erin, I've traded the sore throat for snot. I just wasn't hungry earlier so I had little dinner. I just got up and ate some string cheese.

Shir, this place is for the whole of experience; good, bad, epic, petty. Here's hoping your guys get their roles right.

Slept for a while, awake again. Spent too much time in one position today, apparently, and now every way I try sleeping makes something else hurt. Stoopid joints.

WindSparrow, he just posted in Goodbye and Good Riddance.

Oh, thanks, smonster.

Wishing you feel better soon, sounds like a heck of a virus you've got.

billytea has been posting in Gaming. I asked him to stop by here.

Say, has anyone heard from billytea? I misremember if he is located near where all the flooding in Australia is.

That's good of you to check. I'm fine, the flooding's in Queensland, up north. (And is indeed pretty dreadful, the worst floods I remember.) I'm in Melbourne; we've had a bit of rain, but nothing too dramatic.

quester, your doctor situation sounds difficult. I hope you can get it sorted soon. This is when I feel very grateful for the NHS - they mess us around and specialists make us wait forever for treatment, but I can always see a GP. I hope you can get docs and meds arranged very soon.

Less-frustrating-co-worker-relations~ma, Shir!

Health~ma, smonster. Your virus sounds like a doozy.

I'm playing 'let's just get through the day' at the moment. The govt agency is still asking me questions. The Girl phoned the office and talked to the manager, who said that the agency's approach is perfectly reasonable. And that if they turn me down for help, there's no right of appeal. I've decided to focus on how great it's going to be to be lecturing at college level for the first time, and try to forget the rest for the moment. I get to prepare more materials on the history of the women's movement today - it's fun! Anyone got any ideas for initially engaging students with feminism? The exercise I was given by my co-lecturer is a bit dull, about stereotypes of men and women. I'll try it, but I think I need a couple of more exciting discussion points too.

If I could find the control knobs for the Universe, I have that and a few other things sorted out right away.

FWIW, I vote for you controlling the knobs of the Universe.

Seska, I'm sorry you're going through so many hoops and loops. As for feminism: Bell Hooks?

As for feminism: Bell Hooks?

Oh yes, I'm reading (and much enjoying!) all the key theorists. I'll mainly get to them in later sessions, though. The first lecture/seminar is an introduction to feminism, including the history of the women's movement. I need some activities to get them talking about feminism. I have lots in mind for later sessions (I can't wait for the 'women in the media' session, when I'll be showing many film and advertising clips), but I'm a bit stuck for basic stuff. The stereotyping thing isn't bad. I might ask them to guess at statistics relating to women and then show them the real ones, e.g. What's the pay gap between women and men in the workforce? What percentage of MPs are female? etc.

{{{quester}}} I'm so sorry. I hope you can figure something out.

{{{smonster}}} Feel better.

As of right now TCG's work is opening at noon. I'm hoping that will change before he has to leave because it looks nasty out.

FWIW, I vote for you controlling the knobs of the Universe.

Sadly, all I've got is a universal remote. While it's great for operating the tv, I have yet to find the buttons that alter time, speed up the harvest, or teleport anybody off this rock.

Seska, I don't have anything useful to say, other than I hope you do enjoy your class, and I'm still vibing for that gov't agency to have rectal-cranial inversion therapy and provide you the funding you need for an assistant.