I can get this for $500 off???" So I did it; bought self a brand new camera with a 60x zoom AND a fancy smantzy lens that i still need to learn how to use properly. He made it look so easy. Going from 8x zoom to 60x? Gah. Makes me want to go back down to Pier 39 and take even more pictures of the sea lions. These were with the old one.
With the new toy, I should be able to see whiskers...
Monday, May 18, 2015
Definitively Done, and On Track
On track to a new life. Still in Old Town, but that's drawing short as well. Wednesday we leave for our Alaska cruise - very exciting - and then, once that's over, a mad rush to the big Moving Day.
Alaska is going to be a joy. Three of my favorite people are going with me, we've got nice cabins with balconies (for leisurely morning coffee and evening wine), a full list of activities (none of which, for me, include the fancy-schmantzy doings on board, but do include hikes, wildlife walks, whale watching jaunts, etc.). We leave from SFO, have a couple of days at sea before the activities on shore start. I'm hoping that those two days allow my friends to relax and get past the last couple of weeks which have, for them, been filled with trauma, stress and plain hard work. Me? Hell, I've done so damned little over the past two weeks that another two days of rest will be more of same.
Which, in itself, is rather lovely. Friday we did my garage sale; an experience I intend to NEVER repeat. Yeah, I made some money, but not enough to justify the hassle. And I still have stuff that has to be donated to some good organization - can you believe nobody bought some really nice bookcases? How odd.
There are boxes everywhere in my house; the stuff that hasn't been packed will be packed by the pros. So there's nothing there that needs my doing it. So the pros come June 23 to pack, the truck will load on the 24th and J and I will take off for PNW Retirement Haven bright and early on the 25th with the dogs and bird. The cat will be flown up on July 9 by former critter sitter. By which time, if I'm very luck, all my stuff will have arrived and at least the cat box unpacked and readied.
Between Alaska and Move Day, I'm taking a SCUBA class, getting re-certified. That's been an interesting study as well: how things have changed! When I took the class in my 20s, it was all about formulae re: gas exchange and compression/decomp rates, reading dive tables, learning the dangerous wildlife we'd be encountering in a tropical fishbowl. This time, it's learning that the computer does all that stuff (except the dangerous wildlife), the jargon has changed, the equipment has changed a lot. So it's interesting and challenging. Really interesting to find that similar things still challenge me; I really thought that the physics would be easier for me. Wrong. However, I do know how to learn, and that'll get me through. The physical requirements are also doable, but will be harder on a body now 40 years older and following a long period of inactivity. From what the book says, all that I have to do is prove that I can exchange a regulator underwater, clear my mask, ascend/descend safely, swim 200 yards (no time limit) and tread water for 10 minutes. Know the hand signals. I can prep for all that.
I still consider myself an academic, just a temporarily displaced one. I do intend to keep up some scholarship, but to focus more on the aspects of it that truly interest me. I don't have to deal with scholarship funding committees, justifying how my research impacts my teaching. I don't have to attend faculty meetings, deal with venal deans and shortsighted students and misguided and rude administrators. Instead, I'll find all of that out In the Real World.
O. Joy.
Alaska is going to be a joy. Three of my favorite people are going with me, we've got nice cabins with balconies (for leisurely morning coffee and evening wine), a full list of activities (none of which, for me, include the fancy-schmantzy doings on board, but do include hikes, wildlife walks, whale watching jaunts, etc.). We leave from SFO, have a couple of days at sea before the activities on shore start. I'm hoping that those two days allow my friends to relax and get past the last couple of weeks which have, for them, been filled with trauma, stress and plain hard work. Me? Hell, I've done so damned little over the past two weeks that another two days of rest will be more of same.
Which, in itself, is rather lovely. Friday we did my garage sale; an experience I intend to NEVER repeat. Yeah, I made some money, but not enough to justify the hassle. And I still have stuff that has to be donated to some good organization - can you believe nobody bought some really nice bookcases? How odd.
