Tuesday Titters: Week 22, skinny dipping

Did you hear the one about the two elephants that came to the bank of a river and couldn’t swim cross?  They only had one pair of trunks between them.

Task Mistress Day 49; Tasks 5 and 6 out of 101/1001

I’m combining these tasks because they relate to pretty much the same thing, my anthropology class.

5.  Read remaining 3 chapters for anthropology class. (4/11/12; 5/7/12)

6.  Refrain from throwing my text book at my anthropology teacher who writes the worst tests known to man and is planning a cumulative final. (4/11/12; 5/8/12)

I was really disappointed with my anthropology class over all.  My professor was very nice, and extremely knowledgeable, but I felt the class was not what it was advertised to be and despite being an accomplished anthropologist my professor was not a great teacher.

Anyway, I got the reading done, which was kind of interesting; the last 3 chapters were about the Homo genus, which is what I was looking forward to in the class.  I just wish it wasn’t crammed into the last 3 weeks.

The final wasn’t too bad, despite being cumulative, and compared to previous tests it was down right easy.  But, then, under student pressure he sent us a study guide which listed all the specific pages he was drawing from for test questions.  So, if you bothered to study those specific pages you, in theory, should have been able to do well.  I think, however, that most students are stupid and didn’t trouble themselves to do even that little bit.  When final grades were posted it was obvious he had to put a healthy curve on the grades.  How do I know?  I scored 117.25%  Even if I got every answer correct, which I know is not the case because I looked up a few questions I was stumped on and got at least one of them wrong, that means there was at least an 18% curve.

*Sigh*

Well, I am glad I controlled my urge to pitch my book at him.  He’s a nice guy really.  Just, he shouldn’t write tests.

Task Mistress Day 48; Task 4 out of 101/1001

4.  Finish two more lab projects for biology class. (4/27/12; 5/2/12)

My biology professor ended up cancelling the last lab so I only had to do one.  It was about “animal” behavior and response to environment, however, we used pill bugs instead of animals.  It was kinda neat.  Here’s a photo:

This was an online class, so we did all our work from home.  The bugs were mailed to us from a company that provides scientific materials.  Apparently, a large number of students had their bugs arrive dead, so they couldn’t complete the assignment.  Labs for this class were supposed to be worth 100 points.  After I did my experiment, and my report, the professor posted a notice about the problem and, in attempt to make it “fair,” made the entire project extra credit.  With the points for the lab now being entered as extra credit I had already earned an A in the class regardless of what score I’d get on the final, so she exempted me from sitting for it.  In her words, “I really don’t see the point in making you come in for it, it would just be overkill.”

I’m really liking pill bugs, dead or alive….

Spudisms #13: Geography and Bread

Spud:  What kind of bread is this?

Me:  French Bread.

Spud:  Is it from Italy?

Me:  No, French Bread is from France, Italian Bread is from Italy.

Spud:  Ohhhh.

*Happily takes a bite of French Bread*

*Chews*

*Swallows*

Spud:  Momma, what does this bread taste like?

Me:  What does it taste like?  Didn’t you just eat a bite?  You tell me.

Spud:  I dunno.

Me:  It tastes like French Bread.

Spud:  Ohhhh.  Because it’s from France.  Not Italy.

Task Mistress Day 47: Task 3 of 101/1001

3.  Visit the planetarium and see a sky show for my astronomy class paper. (4/28/12; 4/30/12)

Well, this task was not as much fun as I had anticipated it to be.  I went to campus for Astronomy Day anticipating seeing some exciting shy shows.  Unfortunately the “shows” were just mini lectures given by my astronomy class professor in the sky dome.  Because it was free, and Astronomy Day, everyone in town read: Bring your screaming crying children out to annoy those who are paying for a babysitter to watch theirs so they can have a peaceful afternoon out.

Besides from the show being a disappointment, I never got any feedback on my report and I have a sneaky suspicion the professor never looked at it.

Oh, well.  At least I got to cross something off my list!

Tast Mistress Day 46: Task 2 of 101/1001

Seeing as I’ve already killed off about a dozen tasks I’ll be catching up on my progress reports over the next few days….

2.  Write the research paper on GE foods for my Writing class. (4/13/12; 5/3/12)

Whew!  That was a project and a half!  I have a mind to share the paper with you all, but you’d probably find it boring.  I expected this assignment to be weightier, so when it came time to write I had done tons of research and prep work thinking I’d be writing like some 20 page manifesto.  Instead, the final assignment was for 6-8 pages.  I found it very challenging to squish it down to something that brief.  It seemed like one could barely get into a true research paper in such a small assignment.

Anyway, after a few sleepless nights and much wailing and gnashing of teeth the paper was completed and submitted on May 3rd.  Final grades came in and I was abundantly rewarded with an A (100 out of 100 points).  I hope you will share my joy and not roll your eyes at me if I toot my own horn just a bit.

This whole writing class had me a bit strung out.  While I have always enjoyed writing, past teachers have tended to be very harsh on my critiques.  I hope in the 20 or so years since my last class I have improved in skill and that I didn’t just have an overly lenient professor this time around.  In peer review I did see some other student’s work by which I could assess my comparative skill.  Other student’s work….  Perhaps that’s not really the best word to describe a collection of words on paper.

In any event, I survived and passed with high marks and only have to worry about one more writing course in my quest for my Bachelor’s.

Hallelujah!