still not yet a normal week

We are nearing the end of the first quarter for Matan's school, but I don't think we've had a normal week of study yet at the University. This week classes met from Tues-Thurs, which means my Mon/Wed classes met once. Students, for the most part, have not yet acquired the readings (I can't say bought books when everything is photocopied). So the in-class essay, supposedly based on their reading and annotating at home, was a total flop. I'd anticipated a few needing the readings, so I brought copies of 3 out of 5, but 90% of the students needed this handout. So it turned into a in-class reading and quick write something panic.

sigh.

Tomorrow we have a make-up class, but since our class didn't really miss any Mondays or Wednesdays (that is, those were the holidays, not the extra days bridging to a longer vacation), many of the students will have conflicts with other make-up classes. Wish I could just cancel it, but no, internet is not something I can fairly expect people to use and to see that class is cancelled. sigh. what a way to mess up a Saturday. I was told that I could/should schedule this make-up day, but even when I asked if it wouldn't conflict, I was told there wouldn't be a problem. humph. At least my 301 students could tell me, yes, there's a conflict, no, let's not meet, while my 201 students just nodded and said no problem (until one came the next day to tell me that there were indeed conflicts).

Today I got up early -- 7:30 -- and since the internet was not working at home (as usual), I went to the American club, swam and chatted on skype poolside. Back home by 10am and in a great mood. I do love to swim in outdoor pools and early morning is best!

We tried to get to a computer store, took a long ride by GNC, and found it closed. I haven't quite got a sense of what is closed and what opened on Fridays. Maybe some stores open later in the day. Maybe we'll try again tomorrow after class. Matan's phone is broken and I'm going to get the USB modem that works like a cell phone and I think we can get unlimited internet access for under $10/mo. Our neighbor next door no longer relies at all on the landlord.

Otherwise? I still want to write about some of those other ideas in a whole post and other ideas... but just so you know, we have had clothes washed and dried and delivered. They are so soft!