There are boxes everywhere in my house; the stuff that hasn't been packed will be packed by the pros. So there's nothing there that needs my doing it. So the pros come June 23 to pack, the truck will load on the 24th and J and I will take off for PNW Retirement Haven bright and early on the 25th with the dogs and bird. The cat will be flown up on July 9 by former critter sitter. By which time, if I'm very luck, all my stuff will have arrived and at least the cat box unpacked and readied.
Between Alaska and Move Day, I'm taking a SCUBA class, getting re-certified. That's been an interesting study as well: how things have changed! When I took the class in my 20s, it was all about formulae re: gas exchange and compression/decomp rates, reading dive tables, learning the dangerous wildlife we'd be encountering in a tropical fishbowl. This time, it's learning that the computer does all that stuff (except the dangerous wildlife), the jargon has changed, the equipment has changed a lot. So it's interesting and challenging. Really interesting to find that similar things still challenge me; I really thought that the physics would be easier for me. Wrong. However, I do know how to learn, and that'll get me through. The physical requirements are also doable, but will be harder on a body now 40 years older and following a long period of inactivity. From what the book says, all that I have to do is prove that I can exchange a regulator underwater, clear my mask, ascend/descend safely, swim 200 yards (no time limit) and tread water for 10 minutes. Know the hand signals. I can prep for all that.
I still consider myself an academic, just a temporarily displaced one. I do intend to keep up some scholarship, but to focus more on the aspects of it that truly interest me. I don't have to deal with scholarship funding committees, justifying how my research impacts my teaching. I don't have to attend faculty meetings, deal with venal deans and shortsighted students and misguided and rude administrators. Instead, I'll find all of that out In the Real World.
O. Joy.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Done. Mostly.
Okay, I am now semi-officially done. I've done my last class meetings, finished the presentations that I do instead of finals. All that's left is grading of (useless) exams and crunching/posting final grades. Then I am finished with Unnamed University in Unnamed City in Unnamed State.
I've gone public with this blog, hoping that some previous readers/commenters will find me again. I've missed that community so much.
Retirement from UU feels weird. Anti-climatic. After giving so much to them for 16 years - and getting very little except from the students - walking away feels both lovely and odd. UU is going through a hellish process now, which has effectively killed my department; down to 2 aging faculty members who've not changed the way they teach or what they teach in 30+ years, there is no way that they can offer a major or a real minor. Imaging a liberal arts university without the foundational fields, and that's what UU is doing. Closing language programs (can you imagine a SLAC without a French program???), core LA fields (sociology, history, etc.) and slashing both faculty AND staff. Half of the existing staff positions have to be gone by June 30. Nine faculty lines, plus the non-fill, non renewal of the visiting positions, non replacement of retirees - slash and burn the liberal arts. I am so damned lucky to be getting out.
My new house in PNW closed on time (wonder of wonders) and I'm moving up there at the end of June. It's gorgeous and civil and so different from life in the reddest of the red states. See?
I've gone public with this blog, hoping that some previous readers/commenters will find me again. I've missed that community so much.
Retirement from UU feels weird. Anti-climatic. After giving so much to them for 16 years - and getting very little except from the students - walking away feels both lovely and odd. UU is going through a hellish process now, which has effectively killed my department; down to 2 aging faculty members who've not changed the way they teach or what they teach in 30+ years, there is no way that they can offer a major or a real minor. Imaging a liberal arts university without the foundational fields, and that's what UU is doing. Closing language programs (can you imagine a SLAC without a French program???), core LA fields (sociology, history, etc.) and slashing both faculty AND staff. Half of the existing staff positions have to be gone by June 30. Nine faculty lines, plus the non-fill, non renewal of the visiting positions, non replacement of retirees - slash and burn the liberal arts. I am so damned lucky to be getting out.
My new house in PNW closed on time (wonder of wonders) and I'm moving up there at the end of June. It's gorgeous and civil and so different from life in the reddest of the red states. See?
Yes, those are snow-capped mountains AND a sunny non-cold marina. The snow and rain stay on the south side of those mountains, and I'm on the north side. Less rain than we get here in Unnamed State, no tornados, no 105 degree summer days, no -5 winter days. I'm super excited to get up there and into my new life.
