Can't be bad

Got an email from a former student that some advice I had given her had actually been useful. And that her roommate had actually read the blog. So first, "Hi roommate of former student. I'm sorry you were so bored that you read my ramblings."

As for the gist of tonight's post, if you were ever wondering why I teach (not why I teach media because that's pretty obvious by now if you are paying attention) but why teaching instead of a job making media, that email would be why. I hope that my lessons are useful and have benefit to the students. But it's hard to say even when they tell you while they are still at school. Trust me, I've had my fair share of brown nosers and grade grubbers.

And then a former student lets you know that yes, indeed, you taught them something that did made a difference. And that's the payoff.

Do you understand how intense it feels to have someone tell you that? Let's just say it fucking rocks and get back to our lives.

Now I know I'm not failing in my job

I can't help but share this. Because when I really look at the future for my students, I'm doing what I can. But other educators are just not doing enough to prepare them for what they will really face in their day to day lives.


Are Violent Video Games Adequately Preparing Children For The Apocalypse?

See? This justifies my teaching of video games. Suck on that business professors! I'm lecturing on practical matters after all. Your accounting won't have much use when the destruction comes!

Double tall half caf soy cup of my dignity

"Boy it must be great to be a professor, you get summers off." Yeah, I ever get a summer off I'll let you know how that goes. I was scheduled to teach two classes this summer. If I had, we would have been fine financially this summer and I would have had two months to work on my research and prep for next year's classes.

But one of them got canceled when not enough students signed up by the very ridiculous deadline. We had budgeted around that money. That meant get a summer part time job. And when you're needing a quick paycheck that means service industry. Late 30s with a PhD and I'm slinging coffee again. Gotta do what you gotta do.

I keep hoping I've reached a point in my life where I don't have to supplement my income by putting on an apron and handling food products. And I keep finding out I'm wrong.

On the plus side, you get some really crazy stories working the service industry. So over the next few weeks I'm going share them with you. I'll try to stay away from the ones that will make you feel uncertain about eating out anymore but no promises.

Being a grownup

Recently I received an email from one of my advisees. She is graduating soon and she wanted to talk. She wanted advice about what to do with her life. She has a job lined up after graduation but she admitted she wasn't sure about her career choice and she was sure she didn't want to stay in Florida any longer. Since I just moved from Chicago she wanted to know if I could help her find work there.

I told her it is easier to find a job while you already have a job and in the current market it is better to take that first one and then figure out how to go from there. And I realized as I was talking to her a number of things, some of them unsettling. See, when I was her age I would have just gone for it. Move. It's an adventure and it is better to take the chance while you still can rather than let it get away. I lived my life that way for a long time. I moved to Philly for two years cause I had no where else to go. I worked in bars and moved to other states with little to no plan. Sure, while I did a lot of things that were foolish, and in some cases emotionally or financially damaging, it wasn't boring.

And here I am telling her to take the safe path. To do as I say, not as I did. I feel so old being responsible and giving responsible advice. And I know part of the reason I did it was because I didn't want the other members of my department hearing that I'm telling one of our best and brightest students to chuck it all for a risky adventure. And I also feel like such a hypocrite.

On the other hand, am I wanting to change my advice because I want her to see me as the cool professor (and of course spread the word that I'm cool)?

If I did the right thing, why do I want so badly to tell her to forget what I said and head for Chicago? Being in charge ages you so quickly. It might be time for a new tattoo just to calm me down.

What is that, is that Asian?

Word has gotten out about me on campus. So far it appears to take two main tracks.

One is that I have my tattoos and my plugs. I'm starting to attract a little bit of the freak population. I've also heard through the grapevine that one of my students told a different professor that, "He's cool. I wasn't sure because of the tattoos but he's cool." What's funny is that I haven't worn short sleeves to class yet because I'm trying to establish credibility. I can't wait till the middle of next week because it is still way hot even with a recent cool down in temperatures.

The other is one that is hilarious if you know what I look like. People think I'm Asian because of my last name. Many students have asked other faculty if I was Japanese. And if not then I must be Russian. One said she is going to start telling students I might be both. I've told a couple people to tell students I was adopted by a couple from Korea just to see if I can get that rumor to spread. You know, Americans go to China to adopt babies, so why wouldn't Koreans come here?

The last name is Polish if you didn't know for some reason.