Flying back today from my annual conference that always falls on the weekend before Thanksgiving. This year it was in New Orleans. I arrived on Friday and didn't even have a drop of alcohol until last night (Monday). How sad is that? I'd been to NO a few times before, so didn't feel the need to go out, plus I was super busy til 8 pm every night. Glad to be done with the conference and my presentation. Now I only have one day of work this week!
Next year the conference is in Boston. It will be a good chance to catch up with an old friend from high school. I've been toying with not going, though, as it always falls on hunting weekend, meaning I have some nice time to myself at home.
The airport in New Orleans is quiet today. So glad!
Thursday I think we don't have any plans! Good day to clean the house because Friday evening my family is coming for Thanksgiving dinner. We are doing two 12 lb. turkeys-one smoked and flash fried, and one traditionally roasted. I've been in the mood to traditionally roast a turkey, which I haven't done for a few years.
I'm considering heading out for some Black Friday shopping for the first time ever. It's not really my usual cup of tea, but I'm in a pretty relaxed mood this year. I know, no better way to kill THAT than going out on Friday.
So, what are you up to?
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
State worries
This time of year I'm usually excited about planning for the next year. Vacations, diet goals, hobbies, etc. However, our newly elected VERY conservative governor has his red pen poised to drastically slash the state budget deficit. He's made it clear he'll do it mostly on the backs of state workers. He thinks we're all grossly overpaid and pampered compared to the private sector. Not true for salary in a vast percentage of cases. Yes, our benefits are nice, but that's why we stick around given the comparatively crappy salary. His current proposal has a furlough and additional benefits contribution that would result in a net 25% pay loss for state employees. That's 25% off both Chris's paycheck and mine.
The only shining light is that the UW is pushing for more autonomy given the shrinking contribution the state makes to the UW budget. Less than 12% of the UW budget is funded by the state, yet the control the entire UW budget and many of the policies. Running a research intensive university like a state agency doesn't work for many reasons. Our chancellor's push for more independence has some drawbacks...
The good:
The only shining light is that the UW is pushing for more autonomy given the shrinking contribution the state makes to the UW budget. Less than 12% of the UW budget is funded by the state, yet the control the entire UW budget and many of the policies. Running a research intensive university like a state agency doesn't work for many reasons. Our chancellor's push for more independence has some drawbacks...
- that ~10% gap would need to be made up, but could be done via some cost savings by not being locked into state contracts for supplies-many of which currently cost a lot more because they are obscure research supplies that no other state agency uses.
- less "cohesiveness" with the state to promote the university
- a hit for unions, as they'd have less influence at the UW...and some would argue this would be bad for workers.
- tution increases wouldn't need to be approved by the legislature. This could and possibly should concern students.
The good:
- wouldn't be at the whim of the current legislature on what kind of research we could do (e.g., stem cells)
- wouldn't be on nonsense furloughs (e.g., 80% of my position comes from federal grant funds or private research foundations, yet I'm on the same furlough as other employees...frankly, grant agencies aren't happy about the Wisconsin situation and it's not saving the state much money. A sensible solution would've been to prorate the amount of furlough taken according to how much of the position is from state funding).
- could better adjust faculty compensation to be competitive with other Big 10 and competing schools. We are losing a lot of faculty and that's a dangerous thing for a research intensive university in particular.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Italy Pics
If anyone wants to peruse some Italy pics, without any commentary/labels, feel free to browse my Walgreen's album:
Friday, November 05, 2010
The Bathroom Project
I'm just going to keep blogging even if nobody reads it. :-)
We finally started our shower remodel project. We have a big tile walk in shower, and the liner under the tile shifted at some point and caused some major water damage to the sub floor. Turns out the year we built was about the last year the industry used those liners, as too many problems were developing and a new product was coming out. Sigh.
Our contractor came highly recommended and is someone my father works with. He's the "expert" in our region on these shower systems. So, this is good.
Had to knock out almost half the tile on the wall and all of the floor, so we had to design a tile scheme that looks complimentary. Given I don't like how light our old tile is (cream with very light tan marbling-tends to look peachy or pink in the wrong light), it was a challenge. But it would've been financially wasteful (about $1000 more in labor and tile) to redo the whole thing.
So, we are leaving the light cream on top, using a 6" border of 2x2 mixed color in brown-tone tiles in the middle, a marbled medium tan on the bottom and the same 2x2s as the border on the floor.
The side effects of remodel:
-Cats must be locked in a bedroom with their food and litterboxes all day while the contracter is there. He lets them out when he leaves for the day.
-Chris and I have to share a single sink and mirror in our other bathroom. I'm not sure I could adjust to that ever again after having two sinks and a big mirror for this long! It's driving me crazy.
We finally started our shower remodel project. We have a big tile walk in shower, and the liner under the tile shifted at some point and caused some major water damage to the sub floor. Turns out the year we built was about the last year the industry used those liners, as too many problems were developing and a new product was coming out. Sigh.
Our contractor came highly recommended and is someone my father works with. He's the "expert" in our region on these shower systems. So, this is good.
Had to knock out almost half the tile on the wall and all of the floor, so we had to design a tile scheme that looks complimentary. Given I don't like how light our old tile is (cream with very light tan marbling-tends to look peachy or pink in the wrong light), it was a challenge. But it would've been financially wasteful (about $1000 more in labor and tile) to redo the whole thing.
So, we are leaving the light cream on top, using a 6" border of 2x2 mixed color in brown-tone tiles in the middle, a marbled medium tan on the bottom and the same 2x2s as the border on the floor.
The side effects of remodel:
-Cats must be locked in a bedroom with their food and litterboxes all day while the contracter is there. He lets them out when he leaves for the day.
-Chris and I have to share a single sink and mirror in our other bathroom. I'm not sure I could adjust to that ever again after having two sinks and a big mirror for this long! It's driving me crazy.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
I'm on a food kick
...and it shows. I need to stop the madness!
Apple pie: Made a crumb topped apple pie and it was the best apple pie evah! Didn't even use a fancy recipe-Just Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, with pecans added to the crumb. I used our home grown apples that I'd held over in the crisper drawer from September harvest. I think those apples were the key.
Tastefully Simple: Was looking at buying some fall/winter items for myself and gifts, but holy hell have their prices gone up. I'm not buying an $8.00 box of pumpkin bread mix. I like it, but it's gone up $2.00 a box since three years ago. No way!
Smoked deviled eggs: Rumor has it they are good. I have no evidence, but would like to try them.
Apple pie: Made a crumb topped apple pie and it was the best apple pie evah! Didn't even use a fancy recipe-Just Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, with pecans added to the crumb. I used our home grown apples that I'd held over in the crisper drawer from September harvest. I think those apples were the key.
Tastefully Simple: Was looking at buying some fall/winter items for myself and gifts, but holy hell have their prices gone up. I'm not buying an $8.00 box of pumpkin bread mix. I like it, but it's gone up $2.00 a box since three years ago. No way!
Smoked deviled eggs: Rumor has it they are good. I have no evidence, but would like to try them.
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