Prove your love, you’ve got to prove your love…
As those of you on Facebook already know, I’m in a situation similar to the Great Library Entanglement of October 2007. Point being, a number of you have written asking why I haven’t been blogging more frequently, and the short answer is that I haven’t really had a computer for the past two months. I’ve got a laptop that can’t open documents and was birthday gifted a Kindle which, also, can’t open documents (much less display the visuals I need to do my work on, you know, visual rhetoric).
So I’m going to take the patented Goldstein route of utter classnesses and ask for some help. If the university un-pays me as planned, I won’t be able to afford a new computer for at least another few months. So if you’d like to see me back blogging sooner — that is, if you value what I write and want to read more of it* — chip in and help my legs find some feet to stand on.
I’m already headless, after all.
If you feel inclined to donate, you can do so at my place. And thanks to my fellow co-bloggers for allowing me the opportunity to go full Goldstein at our shared abode. I promise I’ll wipe down the stench of him a.s.a.p.
*Especially if you’re a fan of any of these posts, which are labor- and resource-intensive to write. I just need the tools of my trade, basically:
Films:
- Batman Begins (classic horror) – Christopher Nolan
- Blow-Up (I) – Michelangelo Antonioni
- Blow-Up (II)- Michelangelo Antonioni
- The Dark Knight (I) – Christopher Nolan
- The Dark Knight (II) – Christopher Nolan
- Fight Club - David Fincher
- Ghost World – Terry Zwigof
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind – Hayao Miyazaki
- Superman – Richard Donner
- Superman Returns - Bryan Singer
- 30 Days of Night - David Slade
Television Shows:
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - “The Ember Island Players”
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer – “Hush”
- Doctor Who - “Time of Angels”
- Doctor Who – “The Eleventh Hour”
- Mad Men - “The Grown-Ups”
- Mad Men - “Shut the Door. Have a seat.”
- Mad Men (I) – “The Rejected”
- Mad Men (II) – “The Rejected”
- Mad Men (I) – “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”
- Mad Men (II) – “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”
- Mad Men (I) – “The Suitcase”
- Mad Men (II) – “The Suitcase”
- The Walking Dead - “Days Gone Bye”
Comics:
- American Born Chinese - Gene Luen Yang
- Blankets - Craig Thompson
- Fun Home - Alison Bechdel
- Ghost World – Daniel Clowes
- Kick-Ass (I) – Mark Millar
- Kick-Ass (II) – Mark Millar
- Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth - Warren Ellis
- 30 Days of Night - Steve Niles
- The Walking Dead (word-specific panels)
- The Walking Dead (picture-specific panels) – Robert Kirkman
- Watchmen (panel construction) (I) – Alan Moore
- Watchmen (panel construction) (II) – Alan Moore
- Watchmen (responsible film criticism) – Anthony Lane
- Watchmen (unfilmable film filmed) – Zak Snyder vs. Alan Moore
- Watchmen (students as murderers) – Alan Moore
- Watchmen (Dr. Manhattan as a figure of the reader) – Alan Moore
I’m not going to thank people publicly, because I was raised to believe that uncouth, but let me just say we’ve got a classy group of readers here. Individual thanks will commence as soon as I have a computer to commence them on, but needless to say, thank y’all.
For those of us NOT on facebook… the hell?
Go click the Great Library Entanglement of October 2007 link. All will become clear.
I was at 125 percent last quarter — teaching five classes — but they couldn’t pay me for that, so they paid me for a 100 percent. Now I’m supposed to be at 75 percent, and they were supposed to be paying me for a 100 percent to compensate for last quarter, but then they went and did this:
[No can do image. It looks like this.]
So I’m now being paid at 25 percent, not 100 percent, for some reason. Someone, somewhere, did something. The problem is, as with the Library link above, these someones are pretty crafty about hiding their somethings in somewheres it takes years to find, hence my pathetic begging.
Jesus.
And I thought dealing with these guys as a STUDENT was bad. Good luck, man. I’ll see if I can shake a couple shekels loose.
(I know Professors who wouldn’t be above withholding grades in a situation like this.)
There is something especially soulless about University payroll departments. My third-to-last semester teaching, it turned out that they had coded me for every-other-month payroll, instead of twice-a-month.
