For all intents and purposes
This semester is over. I have one more class to suffer through on Monday, and then I’m done. I’m already stressing over what to do over the winter holiday. Some people are never satisfied. 
I pick up a nice stash of essays on Tuesday and that will be my stocking stuffer from Carleton. I’m hoping that this pile is a lot better than the set I got earlier in the year. I went over the essences of argument quite a bit with my classes so I have my fingers crossed. It’s one thing to mark 40 essays, it’s quite another to mark 40 shitty essays. Of course there are the bright spots. And I know who they are already. It’s not that teachers have favorites, but they are the ones who keep us from suicide – that’s why we love em.
Listen me, calling myself a teacher. lol. All it takes is one semester I guess.
I’m still on the lookout for a new computer. Haven’t completely made up my mind on this one yet. Future shop apparently has a couple of brand spanking new Macbooks in stock and I’m thinking I’ll head down there tomorrow and get some financing for an early Christmas. (Although I really want a black one, I can’t justify an extra 200 clams for the color (they call it the black tax)) I’ve been putting off upgrading this machine for so long, and now things have come to a head. Apple offers a student discount but, alas, no financing for Canada. Too bad. I really can’t take a full hit to the pocket book like that especially since Carleton won’t pay us in January, but instead gives us one big payday at the end of the month. Yeah.
I’m the Union rep for the History TA’s and so I’ve been doing my little do. It’s not hard work either. At least so far. (I would hate to end up in an arbitration case.) Rght now the union is planning to improve their readiness in case of a strike and so they are asking to increase member fees a buck or two to give us some strike money should things come to that. See, CUPE (the national union) will start to pay money to the locals on the 10th day of a strike, this extra money will give us some bucks for the first nine. Not much, but it helps out. TA’s go into collective bargaining next year, so we shall see if we need it…
Remember when I said the room mate was quiet. Addendum. He is quiet in the sense of not talking. Very loud in terms of his music. With his door closed and my door closed I can’t hear him, but LORD! That punk stuff does things to my nerves. I can’t imagine how someone could listen to that stuff all day and not want to break something. It’s like listening to distilled anger. And all I hear is the muffled guitar riffs through his closed door when I’m in the kitchen. Anyway…
Just thought I would share that with you.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
LoL black tax!!! Hahahahahaha. Are you going to get one of those dual-boot ones? Pretty cool I think.
but I agree with the marking thing. It’s really what helps me going through pages of C essays – the hope that someone has written something that actually made sense.
November 30th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Yes, I got the one that can dual boot.
Do you (or your über geek brother) have a ahem… copy of windows for hire?
About the marking – its funny how me, the other TA and the prof can argue for hours on what is the difference between a C- and a D+. Such a fine line I tell you!
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:28 pm
The difference between a C- and a D+ is essentially how much effort they put into the class (do they turn up? contribute to discussion?) and whether they deserve to “marginally fail” (D+) or not (C-).
I think I do have a copy of winxp somewhere around here.
I’m glad you’ve finally settled that business with the dreadful landlords. Now just to put up with your punk rocker roommate.
December 10th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
This marking thing is so subjective!!
Maybe I’ll be in Toronto when you get back from London? Good luck on your research!