EducatingRita

ER's End of Year Wrap Up

As the final semester of my first year in the HEA grad program comes to an exhaustive close -- I can’t help but take a breather to reflect on what’s happened during the past year.

Overall, I feel this has been one of the most personally satisfying educational experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve learned a lot since August of 2007 and look forward to continuing the program and future learning opportunities. Graduate school is nothing like the undergraduate experience -- on numerous levels. It's much harder than I expected, takes more out of me and I find myself caring very deeply about my program, my peers andthe future -- a lot more than when I started. The diversity and depth and scope of my peers is outstanding. I don’t think I could’ve found a better representation of “real life” -- kinds of diversity: racial, sexual, gender, socioeconomic -- at any other private university than at

Suffolk

. The academics are challenging, the instructors are great and things get especially interesting when professors give students lead or freedom to really dig into and study subject matter, theory or contemporary issue of importance. And I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know everyone and, thankfully, there’s been more laughs than tears – and that’s always a good thing. Howver, it’s school and it’s an educational thang so here’s ER’s Things I Learned at

Suffolk

:

Lessons Learned

(an amalgamation of my own personal lessons and from others):

Thou shalt not be overtly-criticizing of peers in a public forum.

During panels or other outside guest speaker engagements – formulate good questions, if possible get a business card and don’t be afraid to keep in touch.

Thou shalt not swear during an oral presentation.

If thou are starting a 25 page research paper less than a week before it’s due – thou are screwed.

Never tell your instructor that you consider their comments to your paper picayune.

Thou shalt not swear during an oral presentation.

As tempting as it sounds when classmates encourage writing a paper while intoxicated – don’t.

One cannot perform complex scholarly reading while watching American Idol. (Michael Johns was robbed…)

When the same teacher every week says “we might be getting out early this week” don’t believe it.

Thou shalt remain composed during a presentation, even though you only have 13 minutes and everyone else got 20-25 minutes. Losing your @#*& in abundance is never helpful.

Begin looking for your post-graduate job now.

Working 35 hours per week, plus commuting 15 hours, and performing unpaid 10-15 hours of weekly Internship -- makest thou very, very, cranky to the husband. 

Working hard all year means one thing – Summer is all that much sweeter!

Take care to all who read this Blog. I’ve really had a great time doing it and I hope I’ve generated some entertaining and informative reads, opinions and comments. Happy Summer 2008!

10 Signs Spring Has Sprung

EDUCATING RITA'S TOP 10 SIGNS SPRING HAS SPRUNG

10. Monsoon Season is about to begin. Ladies/Gents, keep those umbrellas handy.

9.   Quickly followed by Mud Season (a scant few weeks in mid-April)

8.   The minute the thermometer heads north of 58, students break out  shorts and flip flops.

7.   Picnic sightings on the Boston Common.

6.   People just SEEM different. There's a friskiness in the air. A joie d'vie! That's because...

5.   It's officially mating season!!! The squirrels, the birds, the cats -- look out Suffolk campus!

4.   That cloud over Boston is everyone dusting off their grill or hibachi and roof decks clearing.

3.   The Red Sox are back!

2.   There's a run on folding chairs at CVS.

1.    Only 3 weeks of school left until Summer Break!!!!! WAAAAHHOOOOOO!!!!

Mom Is That You???

Well, Educatingrita has been laying kinda low in the blog-o-sphere this semester. Most recently felled by a disgusting case of flu that began, innocently enough, with a mild sore throat but quickly descended into the sixth ring of sickness hell. But how can anyone remain healthy when everyone else is dropping like flies? Danged if I know. I work with people who are "health martyrs" and willingly nail themselves to the crosses of sickness as if to say "Oh, I'm here. Look how important I am. I can't stay home, I'm too essential!" Oh please. No seriously, please. Stay home! I've gotten the flu, like, four times this season already. The newspapers claim the flu shot isn't working this year -- no, really? No kidding it's not working. I'm just so sick of being sick! Educatingrita also takes public transportation -- everywhere. Observations of people's public health habits reveal, the general public is in dire need of some basic health etiquette. Trying to stay healthy this semester in your little corner of the Suffolk hub? Here's some tips on how to avoid getting the plague and if any people I commute with are reading --- get a clue friends. No, it's not cool to sneeze openly or wipe your hands on the seat cushions or smear it on the pole at your elbow. Nasty.

