Funny Blogs

I read quite a few blogs - they're often from the US or Canada and they're usually quite cynical. Frequently, they tell stories of their day-to-day life: sometimes this is funny, sometimes sad, sometimes pathetic (or even bathetic).

I was trying to decide whether it was ethical for me to write about the issues my students bring to me ...

(Maybe it is, maybe it isn't)

I think I'm probably quite approachable as academics go -- I LIKE students and I'm (almost always) willing to give them my time [actually, this is selfish -- the best feeling in the world is seeing someone suddenly understand something: watching that metaphorical light-bulb come on over their head].

So, without going into any personal details, these are some of the issues that my students brought to me in 2009:

• I'm pregnant - what should I do?
• I'm going to leave my husband ...
• I'm gay - I haven't told anyone else.
• I've just been diagnosed with breast cancer.
• I can't pay my credit card bill.
• My husband's left me.
• My daughter has anorexia.
• My house has been burgled: I've lost everything.
• I've got cancer.

You know what's missing? Anything happy.
You know how much training I got to deal with this? None.

Happy New Year.