Friday, August 18, 2006
August 17
Reading Day
Warning, Warning - Library Stuff - skip down to avoid
Boy, was I busy today. If students put work off on a land campus they really put stuff off if they are in the midst of visiting 8 or 9 foreign countries and sailing around the Pacific Rim.
On the other hand, when they buckle down, they seem to really buckle down. They were reading and researching like nobody’s business today – and keeping me on my toes. One professor decided to give his exam today rather than on Exam Day (tomorrow). Many of his students were in the library most of the day reading and discussing material for his course. From their conversations I realized that they had actually read the material, thought about it, and formed their own conclusions. Pretty cool!
Barcodes
Another thing I’ve been working on today is figuring out how to format the enter barcodes into Winnebago that will conform to UVA’s barcodes. Erin and I have been communicating on this topic all day long.
(With copies to Erika who I’m sure has much more important things on her mind like
• how many bathing suits to pack
• whether or not to bring a sweat shirt with or just buy the inevitable S@S sweat shirt
• what number sun screen to bring (45)
• whether or not to have something for the Ambassador’s Ball made in Vietnam
• how she will get a cigarette during bunkering (she won’t)
• whether she’s gotten enough of the various currencies (she hasn’t)
• will her room have a bathtub (maybe)
• will the internet be fast enough (no)
• will Find@UVA work on the ship (looking good).)
Not even the library people really want to hear the ins and outs of the barcode problems. But, we’re working on it. Stay tuned, or NOT.
Find@UVA
Another issue we’ve been hoping to solve before I leave the ship is getting Find@UVA to work on board. I admit that because not many students were doing very much research while we were tripping from country to country to country this summer I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to diagnose this problem until the past few days. I knew I could get the articles for them, and that’s what I did. However, it is obviously better if they can simply, as on Grounds, click on the Find@UVA link and get to the full text – FOR FREE!
I think we’re on our way toward figuring this out. Jim gave me the base Find@UVA URL that I believe the ship’s IT guy will be able to use to provide the free access we intend. Cross your fingers….
Work Study Reception
Last evening we had a very nice reception to thank our work study students. Kristen looked great in her black dress. Katie, Ana, and Katie all wore kimonos from Japan. They also looked smashing. Lots of photos were taken.
I will say that the students on this ship are obsessed with taking photos. The one student party I briefly attended (remember back to “Dancing Through the Decades”) most of the 15 or so minutes I was there were entirely devoted to taking photos of each other. Several students have said they’ve taken in excess of 15,000 (yes, fifteen thousand) photographs!
Staffulty Lounge
Ok, I admit it. One of the things I will miss is the Faculty/Staff Lounge. While the students must buy alcohol tickets for designated events (not daily, by any means) ahead of time, we have access to a domain all our own. We have a spot at the front of the ship on the 7th deck with a wonderful view forward. During the day we have tea and coffee there. Lots of chairs and tables. Banquettes along the window walls for lounging on. From 1700 to 1800 and again from 2100 to 2300 each day it’s our bar. Antoinette and Edgardo keep us happy. It is nice to have one place on the ship where there aren’t students.
From 1700 to 1800 the senior passengers often have a program or something there. Today ZiZi played her violin. How nice to look out over the Pacific while drinking a beer and listening to someone you like play the violin beautifully. Just makes you realize how lucky you are to be doing this amazing thing.
Packing
AGH!!!!!!! This is going to be hard. I’ve somehow acquired a bit more than I left Charlottesville with. Not over $800 worth more, U.S. Customs (just in case you’re reading this blog), but more….
I did buy (very cheaply, U.S. Customs) a rolling duffle in Singapore, but it may not be big enough. Oh well, we’ll see.
One nice thing is that ISE (Institute for Shipboard Education) arranges for UPS to be at the pier in San Diego. We all just line up, go through Customs, then straight to UPS. Should be quite handy.
Reading Day
Warning, Warning - Library Stuff - skip down to avoid
Boy, was I busy today. If students put work off on a land campus they really put stuff off if they are in the midst of visiting 8 or 9 foreign countries and sailing around the Pacific Rim.
On the other hand, when they buckle down, they seem to really buckle down. They were reading and researching like nobody’s business today – and keeping me on my toes. One professor decided to give his exam today rather than on Exam Day (tomorrow). Many of his students were in the library most of the day reading and discussing material for his course. From their conversations I realized that they had actually read the material, thought about it, and formed their own conclusions. Pretty cool!
Barcodes
Another thing I’ve been working on today is figuring out how to format the enter barcodes into Winnebago that will conform to UVA’s barcodes. Erin and I have been communicating on this topic all day long.
(With copies to Erika who I’m sure has much more important things on her mind like
• how many bathing suits to pack
• whether or not to bring a sweat shirt with or just buy the inevitable S@S sweat shirt
• what number sun screen to bring (45)
• whether or not to have something for the Ambassador’s Ball made in Vietnam
• how she will get a cigarette during bunkering (she won’t)
• whether she’s gotten enough of the various currencies (she hasn’t)
• will her room have a bathtub (maybe)
• will the internet be fast enough (no)
• will Find@UVA work on the ship (looking good).)
Not even the library people really want to hear the ins and outs of the barcode problems. But, we’re working on it. Stay tuned, or NOT.
Find@UVA
Another issue we’ve been hoping to solve before I leave the ship is getting Find@UVA to work on board. I admit that because not many students were doing very much research while we were tripping from country to country to country this summer I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to diagnose this problem until the past few days. I knew I could get the articles for them, and that’s what I did. However, it is obviously better if they can simply, as on Grounds, click on the Find@UVA link and get to the full text – FOR FREE!
I think we’re on our way toward figuring this out. Jim gave me the base Find@UVA URL that I believe the ship’s IT guy will be able to use to provide the free access we intend. Cross your fingers….
Work Study Reception
Last evening we had a very nice reception to thank our work study students. Kristen looked great in her black dress. Katie, Ana, and Katie all wore kimonos from Japan. They also looked smashing. Lots of photos were taken.
I will say that the students on this ship are obsessed with taking photos. The one student party I briefly attended (remember back to “Dancing Through the Decades”) most of the 15 or so minutes I was there were entirely devoted to taking photos of each other. Several students have said they’ve taken in excess of 15,000 (yes, fifteen thousand) photographs!
Staffulty Lounge
Ok, I admit it. One of the things I will miss is the Faculty/Staff Lounge. While the students must buy alcohol tickets for designated events (not daily, by any means) ahead of time, we have access to a domain all our own. We have a spot at the front of the ship on the 7th deck with a wonderful view forward. During the day we have tea and coffee there. Lots of chairs and tables. Banquettes along the window walls for lounging on. From 1700 to 1800 and again from 2100 to 2300 each day it’s our bar. Antoinette and Edgardo keep us happy. It is nice to have one place on the ship where there aren’t students.
From 1700 to 1800 the senior passengers often have a program or something there. Today ZiZi played her violin. How nice to look out over the Pacific while drinking a beer and listening to someone you like play the violin beautifully. Just makes you realize how lucky you are to be doing this amazing thing.
Packing
AGH!!!!!!! This is going to be hard. I’ve somehow acquired a bit more than I left Charlottesville with. Not over $800 worth more, U.S. Customs (just in case you’re reading this blog), but more….
I did buy (very cheaply, U.S. Customs) a rolling duffle in Singapore, but it may not be big enough. Oh well, we’ll see.
One nice thing is that ISE (Institute for Shipboard Education) arranges for UPS to be at the pier in San Diego. We all just line up, go through Customs, then straight to UPS. Should be quite handy.
