And now that June’s almost over, it’s time to start prepping for the fall term. (Sigh.)

Similar:Representing the Humanities at Accepted Students Day.Representing the Humanities at Accepted …PersonalDance of "the awkward nerd trying to act really cool" Carolyn (doing a really cool dance m…AestheticsTrying something a bit different for today's 10 sq cm of #steampunk #blender3d control pan…AestheticsAll three shows have been sold out for over a month. Opens tomorrow.DramaThe film…

Capitalists Tell Facebook They’ve Had Enough

It started as a murmur of dissent, but over the weekend the campaign to persuade brands to boycott Facebook ads for the month of July turned into a major crisis for the social media giant. It began badly on Friday when Unilever, one of the world’s biggest advertisers, announced it was joining the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, which had already been backed by Verizon, Patagonia, and Ben and Jerry’s.

After a pretty crappy day, I found shreds of joy in this clip of socially distanced salsa.

In my discipline, teaching small seminars typically depends on students sharing their weaknesses and vulnerabilities in pairs and small groups, gradually building trust while the teacher moves through the room, listening and joining in and backing away as appropriate. Masked students who are 6 feet away from each other will have to shout their failures…

Theatre Crowd Mustn’t Be Bitter

The en­ter­tain­ment in­dus­try seems up­set that pubs are to be opened be­fore any theatres or mu­sic venues. But you can un­der­stand why the pubs have pri­or­ity – it’s a mat­ter of safety. Theatres are wild places where you can’t con­trol the public. So of­ten, dur­ing a show by a comic, the au­di­ence spreads viruses by…

Hollow Pursuits (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season Three, Episode 21) Misfit Crewmember Faces Holodeck Addiction

Rewatching ST:TNG after a 20-year break. Awkward, stuttering junior engineer Barclay spends too much time in an alpha male holodeck fantasy. His swordplay, barroom brawls and over-the-top moments of swagger and seduction approach Kirk-level bravado. A predictable but enjoyable riff on Thurber’s short story, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” LaForge and Riker have given up…

Okay yes, this affirmation does matter to me and it will go into my annual review for next year.

Marked 832 AP English essays in a week of online work. Rating is based on how accurately I marked the pre-graded training examples scattered in amongst the flood. A really good professional development tool, that helps me to align my assessment with what my peers feel is high school writing skill that deserves college credit.…

When is Donald Trump kidding? When is he being sarcastic? When is he being serious? Who gets to decide?

Earlier today a reporter, following her journalism training, asked Trump, “Were you just kidding, or do you have a plan to slow down testing?” His response: “I don’t kid, let me just tell you.” At this weekend’s Tulsa rally, the president had said, referring to the US response to the coronavirus pandemic, “I said to…

I am at that stage of life where I am excited about loading a new dishwasher for the first time. (The one that came with the house in 2003 finally died.)

Similar:Green / mahogany variation of the vibe I'm working on for a fantasy #steampunk #blend…PersonalEveryone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom do the dishes.CultureChess again with my son.GamesI'm down to a king and two pawns but my son likes playing until he crushes me.PersonalThe Miracle Worker opens tomorrow.PersonalThe Course…

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

In June, 2000 I was blogging about anagrams, 1750 Paris, ambiguity, a hyperlink patent claim, and reading posture

In June, 2000, I was blogging about Poems inspired by anagrams (T.S. Eliot = Toilets; Emily Dickinson = Skinny Domicile) Where to go if you wanted to know what was happening In 1750 Paris The Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations A patent lawsuit that claimed ownership of the concept of hyperlinks Reading posture (how do…

Happy Father’s Day

One of my favorite pictures of my father. This is our Chevrolet Caprice station wagon, circa 1971. I’m rocking the stripes. Similar:Snowfall at the White House (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour, Jan 7) Tweeted by W…My social media feed was full of people …AestheticsExploring Myst's Brave New World”We wanted a true persistent world. If…

A father gives his happy toddler a ride on his shoulders.

Only a Dad (Edgar Guest poem, read by Carolyn and Peter Jerz for WAOB Audio Theatre)

Carolyn and Peter Jerz recite “Only a Dad” (directed by Leigh A. Jerz for WAOB Audio Theatre) Similar:You are personally responsible for becoming more ethical than the society you grew up in.Some people out there will never like yo…CultureRaise It Up! :: Star-Spangled Banner – 1814-2014I usually start my American Lit I course…CultureAnother section of…

Sharing memes about news you don’t see is lazy. Be part of the solution!

Similar:Infinite Scrolling: XKCD's Creative Insight on a Common Interface IndignityAmusingMask-wearing cuts Covid incidence by 53%, says global study Globally, Covid cases exceeded 250 mil…CultureShakaar #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 3, Episode 20) Winn asks Kira to reclaim macguffins… Rewatching ST:DS9 After losing to O…EmpathyIn August, 2002, I was blogging about ebook readers and email in teaching;…

Canadian teen’s short film captures Spring 2020

Not graphic, but emotionally powerful. Similar:Why I Was Wrong About Liberal-Arts MajorsIt’s a little bit shallow and solipsisti…AcademiaFriend I hadn't seen for about 20 years delivers a vintage nerdy gift.During the original run of Star Trek: Th…MediaThe barbican at Mickelgate was pulled down in the 1800s but I made a rough approximation f…AestheticsCursor*10Great free Flash…