Thursday, February 02, 2012

Friday Fragments


Thank you to everyone who answered the call for suggestions earlier this week about running college classes in high schools.  The point about class interruptions for announcements, proms, and such was a good one, and can be included in the words of warning we give the professors.  

-------

The Boy is doing CYO basketball again this year.  At last Sunday’s game, the halftime score was 4 to 2.  

Call it a defensive battle.  Or maybe pretend it’s baseball...

-------

Folks who think that administration is easy haven’t had to handle personnel issues.  The least appealing part of administration is being confronted with things about people that you never wanted to know.  And that’s all I’ll say about that.

-------

I’m done with Toshiba.  In the last two years, the count is two catastrophic hard drive failures and a cracked screen.  In the words of Roberto Duran, no mas.  I try not to let anecdotes trump statistics, but at a certain point, it becomes an issue of self-respect.  Toshiba may have a good reputation generally, but I’m done.

Nobody really makes netbooks anymore, so the quest for a good portable blogging device is more complicated.  Ipads are tempting, but I don’t want to lug around a separate keyboard, and I know full well that the kids would get a hold of it and I’d never see it again anyway.  Ultrabooks look fun, as do macbook airs, but I can’t justify the cost.  Regular laptops are far too heavy, and writing longhand is out of the question.  (My handwriting could be described as “distinctive,” as in the sentence, “Nick Nolte certainly cuts a distinctive figure in a mugshot.”)   It is fun to browse, though...

-------

My publisher is getting antsy.  A recent exchange, as reconstructed from my handwritten notes:

Publisher: Do you think you could helicopter the poodle by Kwanzaa?

DD: Affirmative-a-rooni, pizza!

So, another reason to replace the latest Toshiba.

------

I know that “college success” courses are supposed to work wonders, but I’m having trouble getting around having to explain to the student who put it off and did just fine why he would need it to graduate.  If it’s mandatory, then it’s mandatory; failing to take it means you don’t graduate.  But if the only thing standing between you and graduation is a course on how to be a student, I’m not sure what purpose is served.

--------

Said this to The Boy: “You know what the secret is to writing?  WRITING!”  Now if I would just listen to myself...