orichalcum

Baby:
Bads: He does much better on a regular schedule, and when traveling and in strange places, tends to get much more upset and cranky. This meant that I didn't follow the original plan of leaving him with relatives and going up to Conncon by myself, because he clearly wasn't up to being left by both Mom and Dad. As it is, he's pretty upset about missing his Dad, who's away on business for the next two days. He started crying when his Grandad was playing with him because he would look at Granddaddy's face and his brow would furrow and he'd realize, "That isn't Dad, even though it looks like him. It's a Dad-imposter!"

Goods: He got to see his Grandad and Grandma and Aunt msarden and lots of awesome people at ConnCon. He's babbling like mad; at dinner he said "Blah-blah-blah-blah," and on Sunday he said "Growl." The word, not the sound. Also, he's very clever if disobedient; he knows he isn't supposed to go for the tv cable, so now he'll crawl over to it, grab it, and then immediately look back at me. When I say "No" to Eowyn rather than to him, he stops what he's doing and looks confused. On Friday, someone on the NJ Transit train we were on proposed instituting mandatory babies on all cars on the evening commute, because he managed to cheer up an entire line of people waiting to get off the train. I suspect this is significantly because he's perfected this slow, shy smile, which makes strangers think, "Wow, I've charmed this shy, quiet little baby and I've made him smile! I must be really special and cool!" They don't realize that he does that to everyone, poor saps. :)

Dog: All clean, and in her usual extremely well-behaved mode post Puppy Camp.

Work: I start teaching again today. I had anxiety dreams about the 120-person lecture class. Maybe, at some point in my career, I'll eventually stop having anxiety dreams. That would be nice. Still waiting for April 4th to hear any news job-wise.

It was a good weekend, but very tiring; I need a vacation where I actually get to really relax.

So, it's really flattering that this many people want to take my Roman Civ class. But you know what, people who are _still_ emailing me on the first day of class, a month after registration, a month after the class sold out and I developed a 20 person waiting list, who all want personal responses and want me to understand just how important it is for _them_ to take this particular class? Give up! No, the 21st person will not make it into the class. There are 120 seats in the classroom, and 120 people signed up. If all the waiting list people come to class today, they will be standing in the aisles. I really, really wish that my department, like the other clueful departments, used the automated waiting list system...

I'm giving the following anonymous survey to my students today. I'm curious as to the answers of people who read this LJ. Feel free to answer anonymously or use your name as you prefer.



1. Do you think men and women behave differently in society because of biological reasons, because of the roles imposed upon them by their culture and upbringing, or some combination?


2. Do you think that sexual orientation is biologically determined or a result of choice and upbringing? Is your answer different for men and women?


3. Do you believe that people can be bisexual, or that all people are either straight, gay, or lesbian?


4. Do you believe that men and women have fundamental personality differences? If so, how would you describe the general common personality traits of men? Of women?


5. Write down three words or phrases that you associate with ancient Greece.


6. Write down three words or phrases that you associate with ancient Rome.

When you lean over your baby to kiss his bellybutton and he grabs your hair, not just with both his hands but with one set of _toes_.

The life expectancy activity went well, thanks folks, although I pulled my punches in terms of not making people who were born with an obvious physical disability sit down. I also had about 15 folks sitting on the floor, as semi-expected.

In Gender and sexuality in antiquity, I think I'm doing better on appealing to the gay boy contingent of my audience. I've inserted several nice happy Zephyr-and-boy-toy* vase paintings into the opening lecture. :)

(In case you think I'm being stereotypical here, let me clarify that the myth is that Zephyr, god of the West Wind, was courting the Spartan prince Hyacinth and wooed him off for a date of all-night flying sex. It's really not a deep relationship.)