On Cutting Corners

I am about to put in 15 minutes each on four or five projects, each of which in fact deserve several hours. 15 minutes each is what I have for them today, so I will put in the 15 minutes so as to have started. It is my distinct impression that doing the 15 minutes … More On Cutting Corners

Ecco

I woke up this morning with the answer: the reason I so resent people insisting that research and writing are so hard is that they are bent upon converting creative and intellectual work into drudgery. There are already enough truly tedious tasks in the world and in our jobs, and enough tedious aspects to manuscript … More Ecco

Rubén Darío

Who is really served by the earnest insistence that we continue trying to prove that what we do is work? It is a losing battle if it cannot be won in a routine, bureaucratic way, so why worry about it? The people who envy the job and the workers will continue to do so, and … More Rubén Darío

Et pour en finir…

The other practical reason I oppose going on about how work is suffering is that it makes for such an unprofessional atmosphere. Graduate students do it, secretaries do it, and instructors do it. Pink collars do it and ladies do it. “Oh, it is so hard.” “We aren’t getting any younger.” “How are you today, … More Et pour en finir…

Kindergarten

I keep writing posts on why I dislike teaching foreign languages and then eliminating them, since one of my chairs, my dean and several other such people know where this blog is. However, here is one more issue: the kindergarten aspect of it.  Portuguese Composition is a senior level course with graduate students in it … More Kindergarten

Displaced

5:58 AM and I am still waiting for rosy-fingered Eos to step across the fields. Despite chairing a committee whose charge is to prove to legislators and the public at large that we are working, my personal concern is not that at all since there is no room for doubt. I am informed that our … More Displaced

Withering

Monday’s 14 hour day killed me and this was counterproductive. I do not recommend working above 12 hours and really, 11 is the better maximum. You have to keep a good pace, always keep some energy in reserve, never use all the power you have. Axé.