I wonder if leaving the menfolk alone for 48 hours is a smart idea?
On second thought, don't answer that.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Opera
I'm off tomorrow for a quick whirl-wind trip to Toronto to see Madama Butterfly with my Mom. I'm so excited; I've wanted to see an opera for a really long time and finally I'm going to.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Rant with me now
If you're my friend on Facebook, you probably know I've had some issues with one of my professors over the last week.
It basically goes like this: Oct 6, have dental work done. Miss class. Oct 13, have more dental work done. Miss class. Oct 19, MIL passes away. Oct 19, e-mail professor to inform them of the situation and state that I will be missing class on Oct 20. Oct 20 was the day of our midterm, so naturally, I asked if alternate arrangements can be made.
And this is where it gets pretty cold and disgusting: Oct 20, professor e-mails me back and says that because I have "not shown committment to the course" by missing classes, will ONLY offer me a make-up for the midterm IF my attendance improves, and then sends me another e-mail an hour later, futher stating that I will need a certificate of death IF I qualify to take the midterm.
Of course, I'm totally shattered (literally sobbing over this, I kid you not) and, in the spirit of full disclosure, pissed RIGHT the fuck off. I contact the Ombudsperson at the College, who says I should contact my co-ordinator first to see if we can resolve this on our own, which I do, only to be told that because it's an English course, I need to speak with the co-ordinator of the English department because she only runs the Legal department. This was on Friday.
Today, I receive this heartless, pretty fucking generic message from the co-ordinator, stating that, as she understands it from my professor, I was unable to sit the midterm due to a family issue and that I have not shown commitment to the course due to many classes and assignments, or handed work in late.
My blood is BOILING by now. You could probably make fondue out of it (although I really wouldn't recommend it, but you get my point).
First off, I'm sorry, but really? A family issue? That's more like your kid coming down with a cold, NOT watching your mother in law's heart stop fucking beating right in front of you while you hold her hand and then seeing her lips turn blue and her face ashen THE DAY BEFORE.
I fired back an e-mail stating, quite calmly and logically (with supporting documentation!), why each of these "reasons" could not/should not be used as a basis for withholding a fucking midterm that I only missed because my MIL FUCKING DIED, YOU CUNT. It kind of went exactly like this:
Dear Shithead1; Thank you for your response to this matter. I'd like to clarify some issues within the e-mail you sent on Wednesday, October 28, particularly in regards to missed classes, work handed in late, and missed assignments.
Missed classes: I have missed 3 classes total. One was this past Tuesday (the date of the midterm) because of the death of my mother-in-law on Monday and the other two (October 6 and October 13) were because of dental work performed earlier that day. I can also provide documentation to this effect if need be. I fail to see how this constitutes "many".
Work handed in late: I handed in one (1) assignment late by a day - it was due Tuesday, October 13 (class missed due to aforementioned dental work) and I was present on Wednesday, October 14 during Shithead2's office hours to hand it in. On Blackboard, under the "course document" tools, she clearly outlines the late assignment policy, which states: "Late Assignment Policy: Please make careful consideration of the late assignment policy. One point will be subtracted from your assignment EVERY day that it is late.....".
I was aware of this policy and fully expected to be docked one mark for turning it in late. Nowhere does this policy say (and neither did Shithead2 mention in class) that invoking this policy would be basis for withholding a midterm.
Missed assignments: I have missed two assignments, both due on Tuesday, October 20, which I missed due to the death of my mother-in-law on Monday, October 19. One was assigned to complete in-class, and one was to be handed in at the start of class. I completed the assignment due on Tuesday, October 20 at the beginning of class and was told I could not hand it in when I returned back to class on Tuesday, October 27. In light of this, I'd like to draw your attention to College Directive E3: "Special Allowances for Individual Students".
Within this directive, it outlines special arrangements which can be made for students who "are ill or who face major personal crises such as bereavement," as stated in section 2.1 under Policy. It futher states within sections 2 and 2.1, under Procedures, Roles and Responsibilities: "wherever reasonable .... faculty are expected to extend to such students some latitude with respect to the following: 2.1 deadlines for submissions of assignments, lab reports, and similar projects." This directive was clearly not followed in this case.
As for the matter of being denied a fair opportunity to write the midterm due to the issues presented (which I only missed because of the sudden bereavement of my mother-in-law), I hope that I have outlined how each of these issues should not be used as reasons to withhold the midterm. In closing, I trust the matter of the midterm and missed assignments will be resolved satisfactorily. I will be contacting the Ombudsperson as to what the next steps would be.
Signed, ONE PISSED OFF ANGRY STUDENT.
And now I wait.