I'm still doing lots of glass - nearly all fused these days. Here're some of my recent projects:
Making lots of earrings, pendants and sets. Anybody want some? I have a good sized inventory, good prices, and I can do special orders for colors, settings etc.!
I'm hoping to sell this stuff for some extra cash once I get moved. I love doing it and it's an incredibly fun medium to work in. I'm also thinking about doing some lamp work for special beads. I've done a couple of switch plates, trying to work out methods and limits. I'll be setting up something like Etsy, and will post that link here in case anybody wants to explore possibilities!
It's an interesting project, this move. Very different from what I've done before (and I've moved about 50 times, I think, since I was 18). For one, it's on my schedule instead of somebody else's, and that's a very strange thing indeed. Purging the personal library is another weird thing - I've always taken all my books, because I never knew what I'd need in the new place. I've spent 16 years here building a teaching resource library - won't need that anymore! So far, I've shredded nearly 100 lbs of documents; did you know that you can take things to places like FedEX and Office Depot for shredding? Yup. Very handy indeed, and it saved my poor little personal shredder from a death by over-use. I'm also purging personal items - furniture, clothing, dishes, unmatched glasses and cups, all kinds of things. Moving more animals than ever before as well; the dogs and bird will go up in the car with me, but the cat is going to have her own personal escort and go up by plane. I got a good price on a professional move - complete with packing - so most of the ugly stuff will be done by the pros. Packing the kitchen and studio are going to be somebody else's problem! But that also completely simplifies my life, because they'll do all that the day before they load the truck, so I can live fairly normally until then.
So I'm ready to move on. Getting up the interest and energy to grade those last bits is a bit beyond me right now; I'd much rather do other things (like glass, read, nap, play with the pups...).
Will I miss academia? Probably. I will certainly miss teaching, and am going to try to find some adjunct spots up in my new area. I won't miss the petty politics, the power plays. I will miss my friends terribly. My house and garden, the latter of which has been just spectacular this year. But part of the enjoyment I'm having with the garden is that it's my last spring here; what I've done has come into its own, it's what I wanted it to look like when I started - and that feels lovely. Time to move on.
Happy end of term everybody!
Sunday, April 19, 2015
23 Days, and Other Things
It's full spring here in Red Neck City;
Don't know why these look so washed out; overexposure didn't show up on the 'regular' image.
again, overexposed - but the deep purple iris
are always the first iris that emerge
I don't even like pink flowers, but these tulips (from Amsterdam)
are just gorgeous.
The neighbor's wisteria
I just love these yellow roses against my purple studio
I've worked hard on these gardens, and this year is bittersweet.
Joy at the beauty, pleasure in my part in creating it,
deep awareness that this is my last spring with it.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
17 Days, 80 days
17 days of classes. 80 days (approx) until The Big Move. The house in Retiring Town is undergoing inspection today, and the builder walk-through is Monday. Closing 15 April. I'd told the builder not to put in the standard (and odd) 4" backsplash, that I would do it myself because I wanted one that would go clear to the cabinets. He offered to bid it out - so I sent him pictures and item numbers at Big Home Store, he bid it at a very reasonable cost - I had him do it. He'd done everything else I wanted with no problem and high quality, so I sent the go-ahead, reiterating that I wanted invisible grout lines. Told him that if his guy couldn't do it the way I wanted that I'd so it myself.
Monday night I got pictures of the tile installation... and was furious. Totally, irrationally angry. I hadn't realized that such a thing would be such a big button for self, but WOW. Sure was. Told the realtor it wasn't right; she dithered, tried to talk me into letting it go. Nope. Not gonna listen to that shit. We exchanged a flurry of emails - mine increasingly firm as to 'absolutely not; rip it out" hers conciliatory and assuring me that it'd be fine, to just let it be. Finally I got down to it, sent off another email directly to the selling broker and the builder, telling them to either make it right by redoing it the way I want, or to tear it out, repair the wall and refund my check.
