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[sugaree]

I don't recall participating in much of the discussion surrounding Isaac Sweeney's diatribes about adjuncting, but it now appears that despite he's new TT job, he's continuing to undermine his collegiality and telling us all about it.

Although I believe his earlier gripes about the exploitations of adjunct labor were legit, this just seems like so much more whining. Thoughts?

[mountainguy]

If anything, it strikes me as boring. So he's busy during the semester?? Join the club.

[southerntransplant]

He's not helping his cause by saying that he's spending some occasional time looking up old friends. That would probably be the same amount of time he'd have to spend at these social get togethers. I think not bonding at least a little with his cohort is a bad idea.

[canuckois]

If anything, it strikes me as boring.

Seriously.  I'm not sure why we're supposed to care that Isaac is busy, or that he commutes.  Big deal.  You and about a gazillion other people, Sweeney.

[polly_mer]

He's not helping his cause by saying that he's spending some occasional time looking up old friends. That would probably be the same amount of time he'd have to spend at these social get togethers. I think not bonding at least a little with his cohort is a bad idea.

That was my thought.  Everyone is overwhelmed that first semester.  Never going to anything means you are entirely isolated and can't get the casual conversations on how the campus really works.

Bond with the new people.  Bond with the established people.  Set aside an hour or two a week to do it.  Don't hide out until things get better because that practically guarantees that things will take a lot longer to get better.

[voxprincipalis]

I fail to see what is unique, newsworthy, or interesting about it. It reads like something that accidentally fell out of his journal and somehow got itself published.

Also, what has he done in the first few weeks of classes to better the situation for adjuncts, which is, as far as I can understand, his mission in life? Get on the ball. Chop chop, lollipop.

VP

[grasshopper]

Stinky Girl.

I don't always smell bad. I promise.

As a new faculty member, I've been pretty busy here. I obviously can't take my cats to work, so I have to go home in between classes to make sure they're fed and watered. Because I bike to work, things can get kind of funky. You understand.

Before you ask the obvious, yes, I keep some deodorant in my desk drawer. But my department has an open-door culture, so I can't reapply it in my office because a student might pop in. And frankly, my workload is so high that I don't always have time to grab my deodorant and run to bathroom to reapply. Plus it's been unseasonably warm here. You know? I have to wear a sweater in the morning, but by afternoon, it's swelter-city.

I would love to be able to shower when I go home to check on the cats, but it's simply not feasible. Sometimes I remember to give the pits a good swipe. But most often, I'm just too harried. I forget. So sue me.

Maybe when the craziness settles, I'll go shopping for some new deodorant. Or maybe some perfume? I haven't decided. But I'll let you know.

[isaacsweeney]

Thanks everyone for reading.

[polly_mer]

Are you going to take our advice to make an effort to hit some of those meet-and-greets or will we be reading a sad column in a year or two about you not being renewed from this tenure-track position?

[voxprincipalis]

Are you going to take our advice to make an effort to hit some of those meet-and-greets or will we be reading a sad column in a year or two about you not being renewed from this tenure-track position?

What does past experience tell you?

VP

[fiona]

Sounds like it's a case of social tin ear, not able to hear what others are hearing.

Or it's expressing rather than communicating.

The Fiona

[pooksocket]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-defeating_personality_disorder

[isaacsweeney]

Are you going to take our advice to make an effort to hit some of those meet-and-greets or will we be reading a sad column in a year or two about you not being renewed from this tenure-track position?

I'll answer this in my next post, hopefully (I don't always choose the order these things run in).

[polly_mer]

Are you going to take our advice to make an effort to hit some of those meet-and-greets or will we be reading a sad column in a year or two about you not being renewed from this tenure-track position?

I'll answer this in my next post, hopefully (I don't always choose the order these things run in).

You could post it right here and answer us right now with complete control over when it appears.  If it's already written or you already know the answer (hint: I'm only looking for one sentence), then what's the delay?

[dale1]

Prof. Sweeney:

Please see my comment in your original article. Or, read it here: Please focus on the essentials; writing for the Chronicle does not belong in that list. Your spouse, kid(s), and career will thank you. Plus, you'll hear a lot less grousing from members here.

Are you going to take our advice to make an effort to hit some of those meet-and-greets or will we be reading a sad column in a year or two about you not being renewed from this tenure-track position?

I'll answer this in my next post, hopefully (I don't always choose the order these things run in).