Apparently, its the hardest thing in the world to show some fucking compassion. Newsflash: I had to arrange two other midterms. Guess what happened? I explained the situation and they said, here's your alternate midterm date, see you then, good luck and sorry about your MIL.
What is SO FUCKING DIFFICULT about that? No. Really. Does this sound intensely difficult to any of you? Because if it does, I seem to be missing it.
It basically goes like this: Oct 6, have dental work done. Miss class. Oct 13, have more dental work done. Miss class. Oct 19, MIL passes away. Oct 19, e-mail professor to inform them of the situation and state that I will be missing class on Oct 20. Oct 20 was the day of our midterm, so naturally, I asked if alternate arrangements can be made.
And this is where it gets pretty cold and disgusting: Oct 20, professor e-mails me back and says that because I have "not shown committment to the course" by missing classes, will ONLY offer me a make-up for the midterm IF my attendance improves, and then sends me another e-mail an hour later, futher stating that I will need a certificate of death IF I qualify to take the midterm.
Of course, I'm totally shattered (literally sobbing over this, I kid you not) and, in the spirit of full disclosure, pissed RIGHT the fuck off. I contact the Ombudsperson at the College, who says I should contact my co-ordinator first to see if we can resolve this on our own, which I do, only to be told that because it's an English course, I need to speak with the co-ordinator of the English department because she only runs the Legal department. This was on Friday.
Today, I receive this heartless, pretty fucking generic message from the co-ordinator, stating that, as she understands it from my professor, I was unable to sit the midterm due to a family issue and that I have not shown commitment to the course due to many classes and assignments, or handed work in late.
My blood is BOILING by now. You could probably make fondue out of it (although I really wouldn't recommend it, but you get my point).
First off, I'm sorry, but really? A family issue? That's more like your kid coming down with a cold, NOT watching your mother in law's heart stop fucking beating right in front of you while you hold her hand and then seeing her lips turn blue and her face ashen THE DAY BEFORE.
I fired back an e-mail stating, quite calmly and logically (with supporting documentation!), why each of these "reasons" could not/should not be used as a basis for withholding a fucking midterm that I only missed because my MIL FUCKING DIED, YOU CUNT. It kind of went exactly like this:
Dear Shithead1; Thank you for your response to this matter. I'd like to clarify some issues within the e-mail you sent on Wednesday, October 28, particularly in regards to missed classes, work handed in late, and missed assignments.
Missed classes: I have missed 3 classes total. One was this past Tuesday (the date of the midterm) because of the death of my mother-in-law on Monday and the other two (October 6 and October 13) were because of dental work performed earlier that day. I can also provide documentation to this effect if need be. I fail to see how this constitutes "many".
Work handed in late: I handed in one (1) assignment late by a day - it was due Tuesday, October 13 (class missed due to aforementioned dental work) and I was present on Wednesday, October 14 during Shithead2's office hours to hand it in. On Blackboard, under the "course document" tools, she clearly outlines the late assignment policy, which states: "Late Assignment Policy: Please make careful consideration of the late assignment policy. One point will be subtracted from your assignment EVERY day that it is late.....".
I was aware of this policy and fully expected to be docked one mark for turning it in late. Nowhere does this policy say (and neither did Shithead2 mention in class) that invoking this policy would be basis for withholding a midterm.
Missed assignments: I have missed two assignments, both due on Tuesday, October 20, which I missed due to the death of my mother-in-law on Monday, October 19. One was assigned to complete in-class, and one was to be handed in at the start of class. I completed the assignment due on Tuesday, October 20 at the beginning of class and was told I could not hand it in when I returned back to class on Tuesday, October 27. In light of this, I'd like to draw your attention to College Directive E3: "Special Allowances for Individual Students".
Within this directive, it outlines special arrangements which can be made for students who "are ill or who face major personal crises such as bereavement," as stated in section 2.1 under Policy. It futher states within sections 2 and 2.1, under Procedures, Roles and Responsibilities: "wherever reasonable .... faculty are expected to extend to such students some latitude with respect to the following: 2.1 deadlines for submissions of assignments, lab reports, and similar projects." This directive was clearly not followed in this case.
As for the matter of being denied a fair opportunity to write the midterm due to the issues presented (which I only missed because of the sudden bereavement of my mother-in-law), I hope that I have outlined how each of these issues should not be used as reasons to withhold the midterm. In closing, I trust the matter of the midterm and missed assignments will be resolved satisfactorily. I will be contacting the Ombudsperson as to what the next steps would be.
Signed, ONE PISSED OFF ANGRY STUDENT.
And now I wait.
