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Monday, November 27, 2006

I Love My Job

In class this morning, a cell phone rings. It happens.

Here's what's new: the student says, "Uh, yeah, Feemus? You mind if I take this?"


An email this morning from a student whose paper is a week late. It happens.

Here's the excuse: "It was done on time, but I didn't hand it in. I just thought that you would want to enjoy your weekend."


Hilarious. Bless their hilarious little hearts.

UPDATE:
"Dear Feemus, I am sorry that my paper is late. I have been having a very difficult time recently." Uh oh, Feemus thinks, I hope this kid is ok. "I have been really struggling." Oh dear. Feemus begins to worry. "I took a week off to tour Italy, and I am trying to get caught up." Feemus's sympathy has evaporated. Feemus would like to tour Italy. Hell, Feemus would like to remember what his wife looks like. "If there's anything you can do to help, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much." Um, maybe you could build a time machine and go back and not go to Italy when you should be in class. That would really help.

posted by Feemus at 8:32 AM

13 Comments:

  • Aww Feemus, have a heart!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:19 PM  

  • I know, I know. The really sad thing is I am a total pushover.

    here's the latest:

    Hey Feemus,
    I wasn't in class last week. Do I still have to do the assignment?


    Um, what? That's some pretty fancy logic.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 6:29 PM  

  • that fancy logic is making me seasick!

    adequietly yours,
    pvs

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:10 PM  

  • You can always tell them, "No, you don't have to do the assignment, but you might want to if you want a good grade in the class."

    By Blogger RogueHistorian, at 9:31 AM  

  • Rogue's comment has (as Dan Hicks once said)"set my mind to wondering" how exactly DID you answer that truly wonderful question, Feemus?

    (I KNOW I'm gonna love this!)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:48 AM  

  • Well, this might make me a Charlatan (ha ha ha), but my usual strategy it to pretend I didn't understand the question.

    So I wrote, "If you are unable to make it to class, just put your paper in my mailbox."

    I know this sounds like I am the King of Passive Aggression, but it actually works better than being upfront, which just makes them defensive. And sometimes cry. I hate it when they cry.

    I wish I had the balls to pull a Rogue, but indirection is pretty effective. And it's funny for me.

    Rogue's a total badass, no?

    By Blogger Feemus, at 7:13 PM  

  • UPDATE!!!!

    You know, I could do a whole blog of just student emails.

    Dear Feemus,
    Is there some place that would tell us about when everything is due? That would be really helpful.

    sincerely,
    Needing Help


    Um, the syllabus maybe? That I handed out the first day of class. And posted on the course webste (well, ok, I actually CRASHED the course website and then went crawling to the IT guys who mocked me but also post the syllabus).

    God love 'em.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 8:11 PM  

  • Dear Feemus,

    Is there someplace where we could all go to get an idea of what is happening in class each day? Like a place where we can all meet to find out whatever it is that we are supposed to be learning?

    That would be really helpful!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:08 AM  

  • Claudia, you crack me up. Can I steal that? That's hilarious.

    The funny (sad) thing is, they're almost beyond parody. Today a kid came to see me about his midterm:

    "You said to review the lecture notes and I did, but I still didn't do very good."

    Me: "Did you do the reading?"

    Kid: "No. But I thought when you said to review the notes that that's what was going to be on the test."

    At least he didn't cry.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 2:43 PM  

  • I'm about to go into my "they're in another dimension" routine here in a minute. It's...incomprehensible.

    Do you think they would laugh at their own questions if they saw them in print? Would "it help"?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:08 PM  

  • You know, 85% of the students are pretty cool. But the 15%? I think that they are so far beyond shame that even seeing it in black and white would just make them defensive.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 11:36 AM  

  • Still, makes a great story, don't it?

    Hey Feemus I'm going out of town and probably won't be visiting for a while.

    Stay warm and sane and funny, c

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:36 PM  

  • Safe travelling, Miss C. I'll miss your wit.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 9:06 AM  

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