In Norma Rae Land

So apparently the University has moved a bit on a few issues; but there's been some sort of ruling upholding professors' rights to grade everything. I don't know the details, I only got the update from the administration (below.) So it sounds to me, so far, like striking has won us Something... but the power of the *pressure tactic* is coming to an end? The admin is also making plans for the fall, in case the strike goes that long. Yikes.

On the Not So Nice end of things, McGill fired any of the exam invigilators who are also TAs. The latest word is that they've threatened "striking employees with more layoffs, this time for TAs who hold summer sessional instructor jobs and research assistantships." That came from a union email, I don't know more than that.

A student in our dept proposed a meeting with faculty, to keep up good relations. I doubted the Chair would agree since there's no way he'd be allowed to talk about these issues. Sure enough he was reluctant at first, but has now set a meeting for next Monday. As Star Wars would say, I have a bad feeling about this.

*

From Admin (April 24): "On Wednesday, April 23, the Commission des Relations du Travail du Québec
issued an order that supports McGill’s interpretation of Quebec labour law as
it applies to professors marking papers and exams, submitting grades and
teaching summer courses.
As you may know, AGSEM, the Union representing the teaching assistants,
had argued that the University did not have the right to assign this work to
professors. At a Commission hearing April 18 to deal with a Union complaint,
AGSEM agreed during a mediation session to the terms of an agreement that
formed the basis of the April 23 order. The Union’s subsequent attempt, on
Monday, April 21, to pull back from that agreement was dismissed on April
23. "

From FNEEQ site (April 17): "Cette semaine, un enquêteur du ministère du Travail a conclu dans son rapport que McGill se sert de scabs pour effectuer le travail des grévistes. Lors d’une visite à un laboratoire de chimie de l’université, le 11 avril, l’enquêteur, Thomas Hayden, a constaté que les professeurs de McGill remplaçaient les auxiliaires dans leurs taches normales, ce qui contrevient l’article 109.1"

Like a circle in a circle like a wheel within a wheel...

The other day I went out with Friend Gilby. One of the reasons Gilby and I are such good friends is that our brains work very similarly. The result is that he's probably the person I feel the most relaxed around. I don't know if relaxed is the right word. But it's like I've got this hyper child in my brain, and when I'm with Gilby I can open the room and let it tear around the house. (Or a caged tiger, if you prefer. Depends whether you see my Unleashed Mind as annoying or dangerous. I think Fernando sees it as both.)

I don't mean that I'm super intelligent. I just mean that I have this constantly analyzing brain... it's always on go go go go go go mode. Friend Maggie once said to me: Don't you love to just get out in the evening and take a long walk?

Nooooooo! That's like torture! Must...have...ipod. My brain is already on go go go mode when I'm busy doing a hundred other things--don't let it run around with no direction! (Friend Maggie's brain is very similar to mine, but clearly there is some key difference if she finds long walks relaxing. She's got some sort of brain brake.)

This is why I have a million blogs. Writing gives my brain direction. I have to organize my thoughts when I put them to *paper.* Otherwise my brain is exactly like the muppet in this video. All the time. It's also why I talk incessantly. The hyper toddler is trying to escape at every moment! It's also why I argue and debate with people over the littlest things--I'm trying to figure out what my opinion is on the subject, and my brain will NOT stop until I do. If you've ever seen me obsess about a topic, you don't know the half... if I've obsessed about something verbally, it means I've obsessed about it in my mind for 10 X that amount of time. And I will continue to obsess, for years even, until I'm satisfied with the answer.

Anyway. If you want to know the Secrets Inside My Brain, just watch this video. ;-)

On supper break at work

Tonight I'm getting in touch with my roots, and working a floor shift in the French department. I'm replacing a guy who needed the night off at the last minute and heard I was in the market for some shifts.

It's probably been... about 8 years since I've been scheduled on the floor? The staff are weirded out. They're looking out for me though. "How's the shelving?" "You're doing well with that cart!" Awww. So nice.

I have the feet of an aristocrat, though. Can't take this standing/walking for hours. You don't know how many calories you burn having a 5-day/week retail job until you switch to doing desk work.

Put yo hands up if you like cats!

This is what would happen if any of us tried to make a rap song.



Comedian Jon Lajoie.

The 100 Goals List Update

I only got as far as 59 last night, then I went out to Chenoys with Gilby. And when I got home the computer had been hijacked by a pink-haired gnome warrior.

I believe that when you goal set you have to divide things into short, medium and long term because the long-term ones require a bunch of short and medium ones. So I've so far divided my list into themes, so I can group the related ones together. So far I have writing, teaching, money, health, fun, home, social, marriage and self-improvement.

The Cutesie Forward

My brother and I usually hate Cutesie Email Forwards but he couldn't resist this one... it has good practical value.

*
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle
that goes on inside people.
He said 'my son,the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all

One is Evil. It is, anger,envy,jealousy,sorrow,regret,greed,
arrogance,self-pity,guilt,resentment,inferiority,lies,false pride,
superiority and ego.

The other is Good. It is, joy,peace,love,hope,serenity,humility,
kindness,benevolence,empathy,generosity,truth,compassion,and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied

'The one you feed.'

100 goals in 1 night

Just reading my fave money blog, where he relates second-hand the story of a teacher at a real estate seminar who asked her 40 students to create a list of 100 goals, that night, as homework. And the next day only one student had done it. (Clearly not a room full of overachieving type A poli sci graduate students.)

So... could you write a list of 100 goals in one night? I'll update you tomorrow and we'll see if I manage it.

Okay I'm back. I'm up to 47. One of the goals I accomplished right after listing it, but I'm leaving it on. Since putting it on the list made me remember to do it, I figure that counts.

This is hard. In part because I don't want this to become a List of Becoming a Perfect Human Being. You know... like a list of New Years resolutions that you later feel bad about because you just aren't living this perfect life you unrealistically outlined for yourself. I'm all for making specific goals with timelines, but you have to limit yourself to a certain number at a time--prioritize. Saving money for a new couch and retirement is more important right now than saving money for a second trip to London. I mean, I might go back to London in, like, 10-20 years. I'm not going to put a money goal on it right now! Ease.

Also... making this list is preventing me from working on Goal #5 - finish plotting my next novel. I should have done this while I was in school and desperate to procrastinate.

Gasp! I just realized I can't even fill up a couple spots with "finish MA paper" and "get degree." Man! Reaching goals sucks... you always have to find new ones to put on! I this week I reached two other goals, to make homemade stock for the first time, and homemade seitan. This isn't fair...

I don't think this should be a perpetual 100 Goals list. It ought to get shorter as I achieve them. Otherwise I'll be 80 years old and writing "Make supper tonight. Make breakfast tomorrow. Make lunch tomorrow..."