Now, some people, seeing an error like that, would be willing to, you know, change it. Nope – it was in the system that way, and could not be changed until the next semester started.
There are times I miss teaching. Then I remember that semester, and I’m glad I left the profession.
liaucluiw on August 30, 2011 i like my personality, because i am a really happy person and i love to smile and make other people smile with me , kisses from Perú love youu
mmiessy1995 on August 30, 2011 One thing I like about myself is that I’m a very positive, happy person. I always look for the best in life instead of focusing on the bad.
As soon as I get my next check I’ll send you a little bit. I just had the most extravagant Christmas of my life and purchased some long needed things to boot, but I can spare a little.
I hope a lot of a little bit and maybe a couple of a lots can get you at least an Acer or a Lenovo. Hewlitt Packard is having a sale, but probably everybody is at this time of year. It’s kind of a bitch when things are on sale for a ridiculously large discount and you don’t have money. It’s more of a bitch not to have a computer.
I would go without food for a couple of days more easily than I could go without a computer for that length of time. I’ve never felt this way about a thing before, but it really is a disadvantage to be without a PC or an internet connection. It’s not really a luxury. It’s like not having a pen or a piece of paper available to you. It would be like living without books. Ew.
What–they applied his fees for the semester to library fines again????
the patented Goldstein route of utter classnesses
Stop that right now. In this part of the blogosphere, we take care of each other, and we don’t imagine that makes us weak. Besides, Goldstein gives the world nothing of value other than carbon dioxide; you do, and we want more of it. More, I say.
Besides mentioning his name might bring him or the Rapid Reaction Force
When I read ‘Goldstein’ I think of 1984, then I think of antisemitism. I’m obviously not up on my references.
If you really want to go full Goldstein, you need to get a publisher to pay you One Million Dollars to write a book about cliches.
Of course you would have to make an argument that had never been made in such detail or with such care, but hey, that’s why they pay him the big bucks.
I’m sorry, I really wish I could help, but my unemployment runs out in 3 weeks, with a possibility of another 7 week rollover – but then that’s it, so I’m kind of SOL right now. With no relief in sight. And my parents and I watch every nickel.
I sure do wish you luck though.
I could use some myself…
Seriously— look into care-giving work in your state, especially home-care. It’s not uncommon for disabled men to prefer a male caregiver because they feel uncomfortable being so vulnerable and exposed with some conditions in front of a woman.
Pay may only start at eight or nine dollars an hour, but you can probably (once hired) get on a list that will get you calls from individuals looking to hire a person who the state will pay to work for them to get additional hours. Hours and duties can be quite negotiable. All your social skills can be used to your advantage and put to good use.
ww,
Thank you for the tip.
But my problem is that I’m physically handicapped myself.
I can’t walk far or even stand for long because of a devastated ankle that has caused back and hip problems – and this beyond the actual ankle itself. And doctors have told me that there’s really no surgery to fix it.
I applied at numerous agencies to work with autistic kids and young adults to help them learn life and job skills.
Unfortunately, every agency told me that I couldn’t work if I couldn’t go after the folks if they ran off. And I couldn’t.
So, I couldn’t even help the youngsters who were mentally challenged because I was too physically challenged. Now that’s what I call irony!
It’s a long story. And I’ve bored everyone enough already.
Believe me, I’d love to help those that I could. But I can’t. And nothing saddens me more.
Btw – I wanted to work with the kids and young adults because my best friends youngest son is autistic, and I’m a former Trainer for customer service and sales skills. So, I thought that would be a great fit.
That’s too bad. I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you’re eligible for SSDI and have started your application. If your representative is a good egg it could help you immensely. Or maybe you could find a lawyer that would represent you for a little kick-back once the settlement is made. It’s happened before.
Not being able to walk is serious enough, but especially recognizable as a disability. I swear if most people saw Ahnuld sitting in a wheel-chair they’d be convinced that he’s disabled. Look like the grim reaper is standing behind you drumming his fingers on a table and tapping his toes and you’re probably just trying to “game” the system because being on SSDI is such an embarrassment of riches.
I would have had to have done all that last year except that I have a small pension and discovered that I could easily do all my duties with a walker or in a wheel-chair. The VA rehab helped a lot. I feel lucky to have the VA. Too lucky.