1. Cover your mouth when you cough. If you don't have a tissue handy, then cough into the crook of your elbow or sleeve. DO NOT face the person next to you and cough in their general direction. So not cool and also not acceptable in all global cultures -- so no excuses.

2. Use tissues to blow your nose or to remove other toxic fluids and  then throw them away. DO NOT do what discreetly tuck them into a sleeve or shove them into a backpack. Ewwwwww. Just think of it as biological waste and get rid of your little mucus laden bomb with post haste. Educatingrita is guilty here -- as somehow one of my little toxic "gifts" meandered under the husband's pillow. He was ranting my name while in a 101 degree stupor three days later...and not in a complementary way.

3. Wash the hands. A lot. No lie. This is the best prevention for sickness. If Joe Bag of Donuts is sick. He sneezes, uses his hands to block his sneeze and then opens: the door, flushes a toilet, touches a piece of office equipment, borrows you pen, or asks to use your cell phone, etc. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer handy and USE IT. Nothing will help protect you more.

4. Drink plenty of fluids and get decent sleep. Truly, if I drank all the water I was suppose to drink (8-10 8 oz. glasses per day) I'd wear down the carpet to the bathroom from my desk in no time. However, it's true, the more the body is hydrated -- the better it operates. Sleep, as we all know, strengthens and repairs our bodies. So here's to more toilet paper and staying in my pjs longer.

5. Avoid crowds, if possible and no sharing. Sounds basic but it's probably not a good idea to go out for Ethiopian food if 2 or more people are sick. Utensil sharing or dipping into a communal pile of food -- probably not a great idea during flu season. If you're at a party and notice someone who looks like death warmed over double dipping into the chip dip -- let the host know -- and back away the dip. Tell your friends.  Redirect people who have erred you to try the dip.

6. To shake or not to shake? That is the question. If you're sick and at an event, it's perfectly ok to say "I'm not feeling well, so really, it was nice meeting you but I'm not going to shake anyone's hand today." Not only will you be doing good by not spreading your cooties --you'll score politeness points as well as instantly set yourself apart as a standout person.

7. Stay home. Ah, those magical words. So delightful when you were younger. Harder to do when you get older. What about all the missed lectures, projects or conferences? See #  5 above. As tough as it might be to miss work or class -- infecting 10 more people and then having the flu bug morph and come back around is even worse. For everyone's benefit, mostly your own, just stay home and watch awful daytime television. Two consecutive days of Jerry Springer is enough for anyone to automatically feel better about themselves. 

And if all else fails, the Nyquil isn't doing it for you, you've already hallucinated for your mother but she lives 3,000 miles awayand can't come to your rescue - piece yourself together if only to make a pot of Nonnie 'Rita's Chicken Soupie for When You're Feelin' Poopie. Best dang medicine on the planet.

Nonnie 'Rita's Soupie

2 T Olive oil
A nice "knob" of butter , about 1 T Butter
1 red pepper, minced

1 sweet onion, minced

salt and pepper to taste
3 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced - Nonnie used an entire head. But she was hardcore. For the brave or single.
2 lemons, juice and seed
2 eggs, separate  whites from yolks
1 cup rice (abborio)
1 3-4 pound chicken, cut into parts

12 cups water

Garnish:
1/2 cup chopped Italian Parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime

Before starting the soup:
Mix  garnish ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preparation:
Throw chicken pieces into stock pot (the heavier the better) and cover with water. Bring to boil and skim crud off chicken parts with big spoon. Eventually chicken crud stops forming. Turn down heat and cook until the meat falls from the bone (about 2 hours). Take out chicken, put on a plate, drain the stock. Over medium high heat, add olive oil and butter. When oil is warm, add peppers, onion, salt and pepper, bay leaves and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. Put stock back in. Add rice and reduce to simmering. When rice is tender, add lemon juice and continue simmering. Separate  eggs and beat the whites until stiffened. Add the yokes in and beat again. Here's the tricky part: add about ½ cup of the soup broth to the eggs and stir. Then add eggs to the soup and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. You do this so you don't scramble eggs into the soup. Whack into bowls and plop garnish on. Nonnie served it with a nice crust of fresh italian loaf smeared with butter. Heaven.   

