Adventures in teaching

I am teaching an undergraduate research class this semester. Fifteen minutes before the class starts I get an email from a student asking where the class is...Ok, no problem, it is in this room. The student emails me back immediately, "I am in the room with some other students." My internal response...great, I hope you are having a fabulous time. But it is 15 minutes before class, no way in hell am I ever that early to class. So that was just strange and I thought I would ignore it. So during class the students were discussing what they wanted to study this semester. So little miss 15 minutes early says, "I am interested in studying sexual dysfunction in men under 35." Instead of asking what the hell are you talking about, I do the professorial thing and say, "How do you plan on studying this?" She replies, "I was hoping to shadow some therapists." My reply, "I am pretty sure that is illegal, and most certainly unethical". She retorts, "Well, what if I just look at the patients medical records." At this point, I am in utter shock and say, "No, that is definitely illegal." So, I had convinced her that this might not be a viable research topic. Triumph of baby professor and I send her off to spend some time thinking about this...But then she utters..."I just think I'll observe some sexaholic anonymous groups." I can only wonder what this semester might hold....

My Book is out

It is now on sale at Amazon....It has a lame title, and is pretty boring, but it is mine....

My new car...the red devil...

So many of you know, Zsa Zsa met her end....So I was forced to get a replacement...

So here she is...the red devil...




I was going to name her after Liverpool FC, but just naming her red seemed a little obvious....so I went with man u

Awaiting News on ZsaZsa

My car, affectionately known as ZsaZsa was in an accident on sunday. Everyone human was ok....but we are waiting to see if ZsaZsa goes to the great scrape yard in the sky or if she will just be in the hospital for awhile....Hopefully I'll know more before I go on vacation.

Ahhhh Holiday Break

After my first semester being a professor, the winter break has so far already been a fabulous reprieve from the pressures of the semester. No emails from students, no trying to explain basic mathematical functions to people to whom algebra is a foreign language, fewer random emails from the chair, and by luck of getting out of the country for a couple of weeks, no faculty retreats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do we have to look forward to this holiday....Sir GB will be down south with me and Tiger for Christmas. We having christmas dinner with DD and her family, they so graciously invited us. Then relaxing for another week or so, and then off to Belize for awhile before the next semester starts again....

The only two things I'll miss while away...Tiger Cat and working out with my trainer, Nancy. Yup, in the past 3 months I have lost over 15lbs, and I am considerably smaller b/c I have built a lot of muscle. Yup, I am a gym rat, but that is cool, soon enough I will be a super duper trim Gerbie.

Happy Holidays

Make a Smilebox greeting

Tiger cat wishes you a happy christmas!

Tiger got a holiday outfit this year, and she actually wore it long enough for a few photos.

By the way....

I need a vacation!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Sir GB, Tiger Cat and I all hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving. Hopefully no one will throw a potato at you, nor will your pet try to steal your turkey (We are really hoping Tiger doesn't try this, she does love poultry).

Update from LA

So, Tiger and I did not burn in the latest round of fires...It was actually relatively far away and we live in the midst of massive suburban sprawl, so we are generally safe from fires.

We are getting ready for thanksgiving, we, ok I have been researching how to make gravy, as this is a task that has confused me for several years. Just pointing to my level of nerdiness, there was an article in the NYT demystifying gravy, which actually made a lot of sense to me, and my practice gravy tasted pretty good. Considering that I hate gravy, it was a pretty good attempt.

Tiger and I are awaiting the arrival of Sir GB on tuesday after he finishes his scuba diving training in monterrey. No scuba for asthmatics, so he is on his own there. I would much rather snorkel or surf than scuba.

In other news, I have been working out with a trainer for almost two months. I am losing an average of a pound a week, which is really good. So in a few more months I will have lost all of my dissertation weight. This will be very exciting. i will be sure to keep you posted, but I am already down one size...YAY! So I might even get some pictures of me when Sir GB and I go to Belize after christmas!

I am ok....awaiting flight home to check on tiger

So, LA is burning again, but so far my house looks ok. I am in the San Jose Airport awaiting to return. After a 2 hour delay, we might finally be leaving, and getting home. I will then report on tiger and her status, and if she has survived the wind and heat.

But this is how I feel about southwest right now

My dissertation is being published!!!!!

That is my big news. It should be available around the new year. I'll post details then, if you would care to purchase a copy or five (I like royalties). I am currently trying to pick out a cover for said book....all very complicated. In other work related news, my other book that I am co-editing on Trust and Technology, is moving along, we have many interesting submissions. Basically, I am pretty overwhelmed with work, but trying to make sure everything gets done. No one really prepares you for what happens when you become a faculty member, all of a sudden you have to go to a lot of blankity blank meetings, you have all of these responsibilities. It is kind of lame. But Tiger and I are doing fine, and looking forward to winter break.

