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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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^^^^^^
LOL. Locker gold.
BAd
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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2798...
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Three days left--two for finals, one for graduation. Gotta slog through a few essays this weekend, but by this time next week, I'll be out of the teaching game, at least for a while. I'm thinking about that LAST essay that I'll have to deal with on Thursday. It's going to be an interesting moment when I slap a--likely--"D" on it and set it aside. Then I'll calculate grades, post them to the college server, and that's all folks. Freakin' weird.
BAd
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 10, 2017 - 06:59am PT
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About to start the last two days of work--then graduation. I've been walking around in a strange state, knowing I have some work to do, but knowing it's about over. We're also preparing for the big move to Bishop, so we're walking around a house that we have lived in for almost 20 years, but, like the job, we'll be leaving it, too. Nothing has changed yet, but everything is different. It's a strange limbo. Sometimes I get a little freaked out--Stop! Don't. Or don't stop? When does no mean yes? This is like the other big shakeups in life--moving out as a young man, graduating college, getting married, moving away for the big job, the one, now, that I'm about to put to bed after 20+ years. The mourning doves sing. The spring sun streams through the east-facing windows. My life changes--again.
More anon.
BAd
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 10, 2017 - 08:01am PT
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The only thing that doesn't change in life is....change. Many people have difficulty with change but it's not an option.....embrace it and move on.
Shouldn't be a problem for you.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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May 10, 2017 - 09:17am PT
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First few shops I worked at were hard for me to leave. After having some crappy bosses I learned not to form an attachment to work. I left the last place and had only the slightest queasiness.
I like my current shop just fine, but I have avoided becoming emotionally attached. A number of dumb decisions by organization that 10-15 years ago would have driven me mad have rolled off my back. I get a CYA email to document decisions and just accept them, and don't even get that upset when they lead to inevitable failure.
Other than having a big enough portfolio I could leave here tomorrow and feel almost no loss. I don't recommend it, but it is one approach that can minimize the anxiety of approaching change/separation.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 10, 2017 - 01:52pm PT
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Yeah, I'll be fine. Just started reading some final essays. NOT facing any more of those is going to be damn sweet. Nearly 30 years at this gig is long enough. Time to move on.
BAd
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 11, 2017 - 06:15pm PT
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My parting words to my colleagues at my college. I posted my final, final grades today:
Friends and colleagues, misanthropes and malcontents, dreamers and ne’er-do-wells:
Consider this my parting shot, a last rock chucked at this glass house of higher ed. I’ve had a great run, and most of you are to blame. When, after years of adjunct grinding in The Wine Country, I accepted the job here at BC, my hoity colleagues in Sonoma were horrified: Bakersfield?! Are you out of your mind? Perhaps I was, but I knew soon enough that I had made the right decision. Working with you has made all the difference. The shared mission, the struggles, successes and failures have deeply enriched my life. I can’t thank you all enough.
I may return to the classroom in the future. I don’t know. There are many trails to hike, roads to bike, rocks to climb, and books to read. But I want to one last time cheer on this grand and difficult enterprise to which we have devoted our lives. So often our labors seem to yield more failure than success, the grim stack of essays glowering at us like the hangman’s noose. But we carry on, finding the gems where we can, rejoicing in the small victories. Sisyphus was happy, right? We know what good writing looks like. We know when students truly grasp the point of our lessons. We should never let go of that knowledge and always hold our students to that standard. Everyone doesn’t get a trophy. We are the only ones who can hold the line and make a college degree worth something.
When you drag your reluctant carcasses back into the classroom in the fall—or bounce back with peppy enthusiasm!—think of me on a trail high in the mountains, a crystalline stream crashing through the rocks, the aspens turning gold. I may experience a twinge or two of nostalgia—but nothing a little glass of merlot can’t cure.
Be well, Dawgs!
Now, one last graduation tomorrow and I'm done-done.
Bring on the crags, brothers and sisters.
BAd
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 11, 2017 - 06:17pm PT
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You go, boy!
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 12, 2017 - 12:45pm PT
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Good on ya, Locker. Everyone needs to post their first climb in "retirement." Keep up the therapy and lay off the parkour.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
BAd
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 13, 2017 - 06:44am PT
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Well, here's proof of truth, a posse of pedagogues posing, my LAST graduation ceremony. After 20 plus of these, I'm SO done. I'm the short guy flying in the back:
BAd
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 13, 2017 - 09:08am PT
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What, it's Halloween already?
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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May 13, 2017 - 06:42pm PT
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BAd! A nice farewell letter.
Dare I think you taught English Lit?
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 14, 2017 - 06:06am PT
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Hey, Fritz--spot on, though as a community college instructor I was more of a glorified high school teacher in many ways, which was fine. Somebody has to crack them heads.
@Moose: You kill.
BAd
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 14, 2017 - 07:36am PT
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Make mine a negative 4000 days....and counting.
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blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
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May 16, 2017 - 02:38pm PT
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Working on a small load this week...
Expect it to be even smaller next week...
Then that's it...
Locker we don't need to hear about the state of your intestines . . .
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i-b-goB
Social climber
Wise Acres
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May 19, 2017 - 10:59am PT
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Make mine a negative 400 days....and counting, I'm a nOOb!
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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May 20, 2017 - 05:34am PT
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Had to add a couple days as I am being asked to give the commencement address for graduation- I'm pretty excited about this.
Otherwise 6/10 is the cut off.
Got selected for Jury duty so it is not the usual month of May
Looking forward to a really long summer/winter break
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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May 20, 2017 - 05:59am PT
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Go, Ho-bo, go! I won't feel officially retired until this big move is over. Today is yard sale day--ugh. Big move on 24/25.
BAd
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