moon babies

I got up at 6am this morning to watch the lunar eclipse. It was not as stunning as I expected, but it was pretty cool. I stood outside in my front yard in my pajamas for a good half hour until the moon had almost set behind the trees. I tried to take a few pictures, but I am not a professional photographer, and my camera does not like darkness. So this is the best one I got.

I then went back to sleep for longer than I should have. I work up refreshed but hurried for my first day as an AI (Associate Instructor). My first task was to make sure there were enough books available in the bookstores for all 120 students taking the class. That meant frenzied bike rides across campus to all three bookstores. I had not known about the third one. I could have lived without knowing about the third one and its location on the far side of campus to which only freshman go.

Today was only the first day of lecture, so I did not have to do much other than hand out syllabuses and be introduced. I'm sure it is unprofessional of me to write about students and such, but let me tell you, the stereotypes about freshmen are correct. They really don't know:
a) how to read
b) how to listen
c) or how to do their own studying.
One asked if the teacher was going to post all of the notes online. What? So you don't ever come to class and only learn what's on the power point? I don't think so!

More and more students are coming into college these days having been spoon fed material in high school and babied by their parents. I just want to laugh at them constantly for their stupidity. But it would only come back to torment me, since starting on Friday, I will be in charge of making them learn, and it will not be easy.