Making a list

My job is to list readings for my students to obligingly plow through so that we have things to talk about in class and for them to write about later.

I don't want to really talk myself out of a job, but I gotta say this is dumb. The students had to pay $45 for their text book (that I picked out -- it was less expensive than the others). They have to read a whole bunch of articles and essays in this text. Dumb. Why can't I just have them reading random blogs? Or the newspaper? Or Smithsonian magazine? Or anything other than a textbook that they will just have to sell back and only read maybe 1/2 the articles in it?

As a matter of fact, I think First Year Composition may be the dumbest class there is. Yeah, there's some methods for "teaching writing" that work, but really, the only way to learn how to write is to do it. FYComp focuses on "content full" classes because the students have to write about something. Actually, the best part of our FYComp program is the e-portfolio (and this is the part that most of my coworkers hate). This teaches realistic life skills -- webpage design. I need to totally trash my own e-portfolio and start over now that I know how cool it can be -- my own is really boring. I suppose it should be because it is a "professional" portfolio, but can't it be a little interesting?

Okay, here's my "to do" list:

1. Finish syllabus
2. Write exam for Dr. May
3. Write paper for Dr. May
4. Make up lesson plans
5. Make up a final exam for my students
6. Go to Savannah's & buy more Monks Blend (makes really good iced tea)
7. Go to Bath & Body Works (buy more foaming soap)
8. Go to Origins (buy new "relaxation" gumballs -- highly recommend these!)
9. Get a haircut (I think Jeannie's on vacation -- maybe I'll go to NeoClassique, then)
10. Get Lia a compressed rawhide (NOTE TO SELF: My sister is not always full of shit -- she said Lia is probably allergic to wheat -- I held the Greenies for 2 weeks -- nice response -- I gave her one freakin' Greenie and WOW! Very much bad).
11. Sign up for Mentor picnic
12. FYComp meeting
13. Department meeting
14. Turn in syllabus for copies