The builder must have the patience and serenity of a saint. First thing yesterday he sent me an email, accepting responsibility and assuring me that I'd get a full refund and a clean wall. I'm actually good with doing it myself; it'll be a nice thing for me to do and say 'I did that.' I did it here in my current house, and every time I see my backsplash, I'm happy with my work and my accomplishment. So be it.
Classes proceed. Nothing different from any other term - there are good classes, excellent students, piss-pour students. At this point, as I've tried multiple times to explain to them, they've pretty much established the range of the grade. The ones that cannot possibly pass the class are still enrolled, still come to class. The ones that are doing well continue to worry about doing well. The in-between ones are just marking time, with no real interest in or possibility of doing A work. What's different is my attitude towards their opting out: I regret their choices, but it's their choice.
Monday night I got pictures of the tile installation... and was furious. Totally, irrationally angry. I hadn't realized that such a thing would be such a big button for self, but WOW. Sure was. Told the realtor it wasn't right; she dithered, tried to talk me into letting it go. Nope. Not gonna listen to that shit. We exchanged a flurry of emails - mine increasingly firm as to 'absolutely not; rip it out" hers conciliatory and assuring me that it'd be fine, to just let it be. Finally I got down to it, sent off another email directly to the selling broker and the builder, telling them to either make it right by redoing it the way I want, or to tear it out, repair the wall and refund my check.
The builder must have the patience and serenity of a saint. First thing yesterday he sent me an email, accepting responsibility and assuring me that I'd get a full refund and a clean wall. I'm actually good with doing it myself; it'll be a nice thing for me to do and say 'I did that.' I did it here in my current house, and every time I see my backsplash, I'm happy with my work and my accomplishment. So be it.
Classes proceed. Nothing different from any other term - there are good classes, excellent students, piss-pour students. At this point, as I've tried multiple times to explain to them, they've pretty much established the range of the grade. The ones that cannot possibly pass the class are still enrolled, still come to class. The ones that are doing well continue to worry about doing well. The in-between ones are just marking time, with no real interest in or possibility of doing A work. What's different is my attitude towards their opting out: I regret their choices, but it's their choice.
Heard something yesterday: every time they don't raise their hands to answer a question, they are teaching themselves to accept what they have, to quit striving, an act of self-erasure. They choose to silence themselves and announce to the world that they are not to be heard. That struck a cord; I'll see if I can get them to hear that today.
Friday, April 3, 2015
20 days, and counting
April is the last month here. May, I'll be traveling, and June will be spend traveling AND moving. I should be in my new house in PNW somewhere around July 4. Which will signal my own independence from Un-named University, and the beginning of my own new life.
Moving is, for me, a liberation and always a new beginning. Some people hate the hassle and chaos of moving - I never have. I'm not crazy about the details of moving - but the act itself is just a pleasure, such a rush, that once again I am looking forward to it.
Yesterday I bought boxes, and will spend part of this morning and afternoon packing up the winter clothes for the move. I'm going to spring for the moving company to pack most of the house - but there are bits/pieces I want to do myself. Clothing is something they'd do if I didn't already need to make the seasonal swap. I'm also going to use this opportunity to purge a bunch of stuff, clear out stuff I've been keeping for various reasons. I'm tired of my dishes - and have been drinking out of your basic jelly glasses for years. Those'll not make the move - garage sale or Salvation Army. My big oak desk - which I don't use - will also go into the garage sale. Particle board bookshelves, that kind of stuff. I'm looking forward to clearing out some stuff.
What I'm not looking forward to is the garage sale. Ick.
Moving is, for me, a liberation and always a new beginning. Some people hate the hassle and chaos of moving - I never have. I'm not crazy about the details of moving - but the act itself is just a pleasure, such a rush, that once again I am looking forward to it.
Yesterday I bought boxes, and will spend part of this morning and afternoon packing up the winter clothes for the move. I'm going to spring for the moving company to pack most of the house - but there are bits/pieces I want to do myself. Clothing is something they'd do if I didn't already need to make the seasonal swap. I'm also going to use this opportunity to purge a bunch of stuff, clear out stuff I've been keeping for various reasons. I'm tired of my dishes - and have been drinking out of your basic jelly glasses for years. Those'll not make the move - garage sale or Salvation Army. My big oak desk - which I don't use - will also go into the garage sale. Particle board bookshelves, that kind of stuff. I'm looking forward to clearing out some stuff.
