This clever freshman writing student created a project in Texture, which is designed for branching narratives (such as the Choose Your Own Adventure stories). In the next few screens, he put up nodes showing older and more recent writing samples, asked me to choose which one showed the better writing technique, and gave me feedback…
Peter looks forward to his Wednesday evening visits to the Monroeville Chess club. (Last one until mid-January.) Similar:Come see Carolyn as “The Girl” in The Fantasticks, Oct 18-27. CultureAnother delightful caricature by Rebecca ScassellatiAestheticsImagine a world…PersonalHad a rough day. Designing another 10 sq cm of #steampunk control panel doesn't fix everyt…AcademiaMS-Word's helpful "View -> Focus"…
I haven’t taught a developmental course at SHU, but when I teach freshman writing, I often encounter students who struggle with the transition from high school to college writing. Those who were praised all their lives as good writers can tell good personal stories, and they can deploy accurate summaries of non-controversial, “correct” facts. I give…
Saturday, Donald Trump tweeted that he knew Flynn lied, and that’s why he “had to fire” him. Critics immediately raised concerns, noting that if Trump did in fact know Flynn had lied, then Trump’s request that FBI Director James Comey “let this go” amounts to an obstruction of justice. Sunday, Trump’s lawyer John Dowd told…
Pop quiz for public relations 101. Scenario 1: You run a wildly popular app that incorporates video with a live host. You learn that a reporter is writing a personality profile of your host. Do you offer some cheerful quotes and then make a note to get your host to sign a new contract that handles…
Similar:FULL BLOOM at Latrobe’s Olde Main, Aug 30-Sep 2.CultureEnjoying a peaceful fall moment while it's possible. Taking these moments as they come. AestheticsThe Girl's Obsession with Scottish History ContinuesWife: “What did you do with your bedshee…AestheticsBack in the groove. I should be able to keep this number headed in the right direction unt…PersonalHeadphones, Croutons and…
Similar:One wild place. (Sunday.) NatureLook how the box leads your eye down to the car, then the two signs lead your eye up to th…PersonalDear organization from my past that just sent me a scolding email…Dear organization from my past that just…CultureJaw-dropping moments of insight and humanity. So funny, so edgy, so affirming! I did…
During the original run of Star Trek: The Next Generation, my college roommate and I invited our friends over to our duplex for Star Trek parties. Our local TV station ran the show at midnight Sunday, which was a terrible time, but we sometimes had 30 people over. Though we kept in touch virtually, I…
Yesterday, I asked my students, “How many of you spent $4 on a cup of coffee in the last month? How many have spent that much to support local news?” “If people don’t get local news, they don’t know what’s going on in their community. If they don’t know what’s going on in their community,…
Similar:Me (glares in iambic pentameter)Me: I need to post the opening lecture f…AcademiaI may have mentioned that I have a daughter who does things. @frontporchtheatricalsI may have mentioned that I have a daugh…CultureStudents whom I haven't met yet… Students whom I haven’t met yet, I’l…AcademiaReliving memories and saying goodbye to my late colleague Sr. Ann…
Similar:This was a rough term. Still have a winter term course to publish before midnight but time…AcademiaCompleted uniforms for the officers and crew from the #neovictorian #steampunk bedtime sto… Right now I can move the player aroun…AestheticsJerz Nerdcation 2013On a visit to the Washington DC area for…CultureMy Shakespeare students are off peer reviewing their term…
Similar:Subtle Stylesheet Tweaks for Mobile SiteOn the mobile version of my WordPress we…AestheticsIndustriousness. Self-improvement. Thrift. And orange slime. The girl amusing herself on our 70m …AestheticsCaptain Gearheart inspects progress on his #neovictorian #steampunk æther cruiser. Now fea…Aesthetics5 Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Learn Math OnlineMy son has finally found a math textbook…CybercultureWhile at Sadecky's…
This looks like a deliberate attempt to plant a “fake news” story, presumably in order to discredit the Washington Post for falling for it. Verify, verify, verify. The Post did its homework, and did not fall into the trap. Sadly, this story will be used to discredit people who come forward with legitimate sexual assault…
I spend a lot of time re-educating my students, assuring them that my job as a college professor is not to give them a checklist, and then award points for each item they ticked off correctly; nor is my job to teach to a test. Shortly after I started teaching in my current job, a…
Similar:Presenting at #NEMLA session 8.1 Friday. “Hacking English: Examining a multimedia sandbox …AcademiaShe feels pretty at the dress rehearsal (opens Thursday)On the ride home, in the middle of a spi…Amusing"It's called an amphora," the artist says.AestheticsThe chief engineer does not know where the floating lamps are coming from, but he looks gr…AestheticsYes, I spent…
I’m frustrated by these accursed conference proposal maximum word counts. (10) Curse you, conference proposal word limits. (6) Damn proposal word counts!! (4) Cut wherever possible. (3) Trim wordiness. (2) Simplify. (1) Actually, that helped. Back at it. Similar:Cause and Effect (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 5, Episode 18) time loop. Ka-boom. The En…Rewatching ST:TNG A…
Did you share fake news from Russia during the US Presidential election? Grudgingly following up on a Congressional order, Facebook will permit you to jump through hoops to find out. Because Facebook apparently does not have the technology to insert items of its choosing directly in user feeds, the social media company has helpfully provided…
A few minutes ago I heard about HQ for the first time, through a friend’s Facebook post. An item or two down in my feed I saw a different FB friend had linked to this story. The Daily Beast describes a tense encounter with a CEO who calls a reporter, threatens to fire his own…
Editor and columnist Jonah Goldberg questions his fellow conservatives who call for the resignation of Al Franken (a Democrat; junior senator from Minnesota), equating the allegations against him with the allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, all the while downplaying the serious allegations against Roy Moore (a Republication; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of…
I have nothing against essays, but not every writing task requires an essay. I tell my students they will be more successful if they produce a narrative personal essay because it’s the right genre for the occasion, not because it’s the only genre they feel comfortable writing. This handout is my latest attempt to help…