Uh... way to make friends?

Being a prick isn't like you, Justin. Grow up. I pulled that shit in undergrad and have been ashamed of the memory.

Oh, my. I must say, I'm rather glad you're not taking any of my classes... It's hard enough being up in front of a class without someone taunting the rest of the students while I'm teaching. :/

Might I suggest that next time you just not show up, and talk with the professor outside of class to explain why?

Reality arrived, eh? Not a moment too soon!

For most of my classes, I take dutiful notes, I comment generously, based on the reading and the comments of the people before me. I learned that in a high school AP history class - the teacher, Robert Merrick, made us reference the comment of someone who had spoken before us whenever we raised our hand. It ensured some measure of listening, and continuity in conversation.

So in normal discussion classes, I think I'm a positive presence. I work at that! Being quiet, taking in the discussion, and then presenting something missing to the discussion.

This was a different example - a slow-paced rudimentary computer tutorial. A mandatory lecture!

I was a prick - it's true. This post, writing up my behavior, was an effort to practice self-awareness. I didn't enter the class planning to act so punked out. But I realized it midway through - wow, I'm being disrespectful! So I excused myself.

I nearly died in a computer tutorial yesterday myself -- for a bunch of us 1st year MFA students in a class. Attendance mandatory, as it was actually part of our "teaching writing" class.

I surfed the web for a great deal of it.

I surfed the web quite a bit in a Dreamweaver/Flash class I was _teaching_ to Northwestern undergrads a few years ago. I think by the time people get to college they are either going to "know" computers or have such a big chip on their shoulder about "not doing computers" that it's kind of pointless to make these things mandatory. For specific software, or for people who sincerely want to join the 21st century, and are willing to make the effort, it's fine, but otherwise I agree with y'all that it's pretty futile! =)

Cripes! I'd rather have had one Justin dude than what I ended up with the first year I taught in New Mexico. I was their third 6th grade math teacher within a month of the beginning of school. They tried to run me off. I refused the offer.

I think it must be pretty tough being a teacher of mandatory software tutorials with a bunch of people who might just know more about computers than you do. Just thinking.

Is it only me that finds this entry hilarious?

Well, Justin, I didn't mean to jump on you, it just doesn't seem like your typical effusive, friendly demeanor that I gather you have from reading your web pages. From what I read here, it seems more like you to contribute a lot and perhaps pose probing questions, and maybe even start commandeering the class and teaching it your own way.

Justin, now that I am thinking about it, maybe you can answer this question. Please answer it.

Since you are a fairly well-known web-celebrity, do you often tell people about your website? Like, if you were in a USC class and meeting new people, would you say, "you ought to check out links.net, that's my website and I have been working on it for years." I'm not talking about people you become good friends with, I'm talking about people with whom you are in the preliminary stages of acquaintance.

I'm just curious whether you tout links.net in that way, or whether you let people discover it by googling you or something.

Seriously Justin, this comment makes you sound like a complete spoiled asshole. What are doing down in this program anyway if you're going to be a disruptive jerk and are already complaining about having more homework than other sections of the same class. You're in grad school, ostensibly because you are passionate about something. The more I read this the more it sounds like grad school is just another way for you to put off making serious choices in life.

Don't mean to sound harsh but when you post things like this it's tough to be sympathetic to your causes.

What was the program.

I remeber my graphic design 100 class. On the first day while the prof was telling people how to open and close windows I was updating the art on my, now defunct but coming back soon, website. The prof notices that I am not paying attention. Looks at my screen. Looks at my screen and says, "So your'e familiar with photoshop."
I was also sitting next to someone who had no clue and bearly spoke english. I lived.

I must have written that comment before my morning cup of coffee. Yikes!