I've sent out some blog invites to folks who've been active on the page before. I had some requests early this morning about that, and it seemed reasonable. People like having their own access to post without going through a mod.The email in the sidebar is a place where you can reach me, however, if you'd like me to share your misery with the rest of the page. (Also for questions, queries, complaints, you know.)
If you didn't get an invite and want one, you can request one here.
Friends, the blog is in your hands. When I can help, let me know.
We could all piss and moan about how important this page is to each of us but that doesn't situate this page within the larger context of the forces of Good versus the forces of Evil. Let me spell it out for you:
ReplyDeleteIf this page dies, Jesse Stommel has won.
Whose side are you on?
I'm going to try to write a post every couple weeks, more frequently when I can. My misery mostly involves the administration, these days, though. They've all lost what little goddamned mind they once had.
DeleteIf everyone pitched in from time to time, the page would always have more than enough content. I know all mods struggle with this. My impulse was to put anything up. Leslie K not so much. Terry P REALLY couldn't stand the quiet days, hence the mascots, maps, etc. And I found all of that charming. But, sure, real posts about the misery would be great. And, all misery is welcome. Don't believe the student-bashing bullshit...nobody here does! Love you, Chiltepin!
DeleteHi Chiltepin. I did once a week for a while, and it felt like a BIT too much. I'd think twice a month would be a good goal for folks who really want to contribute. I always got a chuckle out of the odd postings, but nothing beats some new material.
DeleteYou know, we tend to repeat our misery, I know I do. But that's not always so bad. I mean, every semester the misery for me changes a bit. This semester it is ALL students, but I have problems all over the spectrum. It's nice to share.
I wonder if people worry that posts need to be a certain size or length or ratcheted up to a manic level. Obviously those are GREAT, but the "speedy rants" are cool, too. My advice for new readers or people who want to get involved is to just do some quickies. Tell us your sad tale in 5 sentences. We'll commiserate and it will lead to comments, which are often the best part of the whole page!
And if I read it right, people can just email Fab stuff too so you don't have to futz with the Blogger software. I'm used to it now, but have occasionally dashed off an email to whoever the RGM was and had it appear magically hours later!
Some of Terry's daily filler generated some good conversations in the comments section. That made the post worthwhile, even if the original content didn't.
DeleteOh, boy. Now Ben's thrown down the gauntlet. I've got kind of a busy few days coming up (don't we all?), but have accepted the invitation, and will do what I can.
ReplyDeleteI will try to pitch in more. After all, I do my best scholarly work on College Misery.
ReplyDelete^ Like.
DeleteI'll try to pinch off a few Publishable Units from time to time myself.
Delete^ Pinch off! Like.
DeleteAnd still bowing to Frankie.
You guys, at the very least it is SOOOO easy to keep a running list of the stupid shit our wonderful students say sometimes. I mean, I have my Katie moments when I really love my students and feel like an idiot teenager. But those same students write the most terrible stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take much. Post some student / admin inanity twice a month. And we all sit back and enjoy our jobs a little more.
Fab, If you read this, and there's a slot available, I'd like one. I'll follow up with an email later today.
ReplyDeleteA bit more than a year ago, during an extended power outage, I finally got up the nerve to write my first post. I finished it by candlelight using the last juice of my laptop's battery. I wanted to proofread it in the daylight, so I didn't send it right away. When I went to send it the next evening, the lights were off at CM, too.
Not many hours ago, I finished another possible post, several times longer than my first. As before, I put it aside overnight to proofread it with fresher eyes. As before, the lights went out at CM the next day. I can't even describe the strange feeling this evoked.
Academic Water Cooler arose from the ashes of CM for a while last spring, and all looked to be well in that regard. Elsewhere in my life, all hell broke loose, so I didn't contribute to AWC as I had planned to do. Then CM rebooted, and I'd recently made it a goal to work my way towards being an actual correspondent. Then CM blinked out and rebooted again. Time to jump in with both feet. Who knows where this wind may blow us?
Can you send me your email address? I can send you an invite. The email icon is in the right sidebar.
DeleteI appreciate your insight, and you are very welcome here. I've seen your name pop up a lot recently.
This blog and the one that preceded it have been online for nearly 10 years, with a couple of hiccups. It's a testament to academics like us who understand what it is for.
With apologies to GRRM, what is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger.
ReplyDeletePicked up my invite this morning, but won't be able to post for a bit--despite the fact that things are blowing the hell up in my state--because I'm 1500 miles away from home and I have a paper to deliver this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone who keeps the lights on here. This place helps me stay sane(r).