-- ED

Violence on Campus - Epidemic or Isolated Incident?

Today's college students are pulled in many directions. The age group from which most of today's traditional college students come from are referred to as Millennials and are made up of young adults born post 1982. These are the children of late blooming Boomers and early Generation Xers. These children were much wanted and fiercely protected by their parents (aka helicopter parents). They are children who grew up with "baby on board" signs on cars and "have you hugged your child" today bumper stickers. Forget MTV generation, these are the wunder kids of all things electronic. Their mastery of technology often exceeds their parents and their teachers. They are also the children of Columbine, Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois Univ.

This is a generation who grew up in a time of near constant war or foreign turmoil, in a home usually with two working parents which often translated into plenty of opportunity to watch unsupervised violence on television (either through movies, dvd or otherwise) and/or participate in internet play or x-boxes loaded with ultra-violent video games. Is this also a contributing factor in the increased violence?

From dawn to dusk, a majority of these students have had most of their time accounted for by: sport activities, music lessons, educational coaching, volunteerism, etc. Today's college competitiveness demands it. Over the past few decades, institutions have shifted aid toward merit based vs. solely financial rewards as most colleges compete for the best and brightest. It has become a winner take all society. When a recent survey asked middle school students why they participated in volunteerism the majority response was “because it looks good on a resume.”

They’ve been lovingly shaped by lifestyles focused on family and children, multiculturalism, and globalism but also by terrorism, patriotism and parental advocacy. Of all the age groups The Millennials vs. Baby Boomers, Generation X, etc. – the Millennials have lived the most scheduled of existences. Through guidance by over-achieving parents in an effort to produce the well-rounded child -- music lessons, soccer practice, educational coaching, volunteerism, advantageous summer camp programs, internships, etc. After all, doesn’t today's college competitiveness demand it? Over the past few decades, institutions have increasingly shifted aid toward merit-based vs. sole financial needs – as the competition for the nation’s best and brightest continues to ramp up. Some would say, it has become a winner take all society. Is this generation under too much pressure?

While this blog is an opinion forum – it makes no claim to expert insights into cutting edge research -- as a grad student who is currently reading and studying this very topic -- different student generations – recent class discussions have centered on this very subject. And received wide debate. Class discussions have fluctuated around these being isolated incidents from a very disturbed individual(s), to media hype of incidents to students being caught doing what other generations have also done, to the pendulum swinging in the total opposite direction. Assertations that today’s students are showing up to campus with unrealistic expectations and are clearly not prepared for adult or autonomous life, deferring even class choice to their parents. Parents showing up for recruitment/job/internship/ interviews is not an unheard of occurrence.

Are today's students so tightly wound – so managed, so supervised, so driven to succeed -- that they are cracking under all the pressure? Numerous research data will also reveal this generations' belief it’s ok to cheat as long as they’re not caught. With All-Star pitchers role modeling cheating and perjury on Capitol Hill -- is it any wonder collegiate cheating is at an all-time high? There are many studies and surveys on this student grouping which clearly show a group who are driven – at all costs – to succeed but may not be realistic in their needs/wants. This is also a generation in which increasing numbers of low income and middle income families cannot afford to pay tuition. Students are graduating under record amounts of debts in the form of crushing student loans.

Experts, economists especially, state that U.S. society has become more insular -- has left a more civilized and community-driven agenda behind in favor of a "winner takes all" principle.  Doctors and medical experts claim this generation to be the "most medicated", especially with regard to psychiatric prescriptions. Students of this generation are notoriously disinterested in traditional teaching methods and respond more to technology integrated academics. Socially, there is more texting and less talking face-to-face. Is this good? Is this community driven? Is there a connection between today's overscheduled, stressed, hypercompetitive student and on-campus violence?

How do you feel? Are you a Millennial? Do feel stressed to achieve? Do you feel academic dishonesty, school violence is on the rise? Do you even think there is a problem? If so, what are some of the solutions?

