Well I have all these little things I do - around the house, in life, in the universe, etc. Andy calls them systems and equates them with GTD fare and 43 Folders-y stuff, which I find slightly flattering but also a little inaccurate, but who am I to argue with the Lifehacker generation? Anyway it has also been said I should blog about them since they c/would be useful to others who want to have ultra-organized lives like the one I live (my irony). Since I have no qualms about blogging on rather dorky things, it doesn't matter really where these systems lie on the dorky-to-useful continuum...
So anyway here's your first Susansystem. Don't get your hopes up too high.
When Jessica left us here on the Plains, I was privy to lots of fun hand-me-downs, one of which was her set of purple 3-lb. dumbbells she kept in her office. I said, "Yes, please!" and promptly brought them over to my office, thinking I'd use them occasionally during conference crap, etc., and be all healthy an' shit here at school. Ha!
Well, exercise potential notwithstanding, they make great door controllers. We have the most beautiful view in the building (I think) but we also have the most hyperactive heater here in our little den, so we (OK well Jenny and I at least - Adrienne has yet to join the heat generation :) routinely open our window even in the bleak midwinter rather than melt in a pile of sweat during office hours. The problem is the breeze of course is necessary to get the stifling heat out but also causes the door to slam shut (or creak incessantly to and fro, causing us not to be in the most relaxed mood for the arrival of students). Closed doors make students think one is not having office hours (little known fact: college students -here at least- do not know how to knock on doors and therefore do indeed think a closed door is a valid excuse for not keeping appointments) so the door must remain open.
Problem solved! One wee dumbbell on either side of the door keeps it open enough so students have no leg to stand on with the "I didn't think you were there because the door was shut and I never learned how to knock on doors" lament, plus keeps our nice office-airing-out breeze going, and yet keeps the door from creaking back and forth with each gust of air thru the window. Of course there's the fact that you have to warn incoming students so they don't trip and break their noggins (this of course goes in the "acceptable risk" category when compared to the threat of overheated instructors).
Right. I never said these were going to be earthshattering.
Blogfodder is blogfodder is blogfodder.
Especially when I have work to procrastinate on and caffeine at the wheel.
2 commentaires:
They also make handy-dandy bookends!
That is what they were used for in my office. hee hee.
Those dumbells, always put to a new use.
I agree that a shut professor door means "DND, seeing other student." I think it's the equivalent of a confessional. : )
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