WRITING 181: GAMES WE PLAY, 10

THE WORKLOAD GAME:

THE MATERIAL GAIN IS MARGINAL, TWO COURSE LOAD CREDITS. BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT MATERIAL GAIN. 

IT IS A FIGHT FOR YOUR YOUTH, A FIGHT TO SET UP THE BOUNDARIES, A FIGHT TO TEST YOUR RESOLVE,  A FIGHT TO SHOW YOUR DARING, A FIGHT TO FORGE YOUR CHARACTER.

IT IS A FIGHT THAT DEFINES WHO YOU ARE.

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I emailed him this morning with only one sentence: but it is all that takes to get him nervous:
“Given you insist a different interpretation of my contract, I may have to ask others for resolution.”

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Hi L,

I appreciated your time talking to me over the phone yesterday. While you feel we cannot agree, I hope that you at least see some of my points of views.  I would like to reiterate my willingness to meet with you to further our dialogue and to look for an acceptable solution.

Since you told me that you need to know your teaching load for planning for next year’ teaching schedule, as I told you during our conversation, for now please plan for having a a four course load for next year, while we continue to resolve the disagreement about your contract.

At this point I would like to request for a face-to-face meeting with you, at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your patience.

Y.

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Dear Y,

The issue is simple: It concerns only one sentence on teaching in my contract. According to the contract, I believe school owes me two courses credits; yet you insist otherwise, refusing to correct the mistake.

For that simple issue, you have had five years to resolve it. We discussed it five years ago, and you refused to honor it. Last month, in good faith, I asked you again, and you delayed for a month. Yesterday, with goodwill, I discussed with you again, for more than an hour. And again, you refused to honor it.

So the issue now is a simple question: will school honor my contract, and correct the mistake of two courses credits?

As you asked yesterday, please take your time, as long as you please. Meanwhile, I will do what I believe.

Take care,

L.

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WRITING 180: GAMES WE PLAY, 9

THE WORKLOAD GAME:

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Dear Y,

I hope you had a nice trip.

So what is your decision?

Best,

L.

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Hi L,

I would like to have a conversation with you about this. When do you have time today?

Y.

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Dear Y,

It was nice talking to you. Thank you for letting me know your decision.

Given you insist a different interpretation of my contract, I may have to ask others for resolution.

Best,

L.

DAY 138, 5PTS, 2.20

[ROUTINE]
RUN: 1.95MILES, 9MPH, 13MIN;
SWIM: 0 (DUE TO THE DENTAL SURGERY);
LEARN: LAUNDERER;

[DISCIPLINE]
DENTAL SURGERY: REMOVE TWO LOWER WISEDOME TEETH, \$480, 9-10AM, 1HR;

[LESSON]
TRUST EXPERTS, FORGET ABOUT YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE AND MONEY;

[HAPPY MOMENT]
THE GUY IN THE GYM TAUGHT ME THE CORRECT USE OF THE DEVICES FOR THE ARMS.

[ SIZE MATTERS? SAN DIEGO, CA, 12/2009]

day 137, 5PTS, 2.01

[ROUTINE]
RUN: 1.95MILES, 9MPH, 13MIN;
SWIM: 20R, 30MIN;
WRITE: TYM, 2HRS;
WST: 1HR;

[DISCIPLINE]
DO LANDRY, 1HR;

[HAPPY MOMENT]
I LOVE IROBOT VACUUM; IT’S A HANDY LITTLE BEAST.

[SAN DIEGO, CA, 12/17/2009]

WRITING 136: WHY PEOPLE DON’T LIKE MATH, 3

For math, abstraction is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing, because the mighty of math comes from abstraction—his ubiquity rests on its transcending specific physical forms of the matter. It is a curse, because abstraction runs against the nature way of human thinking.

Although natural languages are a form of abstraction. Learning them involves trials and errors, the practice, the frustration, and the desire to express ourselves. When practice occurs daily, picking up a natural language comes naturally. For most people, however, that learning process stops once he master the natural language. But , like any other art form, math requires long, boring practice. Just as exercise strengthens one’s muscle, doing math thickens one’s logic fiber.  But because practice requires effort(let’s face it, we human are lazy), we won’t do it, if we can get by.

Then there is the misconception. Most people believe, wrongly, math is all about numbers and formulas. This misconception is largely our education’s fault. Indeed, before college, math hardly moves beyond numbers and formulas. But they are just a small part of the big math enterprise. If anything, math is about relations. The trouble is, they are about abstract objects, not sexy ones.

[Point Loma, San Diego,  CA, 12/2009]

WRITING 130: BLUE BLOOD

In principle, meritocracy should rule academia. In practice, it depends. For example, when it comes to the job market, nobles marry nobles—they rarely mix with commoners. Your record counts, only if you are in that circle. If not, your record, well, remains record, unless you are a minority (black, Latino, and woman). Of course, they wouldn’t be so blunt about your lineage. But when you excel in every other dimension and still cannot make it, there is little doubt what truly matters.

Two cases in mind. First, RYZ, with three As, is the superstar of the field,  in the record dimension. Yet he got only one campus visit in America. Second, T with two As, got only one research school campus visit; he ends up in a teaching school in LA. Had either one had blue blood, their stellar records would truly count.

A side note. T’s ideal place is San Diego. But she was crowded out by her senior, who eventually declined the slot because of salary, leaving T very frustrated. A week after T accepted the offer from LA, she got another invitation from a Canada school. It was a week too late.

[San Diego, CA, 10/2011]