Just to end this weeks’ column on a concrete helpful level. Here are some indicators of signs of stress:

·       Radical/abrupt change in behavior

·       Sudden withdrawal from interaction with faculty, staff, and peers

·       A dramatic decrease in academic performance

·       A decline in class attendance and/or participation

·       Sudden outbursts of anger or crying

·       Chronic fatigue or low energy

·       High levels of irritability

·       Dramatic weight loss or gain

·       Marked changes in personal hygiene

·       References to suicide

·       References to hopelessness and despair

·       Recent major life trauma, such as the death or serious illness of a loved one

·       Excessive use of alcohol or other drugs

If you know of someone who seems stressed or may need to talk to someone –if you can, talk to them and listen. Encourage them to contact the appropriate on campus resource. If you notice the above indicators becoming more pronounced or aggravated, don’t hesitate to contact the appropriate resource yourself.

Ipod Nation

Educatingrita has entered the 21st century. Strike up the band! Of course, being the thrifty person I am, I pestered numerous friends and relatives for old abandoned mp3 players for the past three years, until a good friend flung one at me just to shut me up. Sweet! It's so cute. It's pink and adorable and tiny (it's a shuffle) and I love it and the friend who was really happy to give it me (thanks Dawnalicious!)

Naturally, I am now obsessed with downloading tunes but in particular music I think is good to study to. Of course, there's study music (light, ethereal, critical thinking provoking) and then there's OMG PAPER DUE music. And the two genres are very different indeed. Below is my list of study music as well as OMG PD music.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions? I'm open to anything and everything. I tend to stick to music (non-lyrical) and heavy on the classical but Allman Bros and Pink Floyd are awesome too (but I have to watch the flashback and snooze factor...) And I love, love, love Indian music. Something about the dwump, dwump, dwump of the drums. Gets my thought process going. But a shot of Coldplay can get me over a writer's hump for sure. If only I could keep the dang little white plugs in my ears. The moment I put one in, the other side pops out. Then I fix that side, then the other side plops out and God forbid I  turn my head -- both sides fall out. Nifty. Just because I've entered Ipod nation, apparently my ears have remained in another Gggggeneration...

Music to Study by:
Canon in D - Pachebell
Anything by - Chopin
Strength, Courage and Wisdom - India Arie
Claire de Lune - DeBussy
We've Been Had - The Walkmen
Raga Mishra Shivranjini- Shiv Kumar
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
In My Place - Coldplay
Raga Bhairavi - Shiv Kumar
Blue in Green - Miles Davis
Babylon - David Gray
Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525 "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" - Mozart
Sheep May Safely Graze - Bach
Melissa - Allman Bros.
Proudest Monkey - Dave Matthews
Air on the G-String from Orchestral Suite No. 3- Bach
Quintet in a Major for Piano and Strings, Op. 114 "Trout" - Schubert

OMGPD music:
Low Rider - War
Minho Waltz - The Chieftins
Anything and everything from - Django Reinhardt
Collection Jazz  7 12/6/2007 3:18 PM
Galician Overture - The Chieftins
Clocks - Coldplay
Mi Bomba Sono and Agua Pa Mi - Celia Cruz
Underpressure - Queen
In the Hall of the Mountain King - Grieg
Oye Coma Va - Santana
Txalaparta - The Chieftins

-- ER

The Swallows Return

Hello Readers! Hope you all had a fabulous Winter Break. Mother Nature intervened with my first scheduled classes on Monday, then we had MLK Day in combination with being out of the blog-o-sphere... Well,  I'm just getting back into the swing of things. In the meantime, got the books ordered (some are backordered), got my notebooks organized: syllabi downloaded, readings printed out and organzied by date, homework downloaded to the palm pilot.  My weekends are toast from now until late April.

Did have one class late last week. Nice to see the old gang and all the new faces as well. Over the hump with regard to classes. Past the half way mark with the transfers. Feeling good and ready to face Spring 2008. We all seem rested and revived. A new adjunct has been added to the teaching roster and the feeback is good.  Reports say class is well organized and thoughtfully prepared.

Will also be swinging a practicum this semester (requried by the program) which I couls swap out life experience for but I feel it's an integral component of the higher ed masters experience and it would be a mistake to miss out on this opportunity. It's a great avenue to check out another branch of higher education administration and/or activity that would nomally be closed off. Manuevering around to different departments once professional life has begun -- is difficult to say the least. Once you get in somewhere, and you've been at the same job for quite some time,  it's really difficult to break out of that role. It's a comfort thing (it can be a little scary getting out there and trying something new) and, unfortunately, it can be a typecast situation. Where the place you work thinks that since you've done Job A for so long you shouldn't be looking or interested in Job B. A practicum is a great way to explore, show capbilities and make decisions about future movement without making permanent committments.  Although with three classes plus working -- I can't wait!

