Writing, and life update

[hobgoblinn]

First, I have more of "In Loco Parentis" written. Actually, I have had a number of false starts and pieces over the past year, none of which are suitable even for beta eyes. One thing I notice, in fact, is how I tend to throw out random plot twists the more I have no idea where a story will go next, and while some are dramatic, none of them in the long run help propel the story forward. They just get progressively more ridiculous until I give up in despair.

But over the past week, I have managed to get about 3000 words which almost match the rest of the story. I focused on the main issues my two point of view characters have, and it seemed to help a bit.

I don't know if any old betas are still following here, but if you are, or if you're just interested in becoming one, and would like a look at the new stuff, please let me know. After this much time has passed, I feel weird emailing someone and saying "Hey. Remember me?" I know how much life changes and all that. But I'll upload it to google docs for anyone who wants to wrestle with it. Just send me an email address in a private message.

Second, a work rant. I think now that the newness of teaching has worn off, I am starting to shift my priorities in a healthy way. I hadn't realized how much time outside school I was spending on grading, class prep and the like, but I find now, I resent it and am not doing myself or my students any favors. I also find myself hating some of them for things that really are not their fault. They can't read. I find myself frustrated by this, but it is not now nor ever was my responsibility to fix this for them. The powerlessness of it gets me, though. And the helpless behavior it engenders. I actually had a student wander in my classroom last week while I was in the middle of a class discussion and thrust a paper at me, as if I would know what she wanted. It was her class schedule for Next Quarter, which begins in three weeks. "Um yes." I explained patiently. "You need to come back in July, dear." I managed not to smack her, but I really, really wanted to. How can someone be this stupid and live? She's got to be in classes now, in order to have received a schedule for next term like this. Surely she knows there are a couple of weeks until finals? But then I had someone who has missed three straight weeks of class express amazement she had been dropped, when the cut off point is two weeks straight. (Someone can come once every two weeks and remain enrolled. The student will not pass, mind you, but he or she will not be administratively dropped, either. Gotta love for profit education.)

Okay. Rant over. Life is otherwise pretty good. Wee Hob has learned the value of reading over his Civil Air Patrol packing list for his weekend pre-encampment Field Training Exercise. He got yelled at pretty good. These military types are good for him. Also, this unit is focused on search and rescue, and he has several older guys who want to grow up to be medics, which is making him lean that direction, too. I like this trend a lot. Much more than "I want to be in the infantry so I can be on the front lines and shoot things and blow stuff up."

And my Beloved is a wonderful, wonderful man. I am very lucky. I am also spending more time with him, now that I am not taking home so much thankless work. Which is also of the good.


It's also been fun, this past week, to read the doings here, even if I am sad to find I don't always understand your doings now. Know that even when I don't comment, I wish all of you well. And I'm sure I'll be commenting more as other procrastination kicks in.....

Comments

[nemaihne.livejournal.com]

Yay! Sounds like things are going great for you all. And Wee Hob is in CAP? Is he over at Lunken?

[hobgoblinn.livejournal.com]

He's done some stuff at Lunken, but his unit is based in Campbell County at the Reserve Center in Fort Thomas. The whole Kentucky wing did an exercise with the Air Force recently at Lunken. His unit solved their hardest Search and Rescue tasks in about 20 minutes (finding missing person/ downed transmitter) and sat around for the rest of the weekend eating everybody else's food. They spend every Thursday night tromping around in the woods at Tower Park learning to use their equipment and do proper searches and all.

[beatrice_otter]

Oooh, CAP sounds like fun! I got an airplane flying lesson once when I was a kid, I think I won a contest or something. (It may have been a birthday present, but I doubt it.) It was lots of fun, but alas, my eye problems would preclude anything more even if I could afford it. (I have severely impaired depth perception.)

[hobgoblinn.livejournal.com]

They get about 6 free flights as part of the aerospace training, and he's already done one. They let him fly the plane and he did not crash it. I liked the not crashing part.

But mostly his unit works on search and rescue. They've occasionally been mobilized when a plane goes down in the area, or when we have a severe weather event they have gone door to door checking on people. They have also just started a color guard, but they will have to raise money for the rifles and other equipment in order to compete. He likes all the marching in formation and everything.

[clavally.livejournal.com]

O.O

You're students sound special. You're kinda making me rethink the whole being a college professor thing, lol.

Glad everything else appears to be going smoothly. Also glad to see you're back to writing again.

[hobgoblinn.livejournal.com]

Many college professors do not have to deal with students like mine, though perhaps the "I'm an A student. Give me my A" whining would be worse. Most colleges require students to be able to read before letting them in, after all.

[usedtobeljs]

I sympathize with your work woes!

May it be a good week for you and yours.

[hobgoblinn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Hope you also have a good week.

[empresspatti.livejournal.com]

It is really good to have you back and really, really good to see how happy you are.

[hobgoblinn.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Lady. It's good to see you're well, too.

[sunsethill.livejournal.com]

Nice to see a post from you! I have been very quiet lately, too, so don't feel bad. We all go through times like this.

Several things to comment on--hooray for more In Loco...

Teaching--my hubby is a teacher, also, and it has become an incredibly frustrating career. He has about five years to retirement, and sometimes he wonders if he can make it.

CAP--neat. My youngest children are involved also and it has been a lot of fun and a very maturing activity for them. My daughter is heading to encampment in a few weeks and is very concerned about whether she will survive the early morning wake ups. ;-)

Glad to see you are alive and having more time for just recreational activities.

[hobgoblinn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the kind welcome back.

I wish I had been in the profession long enough to be contemplating retirement. But somebody told me today I actually have a better shot at getting a job in a high school than all the laid off, highly qualified folks-- I would be closer to the bottom of the pay scale than they are, and my for profit college teaching experience will not count in that calculation. They basically get someone experienced without having to pay as much. Of course, once I get a job, I Can't Lose It Or Else.

Wee Hob will be heading to GLR South next week. He wants to go to Hawk Mountain but he's new and we missed that deadline.

I better get back to work on In Loco now. Especially as it seems unlikely anyone will want to beta it for me. My own fault, letting those relationships lapse, along with the story itself.