From my course blog.

icancstructures:

The new semester starts on Monday at both places I’m teaching this semester: the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Endicott College. As such, I’ve had to update my syllabi. Among other things, I’ve adopted the newest (second) editions of both the textbook and reader I use in my Introductory Sociology classes. It’s funny that one of my friends recently asked “How do you keep it fresh?” Well, that’s one way. It wasn’t exactly a “rototill,” but the updates were substantial enough to give me pause. I’ll leave rototilling to my upper level course. I’ve just become aware of a textbook I may want to adopt for that, replacing the current aging entries. They’re not bad books, it’s just that a lot has happened since they were published, and they haven’t been updated.

But this is but one of the biannual rituals of teaching. Others include closing out incomplete grades from the previous semester, and I have had a few of those. So no, I haven’t really been “off” this week. While it’s been a slower pace than when I’m teaching four or more courses, I have had a single-pointed focus that has not been leisure.

I can think of no better way to observe this ritual than with an internet meme, courtesy of the free meme generator app I got from the Mac App Store.

good:

America’s economy has grown 60 percent in the past two decades. Workers’ salaries have not kept pace. We could all use a nice long summer vacation—too bad the U.S. doesn’t guarantee it.

A collaboration between GOOD and Column Five Media.

Read more on GOOD →

See more infographics here →

Yankee Magazine “Favorite Water Days” (May/June 2010)

Vacationing or “staycationing” in New England? Try this handy Pearltree of links to Yankee Magazine’s favorite water places from their May/June 2010 issue. You’ll find all kinds of beaches, lakes, and other outdoor outings to keep you busy, amazed and cool. I’ve organized these by state.

Where’s Glenn? I hurt all over [rubs arm]!

I’m taking the next week off and will return here on Monday, May 10.  Sadly, I’m not taking a traveling/disappearing vacation, but mostly a working one:  to finish a long magazine article I’ve been working on for too long and also, hopefully, to finish my slightly overdue book.  As a result, if something truly riveting occurs next week (a Supreme Court selection, an indictment or pardon of Dick Cheney, something on that level), I’d likely write about it.  I’m also scheduled to do a Bloggingheads session with David Frum early in the week, so if the video is available, I’ll post it here.  Otherwise, I’ll be back next Monday.  Feel free to use the comment section here for whatever reasonable purposes you desire.