Well...things are ramping up in the homework department already. Plan to stay more on top of deadlines. Last semester 1 or 2 papers got away from me and I didn't do so hot on one of my finals (much to my own chagrin -- dang it! And I studied hard for that thing!!!) The past is past. This is a new semester, the days are getting longer and that means Spring really is right around the corner!

For those new to the Boston Area -- wait until Superbowl Sunday (go back to the Red Sox blog) it's bedlam in Boston. To see where the best places to check out the game are in and around town.  Swallows have been returning to same California mission every year ON THE SAME DAY for hundreds of years. Check it out: http://www.missionsjc.com/swallows.html

The title of this weeks' blog comes from an old song by a group called the Ink Spots. For those into rockabilly or retro music. The Ink Spots are classics. Here's the lyrics:

When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
When the swallows come back to Capistrano
That's the day you promised to come back to me
When you whispered, "Farewell", in Capistrano
Twas the day the swallow flew out to sea
All the mission bells will ring
The chapel choir will sing
The happiness you'll bring
Will live in my memory
When the swallows come back to Capistrano
That's the day I pray that you'll come back to me
All the mission bells will ring
The chapel choir will sing
The happiness you'll bring
Will live in my memory
When the swallows come back to Capistrano
That's the day I pray that you'll come back to me

See y'all next week. -- ER

Where does the time go? Finals already???

Wow. First semester down. I survived. Wasn't easy and sometimes wasn't much fun. Of course these are my own revelations but I did learn some valuable lessons:

1) Don't wait until the night before to create a paper that's anymore than 5 pages long.

2) Read syllabi carefully and don't be afraid to approach a Professor if you see some funkiness -- they're human -- mistakes are made! Tip: Humor helps when pointing out boo-boos...

3) Relax about grades and exams. It is what it is.  No need to put myself in the looney bin worrying about things beyond my control. Letting go is tough -- still think I should've gotten a better grade on that third paper -- dang it!!! See what I mean? Oh well. Let it go, I know. I'm trying to go to my happy place...

4) If publically unleashing  criticsim via a blog -- do it without making sweeping generalizations on entire age group. Major Duh moment here. I keep discovering new learning opportunities (or fallout as the case may) from the infamous blog-gate (which blew over in week's time, thankfully). Sure didn't do myself any  favors in the popularity department but, heck, I also earned pats on the back from faculty and other students for sticking to my academic guns and for having the guts to even write about it... And you got to admit -- it sparked some interesting comments. A truly valuable lesson learned nonetheless.

5) Prayer works - Red Sox win another World Series! Even smarter, Lowell is resigned. Sigh of relief for next year. Hope springs eternal = can we make it three?

6) Last but certainly not least -- Suffolk is awesome. No regrets, no disappointments. Peers are so diverse, I'm learning about all sorts of collegiate positions,  about so many different college experiences and different careers and campuses...it's great. Bring on Spring Semester!!!

I hope Santa is good to you all and everyone has a chance to catch up with family and friends over the Winter Break...maybe get some skiing in or go someplace warm? I'm looking forward to cleaning my house. I've lost a man and two dogs in one heck of messy house. Hang in there honey!!! I'll be able to pay more attention to you all verrrrrryyy soon. Well. Almost soon. Right after I study for the 2 final exams next week and I complete the take-home 20 page paper due the following week.  Mid-December I'm all yours baby...

Peace and good tidings to all for happy and healthy 2008.

Your servant in academia,
EducatingRita

ER's Mid-Term Survival Study Guide

Well, mid-term examines has hit Educatingrita hard. Between working, grad classes, marriage and commuting... mid-term studying time is at a premium. For those in a similar bind, below find ET's Mid-Term Survival Study Guide

Ask, Plan, Organize, study, study, study:

Ask the Professor or TA if there is a study guide or past mid-term available  - the study guide should map out what's on the mid-term and a past exam would provide sample questions and answers from past classes...