Apparently, its the hardest thing in the world to show some fucking compassion. Newsflash: I had to arrange two other midterms. Guess what happened? I explained the situation and they said, here's your alternate midterm date, see you then, good luck and sorry about your MIL.
What is SO FUCKING DIFFICULT about that? No. Really. Does this sound intensely difficult to any of you? Because if it does, I seem to be missing it.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
I could...but I won't.
Keith's mom died yesterday at about 3:10pm. We held her hands and were with her as she passed on....most surreal experience of my life.
I could rage on about the stupidity of it all - gone way too quickly, way too young. She collapsed on Wednesday night unable to breathe and as a result suffered some brain damage. She survived five days in the ICU. She never woke up. She was only sixty-four.
I could rage on about the staggering expense of funerals (3,000$ for a burial plot? are you fucking serious?), the fact that my professors are being complete COWS about me missing my midterms, the fact that all the arrangments have seemingly fallen on the shoulders of Keith and I.
I could rage on about the stupid, inconsequential things, like the fact that Keith's dad is alone for the first time in forty-four years, the fact that she was the only one with a valid license to drive us around. Things like the fact that I only got to know her for a year and a half, or the fact that I was supposed to meet Keith's siblings at my wedding and have her hold her first biological grandchildren in the years to come, or that I thought I had a lifetime to get to know her.
But I won't. Instead, I'll remember her easy laughter at one of my many jokes, the lovely Thanksgiving dinner we enjoyed and the fact that she was overjoyed we spent the holiday together. I'll be thankful that I did get to enjoy a year and a half with her, and for everything she did for us. I'll take comfort in the fact that she loved me, as I loved her, and that she was the best mother-in-law a girl could have.
May she rest in peace.
Della June 15/06/45 - 19/10/09.
I could rage on about the stupidity of it all - gone way too quickly, way too young. She collapsed on Wednesday night unable to breathe and as a result suffered some brain damage. She survived five days in the ICU. She never woke up. She was only sixty-four.
I could rage on about the staggering expense of funerals (3,000$ for a burial plot? are you fucking serious?), the fact that my professors are being complete COWS about me missing my midterms, the fact that all the arrangments have seemingly fallen on the shoulders of Keith and I.
I could rage on about the stupid, inconsequential things, like the fact that Keith's dad is alone for the first time in forty-four years, the fact that she was the only one with a valid license to drive us around. Things like the fact that I only got to know her for a year and a half, or the fact that I was supposed to meet Keith's siblings at my wedding and have her hold her first biological grandchildren in the years to come, or that I thought I had a lifetime to get to know her.
But I won't. Instead, I'll remember her easy laughter at one of my many jokes, the lovely Thanksgiving dinner we enjoyed and the fact that she was overjoyed we spent the holiday together. I'll be thankful that I did get to enjoy a year and a half with her, and for everything she did for us. I'll take comfort in the fact that she loved me, as I loved her, and that she was the best mother-in-law a girl could have.
May she rest in peace.
Della June 15/06/45 - 19/10/09.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Just "Bee Cuz" giveaway post
If you're my friend on Facebook you know some shit is going down with Keith's family. I don't want to get into it because I never want to look back and read about this time. Also, putting it out there in cyberspace in a permanent way feels to me like reality is just that much closer, you know? So. Yeah. That's why I'm posting about this amazing giveaway instead:
Just "Bee Cuz" Giveaway!
given by The New Black.
She's pretty awesome, by the way, so feel free to check out her blog!
But don't enter the giveaway, I seriously want to win this one SO bad. Ha.
I mean it.
Just "Bee Cuz" Giveaway!
given by The New Black.
She's pretty awesome, by the way, so feel free to check out her blog!
But don't enter the giveaway, I seriously want to win this one SO bad. Ha.
I mean it.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Flipping
Tonight I was watching Degrassi: TNG, and the storyline was about a girl who has a wonderful, supportive, long-term boyfriend - but she meets this new guy and sparks fly.
So she's agonizing over what to do with her girlfriend, when her girlfriend remarked, "yeah, but when's the last time Spin [boyfriend] made your stomach flip?"
My immediate thought was "You stupid girl, it's not about the stomach flip."
The thought following that one was - wow, how sad that my life doesn't include the stomach flip. Then I thought of Keith, watching Family Guy in the bedroom, and literally smiled from the inside out. (Although I totally maintain it's SO not about the stomach flip).
And that feeling, truly, is enough for me, but what do you think? Should relationships always include the stomach flip? Is it okay when it doesn't? Really, is it about the stomach flip?
So she's agonizing over what to do with her girlfriend, when her girlfriend remarked, "yeah, but when's the last time Spin [boyfriend] made your stomach flip?"
My immediate thought was "You stupid girl, it's not about the stomach flip."