What I'm not looking forward to is the garage sale. Ick.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Moving Forward
- The Mess is over. The dean said he's going to accept the recommendations of the P&T committee; my record is cleared. Finally, forever and done.
- The faculty voted me Emerita status, which makes me absurdly happy. Going out with my head held high and honored by my colleagues. Battered, bruised but whole and redeemed.
- Am currently in Seattle. This is the region I'm moving to in the fall, and I wanted to make sure it was a good thing before committing. I am now not only completely committed, but under contract for a new house! I am seriously in love with my new town - Sequim (pron. Skwim) WA - and my new house. Stopped total strangers on the streets, talked to anybody/everybody we could. One and all said they really love the place and recommend it highly. It's on a bunch of 'best places to retire' lists, and housing prices are reflecting that. I had to pay more than I wanted to, but I'm very pleased with the house, the area and even my new neighbors! My builder is proving very easy to work with and amenable to changes, the house is actually bigger than the one I'm currently living in in Unnamed City and much better insulated. I am thrilled.
- I am so ready to move forward. Classes end the first week of May, and I'll be finished as soon as I turn in grades. Then a summer of travel and fun before moving in August. As quickly as I can in August, because I really want to get up here permanently.
- I feel really good about all of this. Profoundly lucky and fortunate to be able to do it. Very very grateful.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
The Committee Has Spoken
The Mess has entered the final phase - hopefully. The P&T Committee sent me a copy of their recommendation to the dean, that I be retained as a professor. They noted that the portfolio was light on evidence as it covered only two years rather than the normal 6. Actually, that tells me that they didn't really read the narrative portion, which explained that it actually only covered a single year and a wildly atypical year at that.
However. The bottom line was that they saw no reason for the portfolio (which tells me that no, indeed, the Dean did not explain why I'd submitted the damned thing) or to change the prior evaluation of my work (which was a rating of "exemplary"). Now it is all in the Dean's lap.
In the final term of my career at Un-named University, I have done something I can't remember ever doing before: I have gone two weeks in the middle of the term without a single class. Two weeks ago, the university closed the campus for weather on Monday, and Tuesday I left for Major Conference. I arranged for the classes to see some films while I was gone. Then last Monday, I cancelled class because I was very ill with a cough that rattles my toes (yes, present tense, the cough persists); then UU cancelled classes anyway. Tuesday-Friday, I got up every day and discovered that the cough was simply too awful to subject anyone else - even though the doctors said I wasn't contagious, I didn't want to risk it. Not to mention that every time I tried to speak or walk and breathe I started coughing again. Bottom line, if I can get in tomorrow without dislodging a lung, it'll be the first time in two weeks that I've met with a class.
Which means that I can either pretend everything is on schedule, or change the schedule in the hope/plan that I'll miss no more classes. Luckily, I don't do content-focused classes - I don't have to 'get through the Cold War' events, although I will get the concepts, issues, trends and questions. Because those aren't event-centered, but process-centered.
UU's leadership has pretty well destroyed my loyalty to the institution; my students and my friends are what I will focus on in these last weeks.
However. The bottom line was that they saw no reason for the portfolio (which tells me that no, indeed, the Dean did not explain why I'd submitted the damned thing) or to change the prior evaluation of my work (which was a rating of "exemplary"). Now it is all in the Dean's lap.
In the final term of my career at Un-named University, I have done something I can't remember ever doing before: I have gone two weeks in the middle of the term without a single class. Two weeks ago, the university closed the campus for weather on Monday, and Tuesday I left for Major Conference. I arranged for the classes to see some films while I was gone. Then last Monday, I cancelled class because I was very ill with a cough that rattles my toes (yes, present tense, the cough persists); then UU cancelled classes anyway. Tuesday-Friday, I got up every day and discovered that the cough was simply too awful to subject anyone else - even though the doctors said I wasn't contagious, I didn't want to risk it. Not to mention that every time I tried to speak or walk and breathe I started coughing again. Bottom line, if I can get in tomorrow without dislodging a lung, it'll be the first time in two weeks that I've met with a class.