What a talented dog....

This is just really impressive. Who knew dogs could blow bubbles.....

Silly, silly Santa Ana winds

I got my first real jolt of them and brush fires today. It wasn't bad at all here in North Hollywood, but down at Northridge, it was like you were constantly surrounded by campfires. While some of you might like that, for me....not so good. In the morning, there was only one fire, but by the afternoon there were two and the University canceled classes. So I got to go early :)


Hopefully the winds will die down and they can get the fires under control.

Updates!

Sorry, it has been hectic around here. Being a faculty member is so much more work than being a graduate student.. I actually think a big difference is the mental energy that goes into not beating the crap out of your fellow faculty members. Most departments are made up of people who generally enjoy a solitary work experience, but then they are forced to work as a group during faculty meetings. God I hate faculty meetings.

But it other news, I've been having some exciting adventures. A couple of weeks ago I went to the Bay area to celebrate Sir GB's proposal defense. In addition, we rode bikes through SF and across the golden gate bridge, which was really cool. I took some pictures, but haven't gotten around to uploading them...I know shocking. Then we went to the grand re-opening of the academy of sciences.

This weekend Sir GB came to LA. We went to the Getty Museum, which is definitely worth a trip, went to a jazz show (Ernie Watts, they were great) and then today went to the Huntington, which is amazing. Ok, only if you like plants (I do), seeing a Gutenberg bible, and Gainsborough's Blue Boy...It was a place that appealed to my pedantic nature.

What else is going on....I am headed back to the Bay at the end of the month for a grant meeting and to see Tahu, Tezza and new baby ReiRei.

Sir GB and I are going to Belize in January....we have a pretty ridiculous trip planned. It includes a three day sailing/snorkeling/fishing adventure that goes out to some of the deserted cayes. It is going to be so cool....

Ok..I will try to be better about posting....

greetings from LALA Land

There has been a lot going on lately....
I've been swamped with teaching, I gave my first exam last week, all but 2 people passed. Not too bad, compared to what happens in other people's classes.

I've been to two dodgers games, I have pictures, but haven't gotten around to uploading them yet. They were great games, Manny hit home runs, Nomar played, I had a fabulous time, even though I went by myself....

Tiger has been adjusting fairly well to being an inside kitty, she has many admirers in the complex, and they are all fascinated with her new manicure. She was scratching up furniture, so her new vet recommended soft paws. She is currently wearing them in purple and white, and will move to hot pink once these grow off.

But the big news is Sir GB is defending on Friday...so keep him in your thoughts and send him good vibes! I am heading up to the Bay area to help celebrate!

I miss Manny

So, I decided I would go see him, all by myself. I've never been to a baseball game by myself, so I decided it was time to try. So I bought myself a ticket to this saturday's game against the d-backs. I plan on eating some bad food, and cheering loudly for manny.

New Addition to the Clan

So there is a new official member of the family. NO, Sir GB isn't joining the Clan, but, Momma Gerbil decided it was time for a new baby. Here he is....Huckleberry Gerbil.

Tiger and the Leash

Since Tiger is now an inside cat, she misses the outside, so we decided we would get her a harness and a leash....this lead to many disasters, especially escaping kitties. We thought if we got her a longer leash she might be happier. So today we experimented, we got her one of those ones for dogs that can extend 16 feet. She was much happier on that, until she decided she wanted to go upstairs and explore, well...she ran into our friendly local outdoor cat, Loud Guy (I used the Sir GB nomenclature--pick obvious characteristic of thing, and that is its name, Loud Guy meows a lot). Loud Guy attempts to be friendly, and all Tiger can do is hiss, she is so not a team player. So, Tiger had to be carried in, where she proceeded to stare at Loud Guy out of the window from her perch, she is a total weirdo....But we love her.

I'm still alive

I didn't think I was going to make it through last week. Two days of new faculty orientation, boring, then an 8 hour faculty retreat. It is not a retreat if you are shut in the faculty club, and watch people yell at each other. Not cool, there should have at least been cocktails. Note to self, manage to be out of town if there is another faculty retreat. It is definitely not a fun place to be. I had to escape a couple of times.

But at least Sir GB returned from England.

And then I started teaching, it wasn't too bad. Aside from my technology not working, which is super duper lame. But the kids seem more scared of statistics than I could have imagined.

Tiger cat is adjusting to being inside, but we took her out on her harness, she is getting used to that too. She isn't a big fan, but she'll adjust. She has also rediscovered the joy of yarn, she loves to play with yarn. It is pretty comical.