World's Indigenous People Day

The VC sent around an email that included this sentence:

"We are very fortunate here at J-- as we have so many cultures represented including our visiting international students and staff, many of whom are Indigenous to their country"

And it made me sad.  Somehow, other people get to be "indigenous", even if they are in a different country.  Me?  I'm not "indigenous" to anything (not the country where I was born, and not the countries where my parents or grandparents were born either).

Not usually an issue, but today it makes me feel homeless.

Lawn

So, I tried lawn bowling the other night (barefoot bowls at the bowling club that is third closest to where I live - since they were the only ones who bothered mentioning that people thinking of trying bowling should come to a barefoot bowls night).

I had actually gone a couple of weeks before to learn how to throw those things, but this time I put my name down and joined a game.

It's very enjoyable, and slightly addictive.  I think I shall continue.

A couple of people mentioned I had good form and could, with a few months practice and some coaching, be good enough to compete.  I assumed they were buttering me up because I'm under 50 and I'm interested in lawn bowls.

However, I can't help but think it would be nice to do something like that.  I'm not likely to get to competition standard in fencing any time soon, and I've discovered that bowls can be a very... "rewarding" sport.  They have ribbons, pendants, medals and trophies.

I think one of those bowling trophies would look awesome in my house.

Not that it will ever happen.  Those retirees seem to be trying to keep the sport to themselves - why else would they schedule every "proper" club match and competition to take place during the day in the working week?

I'd have to quit my job if I want to take up lawn bowls seriously...

Existential thoughts

I'm having another set of "why am I doing this" moments.

Why am I getting another education degree when I already have two and I don't use them?

Why am I still studying this daft German course when I think I'd do better with a private tutor?

Why am I dumb enough to study two degrees for my own personal amusement even though they have nothing to do with my current career - which is one of the best jobs in the world?

Is "my own personal amusement" enough of a motivating factor to keep me going when the going gets rough?

Is the fact that I only have two subjects left to finish the Diploma enough of a reason to finish the damn diploma...?

Just... something

I can see clearly, now, the author's name.
He has a reason to know his field.
I know this journal is peer reviewed
And I'm gonna cite, cite this shiny source.

I think I can recognise this publisher
They publish textbooks and things like that
I think this is scholarly, not popular
And I'm gonna cite, cite this shiny source.

Look at this website:  Here's a last-updated date!
Look at this website:  I can find the authors' about page!

I can see clearly, now, the URL.
I know this site came from a trusted source.
I won't look stupid if I use this page,
And I'm gonna cite, cite this shiny source.

Yeah, I'm gonna cite, cite this shiny source...

Time, time, time

Generally speaking, I have no sense of lineal time.  If you leave me alone in a room without a clock, I honestly have no idea if I've been there for 2 minutes or 20.

However, I've now lost perspective on a grand scale.  I can no longer tell the difference between things that only happened last week and things that happened over a month ago.

"Why haven't I received my package yet?" (because they only sent the letter saying it was shipped two days ago).

"This thing is due tomorrow?  How did that happen?" (because I started working on it in June, and it's now the end of July).

This can't end well.

Hats

It has come to my attention, from watching the news and "period" movies and TV shows, that men like silly hats.

They like silly hats so much that, when given any kind of power (particularly something like an organised religion or a dictatorship), one of the first things they do is create uniforms for every single station in life - each with its own silly hat.

I suspect this is so they can measure their success in life by putting on their hats in the morning, looking at themselves in the mirror, and saying to themselves:

"Oh, yeah --  I'm totally the Vice-Sergeant General of the Eastern Quark.  I'm looking totally important in my Vice-Sergeants hat, and I am rocking this joint!"

Happy is the man who does not need a silly hat to feel important - for the silly hats can be given, and the silly hats can be taken away.  And then, all you a left with is an old photograph of yourself looking like a weirdo.

This sort of thing

Okay, so here's an example of a typical "conversation" with the lecturer I've been whinging about.  The background of this was that there were two Assignment 2s, with no indication as to which one was for the assignment in which I am enrolled, and which was for the other assignment that happens to share our teaching materials and platforms.

I worked out that I could only post a comment in the discussion board attached to one of these assignments, so I assumed that was mine - but just to be sure, I thought I'd post a question to check:

Me:

Can I safely assume that, since this is the only assignment I can post a discussion for, that this is the one intended for EDLA504?

Her:

I'm not quite sure what you are asking, Sharon. Each topic has at least one discussion forum where you can post a contribution. Towards the end of the trimester, choose three of your contributions to these forums, and combine them into one short paper of 800 to 1000 words, then submit this paper as Assignment 2.

Me:

It's a simple enough question, Susan, don't let the fact that I mentioned technology confuse you too much:

Is this the correct assignment for EDLA504?

There were, you see, two Assignment 2s and two Assignment 3s, and I just want really CLEAR and OBVIOUS confirmation that the assignment description I am looking at is the correct one for me.

Now that the other assignments have been hidden, the question is moot.  But it would be nice if the assignment decription mentioined the subject by name somewhere.

Her:

Assignment 2, Sharon, is exactly the same for both units so it wouldn't really matter which description you read, you would have the correct one. Your capital letters suggest that my previous answer wasn't satisfactory. I'm not sure what extra information might be useful, but let me know if you need more.

Now, I can see why she might be confused (I really can - there's background stuff that makes my original question more confusing to begin with) but I can't see why she can't just say "Yes, this is the assignment for EDLA504" - or why she seems to think that saying "I don't understand your question, so I'll just tell you what is in the assignment description" is perfectly satisfactory, and I shouldn't have any problems with it.

Yes, I could have been a lot more specific with my opening question - except that I have found the more detail I include, the more likely she is to focus on some random point in the details and not answer my question.

I also can't see why the assignments wouldn't have the name of the subjects written on them somewhere in the first place.

These little details just keep stacking up on each other, so that eventually I feel like I'm drowning under an ocean of minor inconveniences.

And then I get snarky, and write replies that seem unnecessarily rude - and start contributing to the problem.

It's a vicious cycle.