This has been a good game to multitask through.

I don’t have a problem taking a hard look at how many staff a campus has added. But how much faculty time is appropriate to allocate to the work that people want to continue? Outreach, disability navigation, critical incident management, holistic admissions, etc. Giving it up is a culture shift.

Chronicle of Higher Education@chronicle.com · 2w ago

Opinion: Administrative bloat is no longer an inside-baseball complaint. Its a public-trust issue for higher ed. Administrative and support payroll grew 88 percent from 2010 to 2024, outpacing revenue and instructional salaries, according an analysis of federal data. https://chroni.cl/46urF3W

My kid has started saying “good night Mary Ellen” to me and I of course whip back “good night John Boy” like nobody’s business, but he doesn’t know where he picked it up. Of course it had to be online but who or what in his online sphere would know about or reference the Waltons?

This isn’t that weird unless you know what a picky eater I was, but I cheerfully ate braunschweiger sandwiches (with Miracle whip, mmmm). Honestly I’m not sure I could eat it now.

tweety fish@sifu.tweety.fish · last wk.

HEY PALS UNSETTLING PROMPT TIME what's the weirdest thing you ate as a kid?

I know people are snarky about the Texas rancher saying this is the first time in his life an issue came up that he thought really affected him. But honestly, people who farm/ranch in remote areas are people I can forgive for their disengagement and preference for small government.

I stared SO pointedly at my husband after watching the latest “homeowners turning into their parents” commercial

It’s Saturday, none of us in this household work today, UM game’s not until 3:30, and yet we’re all up before the sun. Guess it’s time to go to Coney.

I’m emailing out a ton of stuff w/out the benefit of my admin‘s streamlined systems. When he gets back from reserve duty, my joy is gonna be like those videos of dogs greeting soldiers after months after deployment He’s only been gone 2 weeks, but it’s the start of the academic year & I am DYING

The spouse and I are going to a fundraiser for a woman’s sports this weekend and they’ve just posted the silent auction items. Every item except one of them is memorabilia signed by a man

Last night some song came over the restaurant PA and I was like “Oh is this Tame Impala?” Unsure but just vaguely wondering. The look of annoyance that came across my son’s face before he suppressed it (and said “no” politely) was so pure.

At a restaurant tonight one of the waitstaff met my eye, smiled, and waved in cheerful recognition. I don’t know her but gave a little flummoxed wave back. Then it hit me: we had this same exchange last time I came in two months back. No idea what other patron she thinks I am.

A new sub-variation on my "cats reading books" #illustration— a #cat drinking #coffee, commissioned by @codeknitter.bsky.social for their PFP/avatar. ____ more: www.behance.net/gallery/2291...

The Buckeyes have my support tonight. This has an expiration date, of course

I had to sit a moment and marvel at the truth of this

gem (real name) 💎@gemcitygem.bsky.social · 3w ago

me: hi gimme a large pizza pizza guy: any appetizers? me: what do you have? pizza guy: we've got fried cheese with no sauce or crust, crust with no cheese or sauce, and crust and cheese with no sauce me: gimme crust and cheese with no sauce pizza guy: and for your dip? me: sauce

Oh fun, another negative UM news story for my in-laws to ask me to explain & discuss

I’m all for civic duty, but not knowing until the weekend before whether or not I actually have jury duty is a pain. All my meeting prep for next week has to have contingencies in case I’m not gonna be in the room. I can’t wait until the weekend to tell people they have to present for me.

It is occasionally helpful when your nephew’s weekend job is college football referee because then you can ask him stuff like he’s got the big book of rules because he DOES in fact have the big book of rules.

Spouse is on the phone with his buddy from grad school and they got so into dissecting last night’s football game I had to tune it out 30 minutes later, tuning back in: wait, are they taking about CASON? I guess when you’re on this much of a roll you just move on to last year’s hoops games

I know everybody feels bad for WMU but other tragedies occurred: I’m trying to level up in a mobile game I play so I raced out in the dark at halftime to continue my required 7-day streak of walking a specific route… but I forgot to click on the flag that logged completion, so I’m back to day one

I didn’t notice who posted this and I read the first nine bullets thinking “this is EXACTLY my mindset when I wrote the last half of my dissertation”

For the Love of Missy@missybbbobtail.bsky.social · 3w ago

Reasons I do the things I do: • Someone told me I couldn't • Spite •Someone told me "no" •Pure stubbornness •Delusion • I think if someone else did it, I definitely can • People be doubting my ability • I got bored •To prove a point • I’m a cat

Whut

Well, at least I’ve got a big container of Tillamook ice cream in the freezer

My family disapproves of my prediction of a 17-14 score but if UM scores double that, I’ll be thrilled about how stupid I look

I live in a bubble so it was a surprise to turn on TV and learn they’ve still got McAfee on Gameday.

Nevada? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN

I attended a woman’s college, but I really had not delved much into feminism—neither academic theory or activism or anything. I think I just wandered around mildly grateful for the progress. When I, at the ripe ol’ age of 46, got to hear Gloria Steinem speak in person? She kinda rocked my world.

Colleges and universities are not above scrutiny or criticism. But it’s also the case that they make a convenient target. Powerful and influential people can and do actively sow distrust with dubious claims about higher ed because it’s easy for folks to pile onto and it’s a great distraction.

I learned today that if you go to the paint store early in the morning, you can watch the staff flirt with all the pro painters

I think I just found a monarch caterpillar in our garden and I’m completely losing my mind over it

Oh God, I just did that thing where I bought my plane tickets and right as I hit confirm I thought “wait oh hey is that month right?” And too late realized I bought them for the wrong dates. Luckily, I was able to change without penalty, but that momentary feeling of horror….