Thursday, August 27, 2015

for soc

https://familyinequality.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/comment-on-goffmans-survey-american-sociological-review-rejection-edition/

Monday, July 27, 2015

books... this is a unique display

ceiling at starbucks at GMU

the guardians

have you ever read something and thought, "lousy."

then you read comments and they talk about how wonderful it is.

then you are left wondering if the world is wrong or if you are missing something.

Link in amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006VRXR42?ie=UTF8&redirectFromSS=1&pc_redir=T1&noEncodingTag=1&fp=1

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

feels like 95 at near midnight

awfully hot these last few days. on top of it, I got a student loan today. and a 50" tv.

these are strange days.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

on being an adjunct

there is a nice reflection here:  Life as a “Sometimes Adjunct”. a snippet:
I learned early on that most students don’t know or seem to care about my title or my status, and for me, that’s the bottom line. I have found that students are oblivious to stratification within academia – the cascade of titles and honors that starts with part-timers at the bottom, and then officially begins with Assistant Professor, the tenuous first step which initiates the gradual and arduous climb up and up, until – if lucky – one reaches Associate, Full and eventually, at the far end of the career spectrum, Emeritus, the end of the line, after decades of classes taught, research conducted, peer-reviewed articles and books published, talks given and dissertations advised.
When prospective parents and students tromp around campus, asking all the right questions, they are rarely prompted to ask one of the most relevant questions:  “Will my professors be part-time (low-paid) labor?” No, if they ask anything related to the status of teachers, they want to know if the professors have doctorates, and often the answer is “yes”, avoiding the issue of labor stratification altogether.
That said, most students just assume that their teacher is the professor
i agree with this. no one asks (even about the doctor thing, most of the time). the author then reflects on position, status, and unions.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

advice in a graduation gift

high school graduation!  oh my!  (the gift is a dr. who journal, of course.)

it started in 2006 with this post: advice for my daughter.  the final version is as follows:

Work hard. Be nice to people.  Believe in yourself. Show class. Have pride. There is no elevator for success, you will have to take the stairs. Walk into a room with confidence. Respect yourself. Respect others.  Listen to your mother.  Always keep learning new things.  Pay attention when you are driving.  Listen.  Do the right thing.  Don't cut yourself.  Don't kill anyone.  Question everything.  Forgive and forget.  Be funny.  Vote.  Smile as often as you can.  Finish college.  Think positively.  Don't run with scissors.  Try to get a full night's sleep every night. Be honest.  Keep your promises.  Remember that the bible, however noble, was written by a man.  Listen to music every day.  Have a pet, you'll live longer.  Don’t let your happiness depend on another person. Order a cheeseburger on the first date if you want to.  Give credit. Take blame. Don't let anyone tell you no.  Even if it's not been done before, you can be the first one.

Sometimes the best way to say it has already been said:


  • “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” Sarah Ban Breathnach
  • Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. ~Milton Berle
  • You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. ~Michael Jordan
  • Share your sparkle wherever you are. ~Dodinsky
  • Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. ~Les Brown
  • Saturday, March 7, 2015

    free association #40

    feeling like doing this.
    1. Jude :: law
    2. Erased :: pencil
    3. Addiction :: problem
    4. Curls :: girl
    5. Hotel :: bar
    6. Bloomers :: pants
    7. Membership :: club
    8. Family :: love
    9. Handle :: too hot to...
    10. Questioning :: sexuality

    Monday, March 2, 2015

    way to go!

    Campus policing responsibilities different from city's
    HAVING TAUGHT thousands of criminal justice students over the years, I was pleased to see that officers were given a voice to express their concerns in Wednesday's front page story ('ODU police officers speak of thin staffing, poor morale') about staffing levels in the Old Dominion University Police Department.
    But the report is inaccurate in its portrayal of campus policing. It points out that the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends a ratio of 2.2 police officers per 1,000 individuals a ratio based on community police departments, not campus police departments.
    Communities have much different policing needs than college campuses. Many factors, such as the number of on-campus students, proximity to other police departments, and campus geography, influence staffing levels in campus police departments.
    As a result, campus police departments typically have a lower ratio of officers to students. The FBI's most recent data, from 2013, indicate the ratio of campus police officers to college students is actually 1.67 officers per 1,000 students.
    Tying the campus police officer ratio together with the number of students on campus, and recognizing that ODU has become a leader in providing distance education, one can point to a different conclusion about the staffing level. Old Dominion University serves roughly 20,000 students on campus and 5,000 students through distance learning. Using the 1.67 ratio, this suggests that the university should have 33.5 officers to serve the 20,000 students.
    The number of officers available for patrol was highlighted in a way that suggests too few officers are available for patrol. There is an assumption that police patrol prevents crime. The bulk of evidence-based research shows that police patrol does not reduce crime.
    Law enforcement experts agree that a concerted effort by various stakeholders is needed to prevent crime.
    I have witnessed the concerted effort that Chief Rhonda Harris has in place for the campus community and the local community.
    I am proud to be a part of it.
    Brian K. Payne
    Vice Provost, Old Dominion University

