I, for one, wasn't looking forward to starting my day with a slaughter. Which, really, just goes to show how much I've grown

Anya ,'Sleeper'


Natter 76: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Foaminess  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


Tom Scola - Mar 09, 2020 6:53:37 am PDT #17249 of 30019
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.

Tito's Forced to Repeatedly Tell Customers They Can't Use Vodka as Hand Sanitizer


DXMachina - Mar 09, 2020 7:37:11 am PDT #17250 of 30019
You always do this. We get tipsy, and you take advantage of my love of the scientific method.

In other OUTBREAK news, we're now supposed to be bringing our computers home every night to be prepared to work from home. Nearly every case in Massachusetts can be linked to one meeting two weeks ago! This just all feels crazy.

But be assured that we're certainly not panicking...

We got the same kind notification at the schools where I teach in CT. I'm supposed to plan on having to teach from home. I already post lecture notes, tutorials, and quizzes on our online platform, so I just need to marry the lecture notes with a voice over, and there's an app for that, so I'm not too worried. Homework is an issue, since it involves drawing structures, and the online platform isn't good at that, but I'll manage if the ball drops. Another issue is what to do about labs, which is a more interesting (in the same way as "may you live in interesting times" interesting) problem. Next week is spring break, and some of us are betting that we won't be coming back to campus after that. Sheesh.


Jesse - Mar 09, 2020 7:38:43 am PDT #17251 of 30019
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Princeton just announced that's what they are doing, I think.

Everything feels out of control! I'm really looking forward to being offline next week.


-t - Mar 09, 2020 7:44:50 am PDT #17252 of 30019
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

My niece took an online lab class a couple of years ago - they mailed her a box full of supplies and she did the experiments in her kitchen. Not really something you could pull together for next week, but I thought it was neat that it was offered that way. I think this was through the community college, but I'm not sure.


DXMachina - Mar 09, 2020 7:53:58 am PDT #17253 of 30019
You always do this. We get tipsy, and you take advantage of my love of the scientific method.

If all of this has to happen, I only wish it were closer to the general election....

No. This would only give the toddler in chief an excuse to postpone the election... for safety.

My niece took an online lab class a couple of years ago... Not really something you could pull together for next week.

Yeah, too many students, too many hazardous material shipping and disposal issues, too much shared equipment and instrumentation in the lab, too little time. A course like that needs to be designed from the ground up to do all that.

What will likely happen is that we will provide experimental data to the students, and just have them crunch the numbers and email back their lab reports. It's certainly not ideal. One reason for doing labs is to provide hands-on experience with lab techniques.


Jesse - Mar 09, 2020 8:10:02 am PDT #17254 of 30019
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Also, how are you in general, DXM?!?!?!


DXMachina - Mar 09, 2020 8:18:25 am PDT #17255 of 30019
You always do this. We get tipsy, and you take advantage of my love of the scientific method.

Also, how are you in general, DXM?!?!?!

I'm fine. I have a new roof and siding on my house, and therefore very little spare money at the moment, but am otherwise in good shape.


Jessica - Mar 09, 2020 8:29:30 am PDT #17256 of 30019
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

Whee, and company policy for NY/NJ is updated from "employees may work from home" to "employees are recommended to work from home"

I, for one, am looking forward to Pajama Pants All Day Month.


Steph L. - Mar 09, 2020 8:36:04 am PDT #17257 of 30019
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine

I, for one, am looking forward to Pajama Pants All Day Month.

The Pajama Pants All Day lifestyle is the best lifestyle.


shrift - Mar 09, 2020 8:57:18 am PDT #17258 of 30019
"You can't put a price on the joy of not giving a shit." -Zenkitty

I am WFH today in yoga pants. I'm not 100% sure if I'll be WFH for the next few weeks, but I suspect that's what I'll be doing until I receive different guidance.