Plan time to study and stick to it. Even if it's an hour here or an hour there. Dedicated study time, not crammed onto a train or in front of the t.v. The time needs to be dedicated and in a quiet environment.

Organize: Over the course of the semester remain organized. What works for me is to label each weeks' lectures, reading materials and handouts in a master notebook. I only take a "porto" notebook to class to write fresh notes in and/or any handouts from the reading...after the class, I transfer the notes to the appropriate tab in the master notebook. Voila! Instant organization. This makes studying for the mid-term and final a lot more simpler than trying to find  notes that were scribbled on the back of a handout from 2 weeks prior. Organizing upfront means possible avoidance of potential nervous breakdown during midterms and finals.

Study, study, study: First do a general mine sweep of information based on the study guide or prior exam. Then focus in on terms/terminlogy, ideas/processes that aren't getting "in" the old noggin. Then try another method of studying -- writing down content, then try flashcards. What's going on here is the three r's -- reading, wRiting, and recitation. It all adds up to deep learning and the more practice that goes into this section -- the actual studying -- the more chance the knowledge will stick and you'll have it for mid-term day.

Need clarification? - Don't be afraid to email or ask the Professor or the TA for any help with regard to exam material

Don't want to go it alone? Form a Study Group. If not before the mid-term then, think about it for the Final Exam or for the Spring. There is strength (and somtimes deeper comprehnsion) among peers...(Seriously, it's called the Peer Effect...)

Get enough sleep / know when you're at your best: Not a morning person? Stay away from studying first thing in the a.m. Beware of nighttime studying -- very few people do well studying in the wee hours of the night.

Take A Break - all that studying can make a brain, well, pooped. Don't overdue it. Marathon cramming sessions, in general, don't work. Schedule your studying for two hours at a clip and schedule at least 4 or 5 of them prior to any exam.

Relax! If you've been taking notes, paying attention in class, engaging in classrom participation and doing the readings -- you've nothing to fear! Look that mid-term in the eye and say -- bring it on!!! On the other hand, if there's a bomb out. It's not the end of the world. Seek some counseling at the study center, and look at it as an opportunity to figure out what went wrong or what subject/areas need to be focused on and go about fixing it before the final rolls around.

Good luck! December break is just around the corner! Hang in there comarades!!!

Got Time?

Some of my peers have been asking how I stay organized. Let me tell ya folks, it ain’t easy. Have you got tips, tricks and ways to cope? Please share! How’s your stress level? Do you feel  you’re in a good space and academically everything’s going at a good pace? If not, below are some general tips on how to get (and, hopefully, stay) organized while in graduate school. The current use (or some would say invasion) of all things electronic into our daily lives can prove to be timesavers as well as timesuckers. Planning is the key to success and to avoid an academic crash and burn…

Drop-kick me through the goalposts of life:

Goals - set long term goals – at the beginning of each semester and entering all homework, group project deadlines, and/or exam dates into your PDA, datebook or corkboard. Whatever you use. Having the dates visible will keep you motivated.

This, no wait a minute this is important - Setting Priorities:

Within the goals, use priorities to determine what’s truly long-term vs. short-term and rank those activities accordingly. Always work on the most import stuff first. Back up these priorities with occasional self-checks. “Self, is the most important thing right now?” If not, don’t do it and move until you hit the urgent thing you should be doing.

Procrastination is thine Enemy:

Always work on whatever is making you freak out the most. Avoiding the beast, always ends in disaster. Get it out of the way and the rest of your stuff won’t look nearly as heinous.

Scheduling the Scheduling - How to Make Time for Planning

Set aside a definite period of time each week to review what’s coming up and to add new short and long term goals/activities. Always try to review at the end of the day what’s on the agenda for the next day. Don’t write it and then forget it…Reviewing might prevent those embarrassing forehead slaps – i.e. “What!? You mean Chapter 15 and 16 was due today???”

Know your A, B and Cs:

As in Priority A, Priority B, and C. It’s tough to do but don’t waste time “sweating the small stuff”. Attack top priorities and do the quickie things when you find yourself in a “break out” moment.

