9 months later...

[huntress]

No, I ain't preggers. Silly people.

I'm at the butt-end of another semester, with all my grading past. Nothing awaits me currently but administrivia and steam release. It's been 9 months since my last post here. I'm such a slug.

Skimming through some random threads, I must say...I miss you people.

Anyhow. I was catapulted back here this afternoon at work. I'd offered my Lit students an opportunity for extra credit if they could come up with five unique reasons--in a properly written paper, natch--for why we should study literature. I allowed them to research the topic as necessary, provided they cite their sources, but I emphasized that what I was after was their unique insights.

Well. One cited my thread from last August and used five of my ideas. To his credit, he developed them his own way, and (of course) cited the source.

I really don't think he ever put together the fact that he was using information from my post to write a paper for me. I spotted him five points because I figured he learned something from the exercise, at the very least, and surely that's worth half a letter grade. I thought about telling him that he was citing me to me and how flattering!, but due to some info on this board about me, I suspect that would be a bad idea. Nonetheless, I'm still amused.

How y'all been?

d

[Dingfod]

You've been on my mind lately. I cited your Iraq blog just a few days ago.

[huntress]

You cited me? Interesting. Dare I ask for details?

[Dingfod]

It wasn't much, but in a thread about the DOD cutting access to myspace and other such sites, something was said about there being ISP access outside of DOD connections. I thought I remembered you said something similar in your blog at some time or another, although I could very well be mistaken, said as such. A Senior Moment isn't out of the question. After all, I'm o-o-o-o-l-d.

[California Tanker]

Working from his reference, I had a hunt around and just finished your Balad blog. Seems we trod some of the same ground at some of the same time. (Arrived Kuwait mid-March 04 for my year, spent most of it at Anaconda)

The early entry of "At least I didn't join the Army" had me looking through my blog to see if I had written down my encounter with some Air Force types in the chow hall. It seems I didn't.

But basically it would have gone along the lines of:
"Sat across the table from two zoomies. They were in a good mood, turned out they were approaching the end of their tours. I asked how long they had been in theatre. "Three months" they say, "But we really pity the people coming in to replace us: They'll be here for a four-month tour". Given that I have been there five so far, with another seven to go, I found it hard to attain the same level of pity..."

Had to laugh at some of the same idiocy you remarked upon that I did. "I went to a war zone, and garrison broke out." Other mutual comments are the attack siren that goes off after the mortar attack is over, and the idiocy of locking the door on the chow hall at such times. We also remarked on the difference between 'long-time-residents' not taking cover during attacks whilst short-timers would.

NTM

[viscousmemories]

Hey huntress, good to see you! I hope it's not 9 months until your next post.

[Waluigi]

I really did come here expecting baby pictures.

[LadyShea]

Yo, d, ya been missed.

[livius drusus]

Man, that Google sure is a marvel, innit? I think it's rather nifty that he cited you to you, although a (seemingly) random thread on teh intarwebs may not necessarily be the most solid source. Good thing he landed on the best possible thread on the subject evar.

[Javaman]

I suppose, if he becomes (or already is!) a regular reader or even a member here, your cover is well and truly blown after this thread, eh?

[huntress]

I suppose, if he becomes (or already is!) a regular reader or even a member here, your cover is well and truly blown after this thread, eh?Slim chance. At 18+ credit hours per semester and with Facebook/MySpace competition, along with the fact that he, no doubt, found the thread with Google and only skimmed it long enough to get some ideas to write a paper with (probably a couple of hours before it was due, if I know my students), I don't think I'm in much danger of being busted.

Besides...reading this board is like reading literature, something precious few of my students do for fun. ;)

d

[huntress]

Working from his reference, I had a hunt around and just finished your Balad blog. Seems we trod some of the same ground at some of the same time. (Arrived Kuwait mid-March 04 for my year, spent most of it at Anaconda)

The early entry of "At least I didn't join the Army" had me looking through my blog to see if I had written down my encounter with some Air Force types in the chow hall. It seems I didn't.

But basically it would have gone along the lines of:
"Sat across the table from two zoomies. They were in a good mood, turned out they were approaching the end of their tours. I asked how long they had been in theatre. "Three months" they say, "But we really pity the people coming in to replace us: They'll be here for a four-month tour". Given that I have been there five so far, with another seven to go, I found it hard to attain the same level of pity..."Yup. Word around the AF is that they're extending our deployments to (egads!) 6 months now. Not that I look forward to such a thing any more than the next person, but we always have a basis for comparison in the Army.

I do, however, reserve the right to bitch about the presumed wisdom of RIFing 1000s of the force so they can extend deployments, as well as other standard issue military stupidity I see.

d

[Javaman]

I get to watch good EWOs RIF'd all the time in my line of work and boy does it suck.

[pescifish]

Good to see you, huntress. Sounds like the 'new' gig really suits you!

[huntress]

Good to see you, huntress. Sounds like the 'new' gig really suits you!Hi, pesci!

I was just thinking of you the other day. Out of the blue, to be honest, wondering how you are, because I haven't seen you post in a while (but to be fair, I haven't been monitoring this board).

The new gig really suits me, thanks. :) I love what I do. The cadets are quite intelligent and sometimes brilliant kids, albeit often sheltered and closed-minded. But if literature won't open your mind, what will?

d

[pescifish]

But if literature won't open your mind, what will?
Zombies! :brains:

I haven't been posting much anywhere for a long while. Finally cried "Uncle!" re: the crappy vision and cut back my life to concentrate on the basic stuff. Like getting to work, working, keeping pets happy, sleeping and staying upright while walking! I hope I didn't squish anything important when I popped out of the blue like that. :squee: