How to move in 7 days

After moving more than a dozen times, most of them with 4 children, one of my friends suggested I write a book of moving tips. I don’t have time to write a book, but here are a few tips.  The timeline is merely a suggestion based on what I did this week. =)

Before Day 1)  Find someplace to live.  Sign all contracts, pay all deposits, submit move out notice.

Day 1)  Visit www.USPS.com for change of address, hire movers or beg friends to help, schedule moving truck or PODS, schedule cleaning crew.

Make travel arrangements for getting to new location. Who is driving what car/truck? Does a vehicle need to get towed behind a moving truck, or sold?

Find a good place to start stacking boxes – garage, hallway, formal living/dining room.

Take a walk around your home and decide what stays and what goes. Craigslist or garage sale? Goodwill or Salvation Army?

Instruct children on ways they can help… based on their ages: packing their own toys and clothes, carrying boxes down stairs, finding the right size empty box and the always elusive rolls of packaging tape, using stickers to decorate boxes for their rooms, packing up games and books.  Older children can help with laundry, dishes, filling holes, taking apart small furniture.  I find that the never-ending energy of children can be put to good use when my energy is zapped. My children especially enjoy putting a big empty box at the bottom of the stairs then throwing blankets, pillows, and towels into it from the top landing. Or tossing trash bags of clothes down the stairs. If your children are very small – tape the tops and bottoms of every box that you pack or you will soon find someone trying to unpack that box.

Kitchen: box up everything except paper plates, plastic silverware, 1 travel coffee mug, and the food in the fridge — groceries should include no-cook meals and snacks/drinks for movers/friends. If you are moving long distance, start getting rid of all food in the fridge/freezer by being creative with meal planning (keep out 1 pan and 1 baking dish if needed).  Check expiration dates on pantry food items before packing.  Wipe down shelves and clean out drawers as you go. Put dish brushes, dish brush holders, spoon rests etc. through a dishwasher cycle before packing.

Day 2) Bedroom: Pack a suitcase for the next week, box up everything else.

Check mail. Make a list of everyone who sends you mail that you want to be forwarded, and send change of address postcards. Change address on bank accounts, credit cards, and school/work (remember to use the new zip code when making purchases). Send change of address form to IRS.  If staying local, visit DMV to change driver’s license, car registrations, and voter registration (otherwise wait until you reach your new hometown).

Make arrangements for moving pets (and keeping them from running away while doors are open) – vet visit, kennel, travel cage?

Day 3) Living room: Box up all electronics, pictures/art, and remove window coverings (unless they are supposed to stay with the house), start filling holes with DAP (I prefer the kind that goes on pink but dries white).

Contact electric, water/sewer, gas, trash, internet companies with moving date, shut off times, and new location.

Visit someplace “touristy” in town that you never visited.

Day 4) Dining room: Disassemble dining room table and chairs (for long distance moves), pull out the tray tables or eat outside (or go out to eat).

Continue removing pictures or art from walls, removing screws/nails, and patching holes.

Visit your favorite hair salon, dentist, doctor for one last check-up.  (These are the hardest things to find in a new town.)

Day 5) Bathroom: Pack a travel bag to leave on the counter, pack everything else. Check expiration dates on medicines.

Clean the bathroom… cleaner than it was on any day that you lived in the house.

Visit your favorite restaurant in town.

Day 6) Garage: I left this for last because by this time you are exhausted and more likely to get rid of stuff rather than try to keep everything.  ; )

Make a trip to goodwill/salvation army, dumpster, recycling, etc.

Double check every box to make sure that is labeled with a room and brief description of contents (especially FRAGILE).  Tape a ziploc bag full of screws/bolts/nuts to the bottom side of whatever it held together.

Say goodbye to friends and neighbors. Take pictures of everyone. Take pictures of the outside of the house.

Day 7) Move everything out of the house except cleaning supplies, vacuum, broom/mop, and DAP.

Clean everything (or hire someone to do a thorough cleaning). Clean out fridge. Check dishwasher for dishes and washer/dryer for clothes.  Have carpets professionally cleaned (they can also steam clean tile).

Fill holes with DAP. Wipe off any marks left by moving furniture out. Turn off all lights, turn off a/c or heater, and lock all doors and windows. Give all keys and garage door openers to realtor or landlord.

Don’t forget to take your pets and your children with you… and enjoy your new home.  =)

THE DUTIES OF PROFESSORS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

From http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/railsback_profduties.html

 A member of our Board of Regents once calculated the amount of time that professors spend in the classroom. He used that number, and his assumption that professors only work at the front of a classroom, to conclude that professors of higher education only work about 200 hours a year.

 I was surprised that anyone charged with oversight of an academic insititution (or any institution) would have so little idea what their employees were doing. His remark prompted me to make the following list of things that college and university professors are required to do outside the classroom:

Work directly related to classroom teaching:

  • Prepare lectures for classes
  • Prepare syllabi for classes
  • Prepare labs for classes
  • Grade class assignments
  • Prepare exams
  • Give make-up exams
  • Grade exams
  • Calculate grades
  • Meet with students outside class for help
  • Integrate new learning into existing classes
  • Develop new classes

    Other work related to teaching:

  • Supervise and evaluate graduate student teaching
  • Evaluate teaching by colleagues
  • Lead field trips
  • Attend department colloquia

    Service to students:

  • Advise students regarding course selection
  • Counsel students on careers opportunities and choices
  • Write letters of recommendation for students seeking jobs
  • Write letters of recommendation for students applying to graduate schools

    Teaching and supervision of graduate students:

  • Supervise graduate student research
  • Help graduate students with their research
  • Read, make suggestions to improve, and evaluate graduate student thesis proposals
  • Read, make suggestions to improve, and evaluate M.S. student theses
  • Read, make suggestions to improve, and evaluate Ph.D. student dissertations
  • Read and evalute written Ph.D. comprehensive exams
  • Participate in Ph.D. oral comprehensive exams
  • Participate in graduate student defenses

    Research Activities:

  • Write grant proposals for submission to funding agencies
  • Do ground-breaking verifiable and publishable scholarly research
  • Monitor spending from grants obtained from funding agencies
  • Maintain laboratories for faculty and student research
  • Write papers for publication in academic journals
  • Present research at meetings of scholarly societies to promote the University
  • Give presentations at other institutions of higher education
  • Read scholarly journals to keep abreast of new developments

    Service to one’s field of study:

  • Edit academic journals
  • Review papers submitted to academic journals
  • Review grant proposals submitted to funding agencies
  • Serve on review committees of funding agencies
  • Serve on committees and in elected positions of scholarly societies

    Service to one’s college or university:

  • Participate in departmental faculty meetings
  • Serve on departmental committees
  • Participate in departmental retreats
  • Serve in departmental administrative positions
  • Participate in or host faculty searches
  • Serve in Faculty Senate
  • Serve in University Council
  • Respond to information requests from administrators
  • Serve on university committees
  • Participate in University convocations
  • Participate in Commencement exercises

    Service to the public:

  • Respond to public queries in faculty areas of specialization
  • Perform public service in faculty areas of specialization
  • Give public lectures

    Oh, and by the way, teach.

    The point: Just as it takes months to make a two-hour movie or to prepare for a day-long courtroom appearance, the work behind the scenes at academic institutions goes far beyond what happens at the front of a classroom.

     

    Bruce Railsback (rlsbk@gly.uga.edu)
    Back to Railsback’s main page

Web Design and Publishing class introduction

I am 34 years old. I am married to Tim Brown and we have 4 kids: Rachel (12), Renee (11), Alex (7), and Joshua (5). I have lived in Texas for 1 year. Before that we lived in Virginia, West LinkVirginia, Colorado, and California. I was born in Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner! (J/K Dr. Royal!)

I have a BA in Comm Studies and a MA in Curriculum & Instruction. I am currently working towards a MA in Comm Studies and eventually a PhD in Comm or Ed (depends on if we stay in San Marcos). I was admitted to Columbia’s Ed.D. program last year but we could not find employment or housing there for our family of 6 (2 bed apt? I think not!) I am a GIA for Comm studies at Texas State. In the fall I will be teaching another 3 sections of COMM 1310 (MWF 9, 10, 11am).

I grew up with Macs (Commodore 64 and Apple IIe) then went to a Mac sponsored school. I have always been interested in the latest technology and gadgets. I taught myself how to create a web page from my brother’s source (he is now the webmaster for www.aes.org), and used Ircle, Broadcast, and First Class Client as an undergrad. I took several online courses as a grad student and got really interested in how online courses could be improved (some of them are TERRIBLE!). This led me to work as an Instructional Designer for Liberty University for about 3 months, until I could no longer tolerate the way that school is operated. This led my husband and I to escape the conservative craziness and move to Austin. =)

I enjoy watching movies and playing games with my kids and extended family. My brother’s family and my parents live on opposite coasts but we usually get together once a year at a cabin somewhere. Last year it was Poconos, PA for canoeing, swimming, and relaxing at the lake. The year before that we rented Jet Skis at a lake in North Carolina. As you can see we also spend a lot of time in water. =) This year my brother can’t make it, but my parents will be coming here for the next 2 weeks.

