End of the Semester Hurry Up!

It's that time of year again, when my classes are coming to a crashing halt culminating in Final exams and Christmas break. My microbiology class has 8 chapters or so left to go, and 3 class sessions in which to try to delve into parts of them, and my anatomy class is right on schedule, like clockwork. Homework is pouring in, students are asking for 'extra credit opportunities' of which I have none, and labs are getting both interesting and complex to manage. I feel like I have no time.

John and I had a great time in California. My reunion was a little disappointing, though it really wasn't anyone's fault. Seeing the grandparents was nice, staying with Neal and Liz was wonderful, and we got to visit Dad and Ed as well. I got to take John to Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara, we skipped through Solvang, I showed him all the places I lived in Lompoc, and I got to guide him through the tidepools at Jalama Beach. We had burgers out there too. Jalama was decidedly the highlight of my trip, John even found some sand dollars. All our flights were on time, and we got a really cool rental car... a Honda Civic Hybrid, complete with GPS that talked to us. We only reserved a compact, so we were pretty excited! We'll have to go again and do more touristy activities next time. I want to take John to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, up to the redwoods, and he wants to go to the Winchester house in San Jose.

Cadaver Lab Details here:
This week we chiseled through the vertebral column to take out the spinal cord and we used a stryker saw on the cranium to take out the brain. I got to show my students where all of the cranial nerves go, some of them actually assisted with the dissection, and they are really doing a top notch job of finding the structures in the brain. Now that I have 3.5 brains in lab, I may not have to dissect the nervous system next year. I don't really enjoy the dissection of this part of the anatomy, though some of the students really get excited about having the opportunity to do it, which may keep me doing it each year. We will also be suturing up the back of the cadaver next week, I invited the surgical technology students to come on Wednesday, there is a ton of work to do. Then I get to start all over again on the front.

New and Different

I have nothing scheduled to do today. It is kind of disorienting. We've been cleaning the apartment, playing with the dog, and watching the Discovery Channel. I think we're going to have chili for dinner tonight. John went on wikipedia and looked up different types of chilis, and we're going to put it on macaroni, Cincinnatti style tonight.

We're taking off for California on Wednesday next week, and I'm excited. We're flying into LAX, renting a car, and driving to my grandparent's for Thanksgiving. On Friday we'll take off for Lompoc, where I'll get to show John where I grew up. I'm really hoping that I can take him to the beach as well. Saturday is going to be my 10 year high school reunion, and we'll be going home on Monday. Blixi will be staying with Mama Yost while we're gone.

Then I have to make sure that I can finish all of the material that I need to for my classes before finals Dec 12-14. It's really going to be a struggle in microbiology, but anatomy will be fine. I'm very much enjoying the microbiology lab that I'm teaching, and the students will be completing tests to identify their bacteria when we get back from Thanksgiving break.

I'm Too Nice (according to me, not my students)

I had two makeup tests today from my anatomy exam on Tuesday. One had a scheduled appointment and took it, the other presented a story of how she wouldn't be here for it and tried to push it off another day, and so I relented and allowed it. Then I find out when the one comes in to take the test that the other is down in the commons studying for tomorrow, NOT in fact out at an appointment or something. She also mentioned that the other student "just didn't feel prepared" for the exam. This is cheating, stealing time to study to try to get a better grade, when other students did not have the same opportunity, and I'm kind of steamed.

Now, I'm debating with myself on what is best to do in the situation. Should I beef up the test as it is, change diagrams etc? Should I go to the text and pull out a test that I wouldn't normally use (this would be mean because I don't go into the depth that the text does on all of its questions)? Should I just drop her test a letter grade for each day she postponed it? Steamed, I am steamed. Then I think to myself, if the student hasn't studied enough to feel ready for the test, and she has test anxiety, is it really going to help her to have extra time?

I guess it's a lesson for me.

Busy busy busy...

I've been working hard this last week. I gave a test today, I've been preparing micro students for a test next week, and I did a ton of laundry. Added to the mix, John and I went to St Cloud this weekend to visit with friends and play games. I took Blixi out trick-or-treating on Halloween, and she stayed with Grandma Yost for the weekend.

I got Guitar Hero III for my wii, and have been playing it. I want a new faceplate/finish for my guitar, but they haven't released them yet.

Went and voted on the local school referendum with John tonight. It really seems ridiculous that individual cities all over the state are having to raise property taxes just to keep the teachers employed, but that is what is happening. Our governor won't raise state taxes to pay for anything, let alone education.

I've been having funny headaches lately, but after really taking fluids today they went away. I'm hoping they stay that way.