One of my students, an older gentle man, is taking my picture with his cell phone all during the class. It’s been going on all semester. I don’t think he knows that I know what he’s doing, but what else could it be with that camera-hole aimed my direction every time I look at him. At first, he quickly snapped his phone shut and looked away, but now, since he doesn’t think I know what he’s doing, he leaves it open and aimed my direction. He also mutters, under his breath but loud enough for everyone to hear, things like “Damn unreasonable professor” and “I should be making straight A’s in this class” and “These people only see my dark side, haHA.” I’m not scared of him, but he gives me the jeebies. Also, why would he want my pictures? He could download pics of Shelley Winters or Thelma Ritter off the internet.

The newest Carnival of Education is up, and even though I’ve been left out once again I think everyone owes it to the nation to read up on what our teachers and parents are saying about the state of education.

I also had a man who has eleven zeroes come to class tonight for the first time in a month, and ask if I thought he could pull a B. I had to tell him “ Out of your ass, maybe that it would be best if he visited the registrar tomorrow and withdrew. There’s always the spring semester.

I would have had more sympathy, but his wife is also in the class and she’s been telling me for weeks that her husband can’t come to class because he’s trying to repair their car. And then we all saw the two of them canoodling out in the parking lot during the break, last week. In a car.

Besides, ELEVEN ZEROES? There’s just no diggin’ out from THAT hole.

Actually, there was no way I could have conjured up sympathy for a student with eleven zeroes. That really takes a lot of non-effort.

This is the longest I’ve ever gone without blogging except when I’m out of town. I can feel the withdrawal spiking through my veins.

But I’m having a few health issues and frankly, I’m too pissy to concentrate. Besides, soon I’ll be famous, like Shelley and Thelma.

Mamacita, Scheiss Weekly