Hahaha. This is classic. I always feel completely downtrodden after faculty meetings. It was worse when I was an adjunct who had to sit through them without compensation and then basically be told nothing related to me.
I was required to attend department meetings and I usually left them wondering why I bothered. Those meetings were generally a complete waste of time--time which I could have used to get some work done. Sometimes I left them having acquired new duties (often crappy) which were dumped on my desk because nobody else wanted them and they had a convenient excuse not to take them on.
Frequently, I left those meetings asking myself questions like: "I spent all those years in university and in industry for *this*?"
Our department meetings were held at random. If there was an issue which we felt should be addressed in one of those sessions, we wrote them on a board. But there was a catch.
The head rarely called meetings because he hardly did anything related to his position. He was too busy trying to move higher in the institution's pecking order to be bothered with departmental duties.
The assistant head, on the other hand, was simply shiftless, using his position as heavy-duty training for retirement. (He retired after I quit. When I heard about it, I asked: "How can they tell?")
The result was that whenever a meeting was finally held, they were insufferably long because our administrators couldn't be bothered to do anything in the interim and we ended up with a large number of items on the agenda. To solve the matter, the department head "empowered" us to call a meeting whenever we felt it was necessary.
When he bestowed that upon us, I didn't feel any different. I kept listening for some gong or watching for a creature like Tinkerbell to touch us with a wand as a sign that we were indeed "empowered".
Were department meetings held more frequently after that? Of course not. Nobody wanted to have them in the first place, so things continued as before. If one was ever held, it was because there was no room left on the aforementioned board and one of my colleagues griped about it.
And this time, the lacuna has been (partly, and very plausibly) filled in. Very clever! I also like the way that just a few small changes in the drawing signal a lot.
But I'm a bit disturbed by that thing on Molly's hat band. I assume it's supposed to be a feather, or something along those lines, and it works quite well as a representation of some such ornament, but on some level it keeps reminding me of the signal flag on a country mailbox.
Overall, Molly's look strikes me as very Annie Hall -- except that she's probably too young to remember Annie Hall. Am I missing a new trend, or is she just her own woman, sartorially speaking?
Hi everyone. I'm a long time lurker, an "other" as they say. The drawings are not mine, just clip art I put together with things that pop in my head. I am a newish Sociology proffie, and when I discovered this drawing I said, "Holy jeepers; that's how I dress." I'm having fun doing it.
Sorry it doesn't make sense to you, Yuri. They're just off the top of my head.
Annie Hall! Yes, that's the vibe of the real and the fake Molly.
I wanted to note that Molly has done some neat Photoshop things to a couple of the drawings, like the reversing of the smile and the addition of tears. That's pretty neat. Welcome to the misery!
Neat, indeed. I think this is one of those cases where working within fairly narrow constraints actually makes for a stronger finished product. Sort of like a sonnet, or a haiku (speaking of which, I hope Greta is doing okay. We haven't heard from her in a while.)
CC says it well. These are fun to read. I am amazed how writers and comics can take a simple, nearly universally accepted idea, like "faculty meetings suck," and express it in an entertaining and original way. Nice work.
It seems to be a characteristic of meetings, no matter what the setting. Look at any number of "Dilbert" strips and they are an accurate representation of what goes on.
On the other hand, meetings appear to serve some sort of purpose. I used to work at a certain government facility many years ago. The head of the group I was attached to had to go attend several meetings while a group from the head office visited the place. He summed up his situation with: "I meet, therefore I am."
Go Molly. They're not, you know, profound, but they're certainly as funny as lots of other stuff out there. I like 'em. Say it with cartoons. Department meetings: I cultivate a reputation for surly paranoia that deflects some of the odious assignments. And I remember the youthful enthusiasm at the beginning: "I get to go to the department meetings? Yay?!"
Oh, and the tears...so gentle, weeping. I have walked out of many meetings on campus a little misty myself. By the time I get home I'm just pissed off. Then by the time the next meeting comes, I'm bawling. It's like a routine.
Is Molly from Missoula, Manhattan, or Midland?
ReplyDeleteI don't get any of these. I also didn't understand Terry's "demotivational" posters and I wrote to the mods about discontinuing them.
ReplyDeleteOh, good. I was so concerned that someone might enjoy something you don't. I hope the mods prevent any unauthorized amusement!
DeleteI sure hope the mods don't listen to you, Yuri. I find them insightfully hilarious.
DeleteYou have to live these experiences to understand them. I love 'em!