Which means that I can either pretend everything is on schedule, or change the schedule in the hope/plan that I'll miss no more classes. Luckily, I don't do content-focused classes - I don't have to 'get through the Cold War' events, although I will get the concepts, issues, trends and questions. Because those aren't event-centered, but process-centered.
UU's leadership has pretty well destroyed my loyalty to the institution; my students and my friends are what I will focus on in these last weeks.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
48 Days
Yep, I'm into counting the days - class days - until retirement. When I was in the Air Force, military types used to count and measure days they were 'short.' So when you got down to single digits, you'd say things like "I'm so short I'd need a ladder to get to a snake's belly."
Decades later, I'm finding that grove rather comforting - I'm short. 48 days until I can leave UU. This is a very good thing. The place is self-destructing around us, and the people who screwed me over last year are now facing their own existential crisis. The Prez is under fire not just from the faculty and staff, but even the Board of Trustees is after hir ass. The Dean had yet another blow up in a faculty meeting, got everybody (except me, cuz I'm so short) riled up over The Report and what it will do to the Arts & Sciences programs. Programs to be cut? Oh, you know. All the modern languages, most of the arts (studio, ceramic, etc). The university cabinet had sequestered themselves to make the hard decisions - but despite constant assurances of complete transparency, there is none. Nobody has any idea what they'll decide, when, how or if. Nobody knows if there are options for appeal. Turns out that the various Task Forces were instructed by the consultants to ignore the university mission as they determined priorities. How does that work? Dean is furious. And it turns out that - a year after they selected the consultant - that somebody finally looked at his CV. Seems he's linked to ALEC. Oh. Delightful. No wonder he wanted us to ignore the liberal arts focus of the university....
I'm back to doing glass. This is great news, as I've not been able to comfortably work on anything for months. All I've really done is fuse, and then turn the bits into jewelry. These are simply millefiori; all you do is cook 'em, and they turn out like this. Then I add findings, and all of these turned into earrings! Great fun, nearly instant gratification. Made 18 pairs of earrings and half a dozen pendants last weekend. Ran out of findings... so had to stop mounting. Then I ran out of millefiori, so had to buy more of those.
Decades later, I'm finding that grove rather comforting - I'm short. 48 days until I can leave UU. This is a very good thing. The place is self-destructing around us, and the people who screwed me over last year are now facing their own existential crisis. The Prez is under fire not just from the faculty and staff, but even the Board of Trustees is after hir ass. The Dean had yet another blow up in a faculty meeting, got everybody (except me, cuz I'm so short) riled up over The Report and what it will do to the Arts & Sciences programs. Programs to be cut? Oh, you know. All the modern languages, most of the arts (studio, ceramic, etc). The university cabinet had sequestered themselves to make the hard decisions - but despite constant assurances of complete transparency, there is none. Nobody has any idea what they'll decide, when, how or if. Nobody knows if there are options for appeal. Turns out that the various Task Forces were instructed by the consultants to ignore the university mission as they determined priorities. How does that work? Dean is furious. And it turns out that - a year after they selected the consultant - that somebody finally looked at his CV. Seems he's linked to ALEC. Oh. Delightful. No wonder he wanted us to ignore the liberal arts focus of the university....
I'm back to doing glass. This is great news, as I've not been able to comfortably work on anything for months. All I've really done is fuse, and then turn the bits into jewelry. These are simply millefiori; all you do is cook 'em, and they turn out like this. Then I add findings, and all of these turned into earrings! Great fun, nearly instant gratification. Made 18 pairs of earrings and half a dozen pendants last weekend. Ran out of findings... so had to stop mounting. Then I ran out of millefiori, so had to buy more of those.
Now I need to start selling them, so that I can recoup my costs and support my habit. Gah. And keeping better records would help too...
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