Last Day on Pay

 

"And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh". Genesis 9v13 KJV.

I'm still on the payroll, but I gave my first, and last, classes through Blackboard Collaborate yesterday. I was a bit daunted: having to learn another comms medium; and for just two short hours of student time. Would it work? Would I be in the correct 'room'? Would any students turn up? Would anyone learn anything? Then again, as Dau.II articulated "What's the worse that could happen? They could fire you?". Anyway I gave it the best socks I could although it was peculiarly weird to get no feedback from the screen: not an echo, not a fidget; not a yawn; not a surreptitious glance at a smartphone; nobody diligently taking notes. I wrapped it up at ten to five and wished them luck in the year and their careers. And there was a cascade of response before everybody left virtual reality to put on the real tea kettle: 

Enjoy your retirement :)))

Thank you so much & best of luck in your retirement 🙂

thank you

thank you!!!

thank you

Thank you Bob, stay safe

thank you, have a wonderful retirement

thank you so much best of luck 

Thanks David, enjoy your retirement

Thank you!

thank you 😃

Thank you

thank you happy retirement

thank you, enjoy

Thank you, all the best

thank you so much 

Thank you. enjoy your golden years

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you enjoy your retirement 

thank you and best of luck 😃

thank you 

Thank you, have nice retirement

thank you 

Enjoy!! well deserved!!

all the best!!!

I'm leaving now! thanks a mill 

That was yesterday. I can, according to TGIF rules of [dis]engagement, do what public servants do on Fridays when there are no deadlines to meet: Minesweeper, Sudoku, clock-watching for the weekend . . .

I've handed over my keys, my boots and my motorcycle. Coronarama has been a great dress-rehearsal for Retirarama: instead of clocking up 16,000km and 250hrs a year just getting to work, I've been hangin' at home.  One of our weaker students, authorized now to "carry" a course which had been failed last year, made the point that they would devote all their commute hours to acing the learning outcomes of the failed module.

I wasn't idle on those commutes: I had occasional ideas for teaching and research, got some copy for The Blob from the wireless, listened to a few talking books and paid attention to the day. But I'm right glad I won't ever again have to set off from home, in the dark, for 40km of bumbly, icy, roads. I shall refuse to work any gig that requires a 0900 start in Winter.

The End

But . . .

Rainbow: new beginnings!