Grades Are Done!

Final grades were submitted and I am officially done for the semester. I had about four rounds of grading and adjustments for my second class. It wasn't easy, but I think it's fair for everyone.

Now I can take the rest of the day day to clean up the house, do the laundry, pack my bags because tomorrow, Wednesday, we'll be flying out to San Francisco for ten days to see my family and friends.

It just occurred to me that I have a section to write for the departmental review ...

... two articles to revise for publications ...

... four more applications to send out ...

... two conference papers to write ...

... three syllabi to develop ...

... a department website to revamp ...

... and a list of Asian American books to write up for the students.

Did I forget anything else?

UPDATE (10:42pm):
It just occurred to me how different the grading system is at Grinnell College. At GMU, there was a pull down menu that lists all our options from "A+" to "F" to even some specialized ones such as "SA" which is short for "Stopped Attending." I vaguely remember over a dozen choices. Grinnell's system does not have a drop down menu. In fact, it's just a fill-in box. So it made me wonder what else could I put there? How about the letter "Q"? Or numbers like "6" or the ever popular "7"? How about a combination of letters and numbers like "L33t"? They all seem perfectly acceptable. I just find it hilarious when thinking about who'll be reading it like the Registrar's Office and, of course, the students themselves. They might collectively think, "WTH was this guy smoking?!?" And I would say, "I wish I was! But I just wanted to know what would happen."

49er Faithful

I waited a couple of days before posting this thought, but watching my hometown favorites, the SF 49ers, lose their match against the Cardinals in the last 2 seconds of the game on the 2 yard line from a game winning touchdown, was unbearable to endure. To have a win come so close and then to watch it fall apart ... well ... no words can capture my utter disbelief. And not to mention the fact that I do not receive 49er game coverage because I'm in Iowa so it makes following their season a bit more difficult.

I still have very high hopes for the new interim coach Mike Singletary and offensive coach Mike Mart. I think their championship experience is the start of a new era for a return of 49er supremacy in the NFL.

But not yet.

I do like Singletary's offensive philosophy: a hard hitting aggressive strategy that the 49ers haven't had in a very long time. Under the late Bill Walsh, the "West Coast" offense of finesse was the strategy that propelled the 49ers into victory with Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, and Roger Craig leading the way. Likewise, we had a powerful defense with the likes of Ronnie Lott and the infamous Bill Romanowski as the hardest hitters around.

But that time is over. It's Singletary's time and he introduces what the 49ers have sorely needed since those championship days: fearlessness.

The remaining season will still be a tough time, but like the 49er Faithful, we're optimistic that the good times will come again.

Back to Normal

This is one of the reasons why I love and miss San Francisco.

George W. Bush Sewage Plant Plan is on ballot

(07-17) 14:57 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco voters will be asked to decide whether to name a city sewage plant in honor of President Bush, after a satiric measure qualified for the November ballot Thursday.

Backers of the measure, who for several months circulated a petition to place the measure on the ballot, turned in more than 12,000 signatures on July 7, said organizer Brian McConnell. The Department of Elections on Thursday informed those supporters, the self-proclaimed Presidential Memorial Commission, that they had enough valid signatures - a minimum of 7,168 registered San Francisco voters - to qualify for the November ballot.

McConnell, who came up with the idea over beers with friends, often donned an Uncle Sam outfit to drum up support for the petition. The all-volunteer group of signature gatherers often carried around an American flag and blasted patriotic music from a boom box to attract attention. He said the campaign to pass the measure will be an equally grassroots effort.

The measure, if passed, would rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. McConnell said the intent is to remember the Bush administration and what the group sees as the president's mistakes, including the war in Iraq.

Some people aren't laughing, including the San Francisco Republican Party, which sees the measure as an embarrassment, even to this famously liberal city. Chairman Howard Epstein has vowed to fight the measure with all means available to him.

A White House spokeswoman, when asked about the measure several weeks ago, refused to comment.

E-mail Marisa Lagos at mlagos@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle.

A Page From NFL History

... or "Why I will never root for the New York Giants."

I thought I elaborate on my response to Rich's comment as a post. He originally said:

"What a game on Sunday, huh? Who would have thought, GIANTS and PATS in the Super Bowl?.....oh yeah, me and Rich.

I know you meant to say that you were rooting for the G-Men, so I'll forgive you on that one, but don't let it happen again!"

There is no doubt that this year's Superbowl will be historic as the Pats come within reach of the elusive "perfect season," one that was only accomplished by the Miami Dolphins in 1972. But that day is historic for another reason. Rich, you forget I'm still a die hard 49er fan, and let me remind you what this means ...

In the 1990-91 season, the 49ers were poised again for a Superbowl run, making it their third straight appearance. The "three-peat" was in the air. But in the NFC Championship, our glory was stolen by the scene stealing NY Giants. It was mainly a defensive game with the 49ers scoring the only touchdown when Hall of Famer Joe Montana connected with John Taylor. But "your team" of Neanderthals brutally knocked Joe Montana out of the game, and a relatively untested Steve Young took the reins as quarterback. We were minutes away from securing our place in NFL history to return to the Superbowl for a third straight time only to have "your team" pull a fake field goal for a first down. The Giants barbarians then cheated their way to a victory with Matt Bahr's 42-yard field goal ending the game with a score of 15-13.

The game also marked the departures of Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, Eric Wright, Keena Turner, John Taylor, and sadly Joe Montana, among many others, in the following seasons. These stalwart warriors constituted the empire of the victorious 49ers of the 1980s.

I cursed at Bill Parcells. I raised my fists and swore a blood oath on that day. The NY Giants will suffer the indignity and humiliation of utter defeat. That day will come on February 3rd as the New England Patriots will decimate the New York Giants.

At last! I shall have my vengeance!!!

Bill Walsh (1931-2007)

This is a sad day.

Bill Walsh, the imaginative and charismatic coach who took over a downtrodden 49ers team and built one of the greatest franchises in NFL history, died Monday morning at his home in Woodside at the age of 75 after a three-year struggle with leukemia.

For the rest of the tribute, click here

Bad Santas!

If there's one thing I loved about growing up in San Francisco, it's moments like these that makes "The City" so unique and my experience so memorable. :D

For the original link from SF Gate:

Bad Santas: Dozens of wacky Santas partying it up in San Francisco as part of the 13th annual "cheap-suit-Santa'' celebration stormed the Cheesecake Factory atop Macy's at Union Square last weekend.

Brian Foley and his pals were waiting for a table when he noticed a herd of Santas -- estimates range from 30 to hundreds -- coming up the escalator, including one clutching a bullhorn.

And they weren't your garden variety Santas. "They all had gore makeup on -- fake blood on them, like Halloween meets Christmas,'' Foley said. "One had an eyeball popping out of his face.

"They all seemed drunk and happy, and they didn't really care that everyone was staring at them,'' he said.

"They came in full force and just took over,'' said Assistant General Manager Roy Feigenbaum. "They must have been here 15 minutes, parading around, ho-ho-ho-ing.

"Jaws just dropped to the floor, and staff was at a standstill.''

And the Santas weren't the only eye-catchers to show up at the Cheesecake Factory that night.

Two hours later, Gary Coleman came in for dinner.

And no, he wasn't dressed as one of Santa's elves.