Sondra’s Garden: Butterfly Release Honors Dr. Lettrich (Seton Hill University)

“Every good lesson plan has a culminating activity,” says Dr. Audrey Quinlan. “Sondra, it took six months, but here’s your culminating activity.” Similar:Spring office cleaning thoughts: 1) I used to print a lot. 2) I have enough tote bags. I used to print a lot. I have e…AcademiaCommentary: The unbearable smugness of the pressMore on…

A blessing before the butterfly release at #sondra…

A blessing before the butterfly release at #sondrasgarden #setonhill http://t.co/z8rKzgc49B Similar:I asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingAnd the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsFormer student: "I remember sometimes being annoyed with all of our blogging…

The Soldier Formerly Known as Bradley Manning

Here is the entry on it from The Times’s “Manual of Style and Usage,” a guidebook used by reporters and editors throughout the newsroom: transgender (adj.) is an overall term for people whose current identity differs from their sex at birth, whether or not they have changed their biological characteristics. Cite a person’s transgender status…

This Is What It Looks Like Just Before the Muslim Brotherhood Jumps You

As the recent death toll in Egypt surpasses 500, news of Muslim Brotherhood supporters being slaughtered in Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square has been an especially tragic manifestation of the powder-keg that is “post-revolutionary” Egypt. Just days before, our photographer found himself embroiled in an MB protest near to that now-tragic location. While this story does not…

Disruptions: Texting Your Feelings, Symbol by Symbol

Being a word-oriented thinker, I don’t have much interest in emoji icons. I dislike it when an autocorrect turns a traditional sideways smiley into an icon. My daughter, who at age 11 is too young for a Facebook account, sometimes uses my Facebook account to chat with her slightly-older teen friends, which means that when…

RT @pewresearch: Teens Haven’t Abandoned Facebook…

RT @pewresearch: Teens Haven’t Abandoned Facebook (Yet) — @mary_madden says reports of Facebook’s demise among teens are premature http://… Similar:RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from the Civil…RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from …TweetsI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsLoved seeing A Comedy of Errors @setonhillLoved…

Despicable Me 2 “Bottom” gag will do for A Midsummer Night’s Dream what Disney’s Little Mermaid’s Ariel did for The Tempest

The name “Bottom” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream is already funny, but I expect my students will likely snigger at it, thinking of the “Silas Ramsbottom” gag from Despicable Me 2. I read The Tempest before I saw Disney’s Little Mermaid, so when I think of Prospero’s spirit Ariel, I do not think of a…

Dennis G. Jerz | Associate Professor of English -- New Media Journalism, Seton Hill University | jerz.setonhill.edu

Maybe I’ll start a cover band, cleaning up hip-hop songs…

Maybe I’ll start a cover band, cleaning up hip-hop songs, remixing them as instant breakfast food jingles. I’ll call it “Minced Oats.” Similar:Updated a post about Sarah Rush — the "launch when ready" crew member from 1979 Battlesta…I recently noticed that a blog post I cr…AmusingStudents don't know what's best for their own learningMany educators…

If this professor thing doesn’t work out, I’ll sta…

If this professor thing doesn’t work out, I’ll start a nerd-rock band called “Force-choked by Jesus.” Similar:RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from the Civil…RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from …TweetsI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsIt's been nice knowing you, iPad3 It’s been nice knowing…

Jerz Nerdcation 2013

On a visit to the Washington DC area for my father’s 80th birthday, we did nerdy things. Similar:Churning Out More Non-profit Arts PromosAs part of my volunteer work for a local…AestheticsThe Onion's Supreme Court Briefing on Satire Is StunningFrom October: A man who was arrested ov…AmusingGiving Obsolete Books an Afterlife as Theatre PropsOnce, someone really…