Halfway through the application I screamed and quit, but eventually I will have to do it, by then, I hope and plan, I will have saved enough money to hire a lawyer to help me fast track it. I have seven lesions on my spine and in my brain, but as long as I can walk, I may be suspect in their eyes.
Someone may comes up with a cure for MS in my lifetime, but I’m not going to waste any energy dreaming about that.
WE NEED SAFETY NETS. It’s a crying shame that the richest nation in the world can’t provide us with that without treating us like sociopaths for asking. It’s inhumane.
Best of luck. I really hope the universe gives you a break soon, I know how stressful your predicament is, and wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Seriously.
Second the SSDI, and strongly second the need for legal assistance in the application.
Also, as crappy as temp work can be, try a temp agency.
I went through the first stage without a lawyer. But now I’ve got one that I’ve heard is pretty good – at least he got my friend SSDI.
The problem is that the time frame is so messed-up – because so many of us 50+ former hard workers, see no other choice, and are taxing the system.
I met with my lawyer back in early October, and he said it would be at least until October of 2012 before anyone would hear my claim.
And, believe me – I’D RATHER WORK!!!
Oh, thank you for your concern. :-)
You have a year wait? My clients rarely wait that long. Make sure you tell your lawyer about the unemployment thing. Many judges will look askance at taking unemployment AND applying for SSI, since, in most states, the weekly voucher features the applicant claiming he can work.
You aren’t clear about what is wrong with your laptop, but if the problem is a case of bollixed Windows software that no longer works, why don’t you try using a friend’s machine to burn a bootable Linux DVD (I suggest Ubuntu 10.4 or Mint 11). Then boot using that, and you can probably get to your documents. Running from a DVD is somewhat slow, but if this works for you, you might consider taking a backup of your important files and then either a) paying a computer shop to refresh the Windows installation on your laptop or b) switching to Linux, using the DVD to install it.
My laptop doesn’t even have a DVD or CDR drive. It’s the only one my department would spot me when I went to Manchester a few years back, and cost about $150 at the time. Currently, it can open Open Office files for anyone with a half an hour to spare. (Just pray they don’t need to be converted.)
I know Ubuntu can load from a thumb drive.
If he doesn’t even have a CD drive, what are the odds he has a USB drive?
There’s no cd drive because it’s an ultralight, so there may still be a USB port.
I’m not sure that running Ubuntu on the old laptop is going to be a cure-all, but I’d be willing drop some flavor (I’m enjoying Xubuntu 11.10 at the moment, but one hears nice things about Mint as well) onto a thumb drive, if you want to give it a shot. Especially if you’re willing to pop by my place or office to pick it up.
xubuntu is probably a good choice for an underpowered laptop, and especially with an acquaintance nearby to give a boost up the learning curve. Since your word processor is already open office, you’ll probably do well with it.
I can pop by your place when the quarter starts, todd, but you saw that thing. It’s a glorified web-browser, if even.
Yeah, I don’t think it’s a good long-term solution. Just offering.
Also, you’re totally invited to our place on Monday for the BCS game. I’d offer to drive out to Corona, but I’m trying to be done in two months, and time is tight, and I’m going to feel guilty just taking time to watch the game.
I just loaded Ubuntu onto a 2003-vintage desktop with a whopping 768K of RAM. It runs Mozilla and Open Office perfectly well. It works infinitely better than the Windows/Office that was on it before, which basically could not run. Getting it to fully recognize the network took about half a day, and I am still working on getting the printer shared, but considering I knew nothing about either Ubuntu or networking when I started, that is not half bad.
One of my concerns is that doing the visual rhetoric work on what’s basically a netbook would be a huge pain in ass. There isn’t enough screen space to look at anything and write at the same time.
Good point. But at least Ubuntu could get him to a point slightly better than when the machine crashed.
Completely off-topic, but a present for SEK: Pat Robertson and The Doctor, via the always-awesome Fred Clark.
[...] (typeof(addthis_share) == "undefined"){ addthis_share = [];}And for my first post from the new desktop — for which I can’t thank you enough — I present an image unworthy of [...]
[...] "undefined"){ addthis_share = [];}First, I want to thank everyone who contributed to helping me as the year rolled over my checking account with malicious intent. I now have a new computer, and now that I have three days of “Spring Break,” I’m [...]