I am taking this class because my friend Jeremy Littau HIGHLY recommended Cindy Royal; then a classmate, Dale B., confirmed his recommendation. This class is not required for my degree or teacher licensure (7th-12th grade Speech) but I believe it will help me greatly as a high school or college teacher. I already use every option on TRACS for my COMM 1310 classes – even though we are only required to use the gradebook and syllabus.

I have seen the History of the Internet video before, and lived parts of it. ; ) My father-in-law was a computer programmer back when they used punch cards. (Now he is working on digitizing medical records – in such a way that they are protected from hackers.) One of my favorite parts of the internet’s history is the idea that no one person is in charge. The system is designed so that it will survive even if service to one or more areas is disrupted (even by nuclear attack). I also enjoy the fact that the original programmers were more interested in open source and sharing of information then making a profit on their gadgets and gizmos. I also find it humorous that IBM had no interest in helping finance the internet.

I am VERY excited to take this class and to be working with each of you! =)

Independence Day

Today is the 4th of July. Most people choose to celebrate their independence from Great Britain by BBQ-ing, watching fireworks, and spending time with their relatives. 12 years ago I chose to celebrate my dependence by marrying by best friend.

 

 

 

Several things have changed since then. We have 4 children, we have moved cross country and back again, we have changed jobs and career paths, WE have changed. Fortunately we stated in our vows that divorce was not an option. Even though several of our friends have chosen to take the “easy” way out, we have decided to make this work… and WORK it is.

Love is not a feeling or a flame that burns continuously year after year. Love is a decision.

I have decided to love Tim even when he would rather play on his computer.

I have decided to love Tim even when he would rather watch sports.

I have decided to love Tim even when he cannot tell me that he loves me to my face.

I have decided to love Tim even when he locks himself in our bedroom all day.

I have decided to love Tim whether he likes his job or not.

I have decided to love Tim whether he finishes another degree or not.

I have decided to love Tim even when he wears socks with his sandals.

I have decided to love Tim even if he never plays the french horn or trumpet again.

I have decided to love Tim even when school, church, and children have drained all of my energy.

I have decided to love Tim even though I don’t know how to express it.

 

So, today you can celebrate your independence, but I will celebrate my dependence.  Whether there are fireworks or not.

 

 

Communicating about Education

Reading "First Day Jitters"

@JeremyLittau suggested that I start writing a blog several months ago, and I am just now getting around to it.  I lead a pretty hectic and chaotic life, but occasionally I will take the time to write out my thoughts and post them here.

A little about me: I wear many hats. I am a wife of 1, a mother of 4, a grad student and GIA at Texas State, a Christian, a sister, an aunt, a daughter, and a granddaughter. Each of these roles gives me a unique frame of reference through which to view the world – creating a kaleidoscope effect.

Since 1995 I have completed a ridiculous number of undergraduate and graduate credit hours. I completed 133 units in Communication, Bible, and Music at Biola University and earned a BA in Comm. Studies; 57 units at Colorado Christian University and a MA in Curriculum & Instruction; 10 units at Randolph College in SPED; 9 units at Lynchburg College in SPED; I was admitted to Columbia University’s M.Ed. program but chose not to attend; 12 units (so far) at Texas State in Communications and C&I. My goal is to be Dr. Laura (whether the future Ph.D. will be Comm or C&I is still up in the air), but for now I am happy to be teaching COMM 1310 at Texas State.

All of these credit hours have been the result of moving several times to find good schools and jobs to support our family (and always needing more education to get or keep a job – not to mention my insatiable thirst for knowledge).  We left California so that our kids would not need to attend public schools in Los Angeles (we just had the 2 girls at the time), then moved into the beginnings of a housing and job recession in Colorado (and had the 2 boys).  We found jobs that would relocate us all out to West Virginia then later found a better job in Virginia that only lasted 6 weeks (more about that in a future blog). After a summer of soul searching and driving cross country, we finally settled on Cedar Park, Texas and started job hunting again.  Tim’s search led him back into insurance, and I landed a GIA position at Texas State – San Marcos.

Currently I am taking a seminar class on relational and health communication. So far it has been very interesting, although it is always more challenging to do homework during the summer.  I will post my book reviews from the 5 books we are reading as I get them back.

My next class (SSII) is Online Web Design with Dr. Cindy Royal. I have heard so many fabulous things about her that I am very excited to take this course.  I am also excited to get an inside look at the Mass Comm department…our sister department in the next building.  This blog is another attempt to plunge deeper into the world of Mass Comm.

Because of my wide variety of coursework and interests, I may occasionally drift off topic, but I would like to stay in the realm of education, communication, and special education as much as possible.  I may throw some of my thesis and dissertation ideas around as well.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride….

=)

Those who can, TEACH; Those who cannot pass laws about teaching