Dropping the Bomb

Yesterday was one of my more difficult days of teaching here at this University full of spoiled children. In my first class, despite having written on the board that I would be teaching about essay writing for the past week and a half, all of the little brats failed to bring their textbooks, completely derailing my lesson plan. But the real issue was in my third class of the day. I returned the quizzes to the kids that they took a week and a half ago. During the quiz of this particular class, I told two girls to stop talking numerous times, yet they wouldn't stop. So I explicitly told them that if I saw or heard them talking again, they would receive scores of zero. I saw them talking at least five more times, so I kept my word and gave them zeros. Being thirteen year old girls trapped in nineteen year old bodies, they naturally freaked out. They were saying they weren't cheating, they weren't talking, and begging, groveling, and cursing my name all at the same time. An ugly scene, to be sure. The other students in the class were looking at me as if I had just scalped these girls. Cheating, it seems, is the way things are done here, and if they're not carefully watched, the students will cheat and cheat and cheat some more. Even if they are carefully watched, it seems they don't even try to hide it, and when a proctor or teacher suggests they stop, they react as if one were asking them to stop breathing.

To further complicate issues, one of the girls to whom I gave the zero is my stalker (who still thinks I don't know who she is.) I figured this would either end the stalking all together or would take it to a whole new level. After returning home yesterday, the phone in my room rang three times, and there was just the sound of someone breathing on the other end. So I'm a bit nervous, especially since she knows where I live and all. If this continues, I may be forced to take further action.

In other news, it's beginning to look like it may be a long season for the Vikings. They lost to the once-lowly Cincinnati Bengals by a lopsided score of 37-8. The Vikings turned the ball over seven times. No Bueno. However, the Badgers squeaked by North Carolina, 14-5, so they're off to a 3-0 start. But Michigan comes to town this week, so that will be the real test. I really wish I could be in Madison for that one.

Other than that, it's exactly one week from my 28th birthday. In the Thai culture, one throws a party for one's own birthday, and the birthday boy or girl buys all the drinks for all their friends. Could be spendy.

Hail progress!