Ugh – this List is Humongous:

Feeling overwhelmed? Is your “To Do List” is daunting? Pat yourself on the back and make an “I Did It!” list at night. Tracking your accomplishments are automatic motivators to keep plowing forward.

Black Out Dates:

When are you truly at your most productive? Mornings, mid-morning, afternoons, mid-afternoons, or night person? Careful! There are very few actual “night owls”. Very few people can make significant production late in the evening and this can lead to a deadly backslide of unaccomplished tasks…. Black out times of the day where you know you’re at your best. Tackle those “mother of all” tasks then – when you’re at your sharpest. And this time is verboten to things like, American Idol, Grey’s Anatomy, and $2.00 pints at the local watering hole…

Oh, Look -- I’ve Found a Worm Hole:

Well, sort of. Being able to track how long things take to do is a key element in time planning your time. If you’re really bad at estimating (under or over) how long tasks take, try keeping an informal tally of how long different activities can take. Then your schedule will be much more accurate and realistic.

Keep a scratch pad or flip open that phone or PDA:

Find yourself with a cancelled class? Stuck in the elevator at the Sawyer building? Well, good! Now is the time to whip out your small list of “To Do” stuff when you find yourself with a windfall of unexpected time. Stuff some articles you’ve been meaning to read in your bag – when you’re stuck for half and hour in between T-stops – voila! Instant unscheduled, yet productive, time snag!

Downtime? Downtime? I don’t need no stinkin downtime?

Oh, yes you do my friend. Even the most aggressive Type As need to recharge their hyperactive internal batteries. Social activities, shared dinners, or planned “breaks” from study groups or a trek over to your favorite drinking establishment or letting it all hang out on the dance floor is important to staying well grounded and focused. Here are a few other tips for the work/life balance:

1. Take a “joy break” – daydream for 10 minutes, want to see a movie that night? Cruise the web for times/see what’s playing, whatever -- get your mind (briefly) off the task at hand and think about something fun.
2. Practice meditation (focused relaxed breathing, visualization).
3. Exercise – yes, even dancing around your apartment like wild fool – is indeed exercise. No need to run a marathon or hit a costly gym – just get the ticker pumping. All work in front of the computer and no play – is not only NOT fun but can lead to such unpleasant things as early heart attacks. Angioplasty is definitely not fun.
4. Even God took a break – schedule a day off. Read the paper, stay in your pjs, sleep until noon, eat breakfast all day, watch Godzilla movies – you get the idea.
5. Take a Culture Break – best achieved alone. Go to that museum exhibit or get a rush ticket to the opera/ballet/hockey game. Do something creative – by yourself. A major recharger.
6. Vacations – are for resting. Not lugging 20 pounds of books and a laptop to a tropical get away. If a full week is not possible – take advantage of the 3 day weekend thing.

At all costs, avoid the dreaded “Burnout”.  Here are some signs:

• Chronic fatigue – exhaustion, tiredness, being physically run down
• Anger at those making demands
• Self-criticism for putting up with the demands
• A sense of being besieged
• Exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
• Frequent headaches or stomach problems
• Weight loss or gain
• Sleeplessness and depression
• Shortness of breath
• Suspiciousness
• Feelings of helplessness
• Increased degree of risk taking (i.e. bungee jumping off the Tobin = not a good idea)

If you think you’re experiencing any of the above and are concerned by it – you should contact a mentor or health official on campus and get some stress advice/counseling.

Turns out, this weeks' subject, time management, is not just a modern day dilemma – take a look at these wise words from Cervantes’ Don Quixote:

In short, he so busied himself in his books
That he spent the nights reading from twilight till daybreak
And the days from dawn till dark;
And so from little sleep and much reading his brain dried up
And he lost his wits.

Books for further reading:

• The One Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey
• The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Edmund Bourne
• Time Management for Unmanageable People, Anne McGee-Cooper

Have a great weekend! We're in for a real treat on Saturday -- the first Nor'Easter of the season! Cook up some stew, pop in a movie and enjoy the storm! See yas next week.

Red Sox Fever Hits Hub

Well it's been a busy week on campus. The semester ramps up in academic demands, class discussions are intensifying and becoming more meaningful, substantial papers are due and are flying around different classes with regularity, most readings are beginning to gel and what's that?  Oh, no -- mid-terms on the horizon! But, really, who cares???!!!! The Red Sox are in the playoffs!!! Wahoooooo! Let's take a brief hiatus from the titillation of academe and talk baseball.

