The Random Thoughts of Louis Schmier

Couldn’t sleep. It’s early, late, who knows. It’s this delayed time change. It’s an almost “brrrrrrr” morning. I’m about to go out for my five mile brisk, semi-bundled up walk–no power walking until at least mid- January–in the brisk 40 degree pre-dawn air. Meanwhile, this morning, over a cup of freshly brewed coffee, I was [...]

Someone asked me to describe teaching. I thought about that. I think I’ll describe my teaching or at least the spirit with which I teach. But, I’m not going to talk about my discipline, or my methods, or my philosophy of education, or my credo. I think I’ll talk about what I struggle to get [...]

Well, my “grrrrrrrrr” has generated a lot of discussion that has threatened to send my computer on overload and wear my typing fingers down to the proverbial bone. It has ranged from a “go, Louis” to accusations of being “controlling,” “regressive,” “patriarchic,” “uncaring,” and “getting into students’ lives.” It has ranged from agreeing with limiting [...]

Grrrrrrrrrrrr! I am not a happy camper. I’ve been in a stew for the last few days. It always happens at this time of the semester. I was going to let it pass, as I usually do, with mumbles and rumbles under my breathe or in the sanctity of a colleague/s office. But, not this [...]

I lost a dear colleague and friend last week to the ravages of pancreatic cancer. His name is Fred Morris. Very few of you know of him. You should have. For me, he was a fellow traveler and kindred spirit. He tooled about in a motorized wheel chair, but stood so tall I really never [...]