    Wednesday, January 14, 2015

    college

    http://colleges.startclass.com" style="font:10px/14px arial;color:#3d3d3d;">Colleges & Universities | StartClass

    Monday, January 5, 2015

    Friday, December 19, 2014

    goodbye colbert. goodbye ferguson.

    Goodbye to two brilliant shows. The story at the link is good, I especially love the video of colbert's first "the word" on his first episode. read.

    Sunday, October 19, 2014

    The Storm

    by Mary Oliver

    Now through the white orchard my little dog
    romps, breaking the new snow
    with wild feet.
    Running here running there, excited,
    hardly able to stop, he leaps, he spins
    until the white snow is written upon
    in large, exuberant letters,
    a long sentence, expressing
    the pleasures of the body in this world.
    Oh, I could not have said it better.

    Thursday, October 2, 2014

    Thursday, September 18, 2014

    Quote for the day

    "But maybe keep in mind that moving inequality around isn’t exactly the same as addressing inequality."

    Love it! From an article doing a great public service to keep us thinking about the harms of for-profit education and reminding us of the link between that and poverty.

    Read: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2014/09/17/64171/

    Monday, June 2, 2014

    Why didn't i know this?

    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/grover-cleveland-gets-married-in-the-white-house

    Thursday, May 1, 2014

    art show

    She had three prices in the art show this year - two in the metal category and one in the woven.

    Wednesday, February 19, 2014

    Tuesday, February 18, 2014

    not so profound

    found this sticky note on my computer today:

    "an idealist amid the imperialists"

    turns out, it's a book chapter.

    Wednesday, February 5, 2014

    Tuesday, January 21, 2014

    brilliance on capital punishment

    Stephen Colbert on the lethal injection drug shortage:  he suggests new methods of execution. He says we can use gravity to execute those on death row.

    "Just shove the condemned off the Sears tower. If he survives the drop, remember he'll land in Chicago and someone will shoot him."

    Also, he says, don't worry about it being cruel and unusual punishment. "If we are cruel often enough, it won't be unusual."

    Monday, December 23, 2013

    dialect quiz

    How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk

    I took this quiz twice and the questions were different 

    The first time I got DC, Baltimore and Newark.  The second time it was Baltimore, Richmond and Greensboro. 

    Either way, it makes me an east coast girl.

    Wednesday, December 18, 2013

    Friday, December 6, 2013

    How Do You Rate as a Girl?

    1. Do you wait for a boy to open a car door, even though you both know you are quite capable of managing it yourself?

    2. Do you listen responsively to a story you have heard before rather than squash the pleasure of the boy who is telling it?

    3. If you are going to the movies with another girl, do you look presentable enough to cope with an unexpected encounter?

    4. If your bureau drawers or closets were open to view without warning, could you stand the inspection without apologies?

    5. In a serious discussion which includes both sexes, can you keep from being overpowering even though you know a great deal on the subject?

    6. If a boy forgets his manners, can you restrain yourself from correcting him?

    7. Are you able to refuse a kiss without hurting a boy’s pride and sending him home in a huff?

    8. If that special boy told you he liked your long hair, would you keep it long to please him?

    9. Have you the courage to be nice to a boy whom the other girls consider a bore?

    10. In stores, are you apt to moon over pretty lingerie and perfume?

    Scoring: Seven or more yesses: you are a veritable flower of femininity! Five to seven yesses: there are a few thorns. Under five: ouch!

    From the February 1960 issue of Seventeen magazine and Pink Think by Lynn Peril (2002).

    Wednesday, December 4, 2013

    this makes me want to get married

    This couple invited Peyton Manning to their wedding. He declined with this.