Red Sox fever is about to grip the hub in a big way. For students on campus who are not from the area -- you're in for a treat people. Usually whenever the Sox make it this far, thousands of t.v. screens illuminate apartment and house windows. Normally bustling streets will be vacant, bus and T trains will have noticeably more seats, and bars -- sports or otherwise, will be filled with excited (and usually well-imbibed) Sox fans. And it's part of the fun.  Yes, I'm biased. I exited the womb waving a red sox pennant.  My CT family good-naturedly tortured an in-law until they gave in and converted  (gasp! from Yankee fan-hood) to becoming part of  Red Sox nation.  Yes, this is an opinionated and personal blog. Therefore, yes, I believe that no where else can a city be as passionate for it's baseball team than Boston. Rise up Red Sox Nation, rise up! Your team needs you.

Let's review some Red Sox superstitions and rituals for good luck (shameless stolen from several red sox fan sites. Folks I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to...)

• From day one of playoffs and throughout -- wear Red Sox stuff -- i.e. bow ties, regular ties, ball caps, t-shirts, sox, etc. Kiss, suck or hold on high (as if for miraculous blessings) the bits of paraphernalia at stressful periods during the game. Also, I regret to inform y'all some people don't change their t-shirts during the playoffs -- at all. Also, preliminary research reveals some diehards don't change underwear. Whoa. I can't even go there.  Maybe all that room suddenly available on the bus is for another more disgusting reason...
• Leave an "offering" (i.e. a baseball marked "Sox 2007) at the Cy Young statue located on the Old Huntington Avenue Grounds on Northeastern's campus.
• Spit on hands just like Papi does whenever he's up at bat -- warning: be prepared for other people to back away from you and possibly not talk to you after this.
• Gather all  red sox bobble heads, souvenirs and other ephemera and place near t.v. -- sort of creating an electronic shrine...tap bobble head whenever Sox score.
• No matter where you are - home, bar, playoff party - the 7th inning forward must be watched standing up.

Best places (read: bar) to hang and watch game - in no order or personal preference -- again culled from fan sites:

• The Greatest Bar, (near North Station)
• Sports Depot, Allston
• Common Ground, Allston
• Kings/Deville Lounge, Boston
• The Pour House, Boston
• On the Hill Tavern,  Somerville

For the bold (or those not in fear of crowds...an experience; do not wear "good" clothes...)

• Cask - n- Flagon - Fenway
• Linwood Grill, Fenway
• Copperfields, Fenway
  
  Looking for the miracles of miracles -- tickets? Try taking a look at the official red sox site: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20071011&content_id=2261241&vkey=pr_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos

You never know what might be released at the last minute. Also keep a listen to the radio. Several stations might be giving tickets away in contest. Good luck. And I mean that. Some single tickets for a world series tickets are already trading in the $20,000 area.

OK, since it's blatantly obvious by now that I'm an academic nerd -- it's impossible for me not to include something academic for the intellectually curious out there looking for a kickin' scholarly essay (from a religious institution -- so it's got a religious bend to it) on Red Sox Nation, bizarre rituals, Bambino curses and the unfortunate occasional violence associated with sports -- check out:  http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art8-redsox-print.html

Tragically, violence is not stranger to Boston sports mania (google V. Snelgrove to see what I'm talking about). Please people be careful out there! Don't get swept up in a dangerous post-game rally which can easily turn into a riot. When police arrive it's time to break up the party. Even better, stay away from post-game impromptu parades. Far, far, away.

Most importantly have fun -- but be responsible. Get your wingman or wingwoman in order -- please don't drink and drive. Feeling the spirit of the playoffs, I'm closing with a little prayer:

Our father, who art at Fenway,
Baseball be thy game.
Thy kingdom come
Playoffs need to be won
On earth,then on to the Cask'n'Flagon

Give us this day a perfect Papi
And forgive us our losses,
As we forgive those,
Like Bill Buckner.

And lead us not into desperation,
But deliver us from any losses.

For thine is the power,
And the glory,
To beat the Indians.
Forever & ever .... the Yankees suck..

AMEN

GO SOX!!!