Author Archives: Christene

Irritated Post #23

When I am sitting at a table by myself reading a book, I am not attempting to use it as a prop or conversation started. I understand not everyone knows this, but when you ask me what I am reading and I reply “a book,” this should be the first indication that I am not feeling particularly chatty.

I can’t not be nice, so even my short responses come with a friendly smile, and I am beginning to think this may confuse people.

Maybe I should start carrying a sign, but then I would probably get questions about the sign, defeating its purpose. “No sir, I am not picketing, I would simply like to be left alone.”

I think the worst is when they continue talking, but haven’t the slightest clue what they are talking about. No, Prometheus Unbound is not the newest John Grisham bestseller. Uh huh, yes, I am sure he is fascinating.

My favorite is “you must be really smart.” Obviously not smart enough to eat my lunch at home.

It Was An Accident

My teaching style happened accidentally. Before I started teaching I didn’t know what it would be like. I thought it would be like giving a really long in-class presentation, but I would be the only one presenting. I had ideas gathered from previous professors, but no clear outline of what I was going to do. While everyone has been extremely helpful/supportive/encouraging, you can’t really teach someone how to teach. Not really.

I knew I wanted to have a lecture type setup because that worked best for me when I was a student. I know the material, and more or less what aspects of it I want my students to learn about. I have plenty of notes. But then it came time to actually teach.

The idea was terrifying. Minutes before class I sat in my office wondering what I had gotten myself into. How can I be responsible for the academic career of so many other people?

Also, what was I going to do up there for three hours? I had notes, I had what is in my head, I had the books, but what was I going to do up there for three hours?

In my first class on Monday night I have my youngest students, so they don’t really know any better. I described the course, went over what will be taught, and expected. I showed them which books we will be reading, went over a little intro, and sent them home. Not so bad.

The entire one and half hours they seemed absolutely mesmerized (or terrified, take your pick).

Second class didn’t go too badly either. Different course, harder material, and more reading. For the most part they were just as enthusiastic as the first group and had all sorts of questions. One girl got up and left fifteen minutes into the lecture, before I even finished going over the syllabus. Extremely encouraging. I spent the rest of the evening writing terms on the board, introducing them to the connections between the texts we will read, along with the theme of the course.

Yes, all my classes are themed. Not only does it make it easier for me to organize my texts, but this method lends itself well to intertextual studies. So I teach the way I enjoyed being taught.

By Thursday I found a method of lecturing that wasn’t just successful, but felt natural. It wasn’t intentional, hence my teaching style happened accidentally. But instead of teaching, I had a (quite lengthy) one sided conversation. My lecture became the equivalent of a very long verbalized blog post.

I don’t know if I will keep this format, but for now it seems to be working for me. The students seemed genuinely interested, taking copious notes, and I felt casual. So far, so good.

Furniture Followed by Randomness

Last Saturday I went furniture shopping. I didn’t post about it because it was the most uneventful thing ever. I vaguely alluded to “errands,” and that sort of encompassed all of my activities outside of social outings. It is really hard to go furniture shopping when your apartment isn’t ready yet. Even though I took picture for reference, I realized they don’t actually help. It gave me an idea, but I didn’t think to measure, so the pictures were in reality not very useful.

Also you have to realize I have only seen this apartment twice, and both times for roughly twenty minutes. So it’s not like I have some sort of coherent mental image I can’t work off of.

Secondly, what do I do with the furniture? I *could* have it delivered here, or to my mom’s house, and store it until moving day, at which point I will have to hire movers to take it to the new place, or I can wait and get it once I am moving in. Not only does this add multiple steps to the moving process, it also makes it more expensive. As of right now I don’t need movers since I am taking almost no furniture. Unless you count the numerous shoe boxes, in which case I will need an entire army.

I have made arrangements tomorrow to go back for measurements. While I am down there I will also take some time walking around and really seeing what is in the vicinity. I mean, I know the area *a bit,* but that applies more to the general area as opposed to the specifics of where I will be living. Knowing me I will get lost down my own street.

At least everything I plan on doing tomorrow is within walking distance. I tend to get less lost that way. Driving always messes me up.

At least I will be close to UCLA on the off chance they actually accept me to their grad program. In fact, I should put that in my letter of intent. While my grades and test scores are very good, and their medieval program is extensively well developed, especially in my particular area of interest, they should admit me by virtue of my proximity. No?

I think this will be a perfect exercise in rhetoric, specifically persuasion, and I will practice my skills by convincing the admissions committee that since I recently moved, and it so happens to be not terribly far from them, they should highly consider my admittance based on the probability of fate. Had I not been destined to attend their institution, I would not have found my apartment.

I didn’t major in Rhet Comp.

Can you tell?

I know, I know, worst argument ever, and you don’t need to tell me I best keep it to myself. In fact, with my luck I will probably be accepted to UCSB which was far closer to my house than my apartment. That is how fate screws with you.

Also, two people mistook what I said to mean that I will live within walking distance of UCLA. No. Even with my crazy ideas of what “walking distance” means, I will still not be able to comfortably walk to UCLA. Can it be done? Sure. Will I, or anyone else do it? No.

Unless, of course, I decide to take in a roommate who also happens to be a Nigerian marathon runner.

And how sad would that be? Not only will I (probably) not be accepted to UCLA since they will find my persuasive argument tacky and perhaps questionable, but then there would a Nigerian marathon runner in my apartment who I could never keep up with, practically running laps around the campus just to taunt me. This is why I can never have roommates.

Well, *that,* and like eighty thousand other reasons.

But mainly because I say things like that. I mean, if you just met someone and they started talking to you about Nigerian marathon runners at UCLA, would *you* want to live with them? Exactly.

Also, I am not a big fan of strangers in my house (for prolonged periods of time). And that is what roommates are. Strangers that you kind of, sort of know, but not really, and they are there… all the time.

Anyway, I meant to blog about furniture. I had all sorts of fun things to tell you, and somehow this went from whimsical decorating piece to…. whatever it is now.

In conclusion (not that there was ever a beginning or middle), I will one day have furniture. I strongly believe this.