Appointments

 

I have two appointments today.  One "official" and one "chosen" even though technically both were chosen by me.....

1)  I am going to get some "hand-holding" in one appointment with a book publisher's IT folks for two of my Fall courses.  In these courses, I have adopted some of their "gizmo-ey" electronica to facilitate learning in these two courses (actually, it amounts to a bunch of "busy-work" for the students that if they do, it can earn them a few minor points).  

I have had these in use since the pandemic, when I NEEDED SOMETHING to supplement my on-line teaching of that era.  I have kept them, not because I think they are particularly valuable, but because students seem to appreciate having them as part of an otherwise all in-person course.  I tend to think they value the scraps of points they can earn.  But, it also highlights to me their somewhat ambiguous understanding of percentages and points.... for these electronica assignments are worth very, very limited amounts of points.  A single exam (of the many exams they have) that they could study harder for is worth the point value of about 50 of these electronica type assignments.   

The "hand-holding" I receive is in a brief (usually 20 minute meeting online) that helps me connect this electronica to my LMS (jargon for "Learning Management System" which simply means my "electronic classroom" or EVEN MORE ACCURATELY the space I store all the various documents, powerpoints, assignments etc to be able to distribute to my students.  This hand-holding helps me more accurately align dates and times because every damn semester the calendar changes ever so slightly and without there help, I would likely have to do hundreds and hundreds more mouse clicks to align dates successfully to the new semester.  

2)  My "chosen" appointment is to head to the "Retiree's Cigar Group".  I know it will almost assuredly be a nice time.  But, I do wish I felt more of the "passion" or "excitement" about going that I have had.  It is all a part of that seeming lack of ability I have to figure out a way to "rev-up" my engine (my mind) to feel things MORE (joyfully in this case).  

* * * * *

I am getting really, REALLY tired of needing to run inside because of poor air quality alerts.  The Canadian Wildfires are such an annoyance to me individually by not safely permitting me to run outside like I would prefer.   Obviously, though, there are EVEN BIGGER issues related to the wildfires related to a) health and safety of those near the fires,and b) the link of these persistent fires to global warming.  I can easily recognize those are far bigger and far more important issues.  But, I guess, here on my blog, I can focus on the impact on me.  

PipeTobacco