The thought following that one was - wow, how sad that my life doesn't include the stomach flip. Then I thought of Keith, watching Family Guy in the bedroom, and literally smiled from the inside out. (Although I totally maintain it's SO not about the stomach flip).
And that feeling, truly, is enough for me, but what do you think? Should relationships always include the stomach flip? Is it okay when it doesn't? Really, is it about the stomach flip?
Friday, October 9, 2009
Fight for your right...to get better marks!
Today we got back our Memo/Lease assignment worth 15 percent, and my grade was 20/25 (or 80%). I missed four marks for the lease portion and one mark for the memo portion.
So, in the instructions it simply said "Mr. XX - tenant and Mrs. XX - wife" so I interpreted that to mean the only tenant was Mr. XX, and NOT both Mr & Mrs. XX, since she didn't specify whether the wife was a co-tenant - and so made out the lease accordingly.
Apparently, I was wrong - and every mistake on the lease portion was worth two marks. I went up and explained to her how the ambivalence in the wording made me interpret it the way I did.
Amazingly, she agreed with me. Gave me the marks back. (And made a note in her book to change the wording for the next group of students! HA!)
22/25. 88%. On something worth 15%.
I am so, so stoked.
So, in the instructions it simply said "Mr. XX - tenant and Mrs. XX - wife" so I interpreted that to mean the only tenant was Mr. XX, and NOT both Mr & Mrs. XX, since she didn't specify whether the wife was a co-tenant - and so made out the lease accordingly.
Apparently, I was wrong - and every mistake on the lease portion was worth two marks. I went up and explained to her how the ambivalence in the wording made me interpret it the way I did.
Amazingly, she agreed with me. Gave me the marks back. (And made a note in her book to change the wording for the next group of students! HA!)
22/25. 88%. On something worth 15%.
I am so, so stoked.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Report Card
Disputes: Feeling really guilty because I've missed the last two classes. Rocked my oral presentation on the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (80%), midterm is two weeks from now.
EnglishII: Lots of work so far; every class I've had to hand in something (we just finished covering the 6 types of informal reports). I have a formal report due Tuesday and I haven't started it yet. Not feeling it. I know I have to start it REALLY soon. Midterm is this Tuesday. Got 79% on my Information Report, waiting to hear back about the Group Recommendation/Justification report.
Corporate: Love-hate relationship. I maintain firmly that the prof is a bit of a tool; I love the individual assignment in this class, even if you do kill a small tree in the process. Bascially you set up a corporation minute book, divided into 3 phases. He FINALLY posted the info for Phase I, except for the actual client file that we are supposed to base all of our info on. Yup, like I said: a bit of a tool.
Landlord&Tenant: LOVING this class. The prof is one of my favourites. No-nonsense, easy teaching style, very informative classes and I just enjoy the work because it's so practical. Nearly everyone in their lifetime will at one point either be a renter or rentee, so it's incredibly informative to know the legislature behind it. There's alot of work but she has it all up weeks in advance, and so far it's been relatively easy work - just getting us used to how to fill out the forms required for, say, a Notice of Rental Increase. I'm already done all the assignments she has posted and am waiting to hear back for a mark on my Lease/Memo report, with the Notice to Rental Increase due tomorrow. I have a feeling the midterm (also in two weeks) is open-book. EFF ya.
EnglishII: Lots of work so far; every class I've had to hand in something (we just finished covering the 6 types of informal reports). I have a formal report due Tuesday and I haven't started it yet. Not feeling it. I know I have to start it REALLY soon. Midterm is this Tuesday. Got 79% on my Information Report, waiting to hear back about the Group Recommendation/Justification report.
Corporate: Love-hate relationship. I maintain firmly that the prof is a bit of a tool; I love the individual assignment in this class, even if you do kill a small tree in the process. Bascially you set up a corporation minute book, divided into 3 phases. He FINALLY posted the info for Phase I, except for the actual client file that we are supposed to base all of our info on. Yup, like I said: a bit of a tool.
Landlord&Tenant: LOVING this class. The prof is one of my favourites. No-nonsense, easy teaching style, very informative classes and I just enjoy the work because it's so practical. Nearly everyone in their lifetime will at one point either be a renter or rentee, so it's incredibly informative to know the legislature behind it. There's alot of work but she has it all up weeks in advance, and so far it's been relatively easy work - just getting us used to how to fill out the forms required for, say, a Notice of Rental Increase. I'm already done all the assignments she has posted and am waiting to hear back for a mark on my Lease/Memo report, with the Notice to Rental Increase due tomorrow. I have a feeling the midterm (also in two weeks) is open-book. EFF ya.
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