ReplyDeleteHahaha. This is classic. I always feel completely downtrodden after faculty meetings. It was worse when I was an adjunct who had to sit through them without compensation and then basically be told nothing related to me.
ReplyDeleteI was required to attend department meetings and I usually left them wondering why I bothered. Those meetings were generally a complete waste of time--time which I could have used to get some work done. Sometimes I left them having acquired new duties (often crappy) which were dumped on my desk because nobody else wanted them and they had a convenient excuse not to take them on.
DeleteFrequently, I left those meetings asking myself questions like: "I spent all those years in university and in industry for *this*?"
I'm STILL required to attend (2x a month in our department and 1x a month as a whole faculty) and they're always useless.
DeleteOur department meetings were held at random. If there was an issue which we felt should be addressed in one of those sessions, we wrote them on a board. But there was a catch.
DeleteThe head rarely called meetings because he hardly did anything related to his position. He was too busy trying to move higher in the institution's pecking order to be bothered with departmental duties.
The assistant head, on the other hand, was simply shiftless, using his position as heavy-duty training for retirement. (He retired after I quit. When I heard about it, I asked: "How can they tell?")
The result was that whenever a meeting was finally held, they were insufferably long because our administrators couldn't be bothered to do anything in the interim and we ended up with a large number of items on the agenda. To solve the matter, the department head "empowered" us to call a meeting whenever we felt it was necessary.
When he bestowed that upon us, I didn't feel any different. I kept listening for some gong or watching for a creature like Tinkerbell to touch us with a wand as a sign that we were indeed "empowered".
Were department meetings held more frequently after that? Of course not. Nobody wanted to have them in the first place, so things continued as before. If one was ever held, it was because there was no room left on the aforementioned board and one of my colleagues griped about it.
And this time, the lacuna has been (partly, and very plausibly) filled in. Very clever! I also like the way that just a few small changes in the drawing signal a lot.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm a bit disturbed by that thing on Molly's hat band. I assume it's supposed to be a feather, or something along those lines, and it works quite well as a representation of some such ornament, but on some level it keeps reminding me of the signal flag on a country mailbox.
Overall, Molly's look strikes me as very Annie Hall -- except that she's probably too young to remember Annie Hall. Am I missing a new trend, or is she just her own woman, sartorially speaking?
Molly says:
ReplyDeleteHi everyone. I'm a long time lurker, an "other" as they say. The drawings are not mine, just clip art I put together with things that pop in my head. I am a newish Sociology proffie, and when I discovered this drawing I said, "Holy jeepers; that's how I dress." I'm having fun doing it.
Sorry it doesn't make sense to you, Yuri. They're just off the top of my head.
Annie Hall! Yes, that's the vibe of the real and the fake Molly.
I wanted to note that Molly has done some neat Photoshop things to a couple of the drawings, like the reversing of the smile and the addition of tears. That's pretty neat. Welcome to the misery!
DeleteThe RGM
Neat, indeed. I think this is one of those cases where working within fairly narrow constraints actually makes for a stronger finished product. Sort of like a sonnet, or a haiku (speaking of which, I hope Greta is doing okay. We haven't heard from her in a while.)
DeleteI think this is great. I assumed it was a professional comic. It has good comic timing, esp this one. So accurate.
DeleteCC says it well. These are fun to read. I am amazed how writers and comics can take a simple, nearly universally accepted idea, like "faculty meetings suck," and express it in an entertaining and original way. Nice work.
DeleteThe content of CM is always another medium. Marshall McLuhan would be proud.
DeleteWelcome to the Misery, Molly! Nice work. Keep 'em coming.
How the hell do faculty meetings manage to do that every time?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be a characteristic of meetings, no matter what the setting. Look at any number of "Dilbert" strips and they are an accurate representation of what goes on.
DeleteOn the other hand, meetings appear to serve some sort of purpose. I used to work at a certain government facility many years ago. The head of the group I was attached to had to go attend several meetings while a group from the head office visited the place. He summed up his situation with: "I meet, therefore I am."
Go Molly. They're not, you know, profound, but they're certainly as funny as lots of other stuff out there. I like 'em. Say it with cartoons.
ReplyDeleteDepartment meetings: I cultivate a reputation for surly paranoia that deflects some of the odious assignments. And I remember the youthful enthusiasm at the beginning: "I get to go to the department meetings? Yay?!"
Oh, and the tears...so gentle, weeping. I have walked out of many meetings on campus a little misty myself. By the time I get home I'm just pissed off. Then by the time the next meeting comes, I'm bawling. It's like a routine.
ReplyDelete