Tag Archives: Work

Pixelary

So, for the last year or so, I’ve been tinkering around with a new client management system for naturalaxis, and even partially coded it at one point before losing the code. Anyway, I took another shot at it, and it’s currently coming along alright. I’m already using it in a production environment to track my active accounts for the company. The current features — which are limited to the consultant’s interface — include:

  • Support ticket functionality, including the capacity to add notes on ticket items
  • Streamlined timesheet review and posting
  • Contact management: each account can have multiple people associated with it

Percentage-wise, the code is probably about 40% complete, at least in terms of being able to use it for both clients and consultants without any bells and whistles. Some things I still need to finish to put this code completely into production:

  • Complete the coding for the billing interface, which I haven’t even started yet. This is the really important part of the program, since it sends the bills out and provides me with the up-to-date information on each account’s standing.
  • Add e-mail functionality, which I have a component for, but haven’t wired into anything yet. Ideally, the component will be wired into anything that generates output. I’m likely using PHPMailer to save myself a lot of work here.
  • Completing the code for account credits and charges.
  • Making the generation of some information more dependent on the configuration files to make generalizing the system easier.
  • Finish any code I haven’t finished (duh).

That’s the short list, but contains most of the major stuff. There are some things I’m holding off on until the software is initially released:

  • E-mail gatewayAbility to e-mail a support address and automatically add a ticket to the system, provided that the originating e-mail address has an account within the system itself. I expect that this article from evolt.org will help quite a lot.
  • Client management of multiple accountsOne user in the system should be able to manage multiple accounts within the same system on the client side. The way the code is currently implemented, a single user can only be assigned to a single account unless multiple user names are used.
  • System configuration wizardThe skeletal framework for this is there, but probably won’t make it into the initial release. I’d love to be able to change the system configuration without actually using the configuration file.
  • System installerThis is an involved component in and of itself. The installer would automatically set up the MySQL databases needed for Pixelary, create the configuration file, create initial users, and populate the databases accordingly.

The goal here is to get something that I can release via SourceForge — probably under the BSD license. We’ll see about that — for now, I just want a running system that I can be proud of.

Tutoring Self Evaluation – Fall 2004

Below is the text of my tutoring self evaluation for this quarter. This is technically an internal document for use by the Center’s Director, but I see no problem with sharing it with everyone else.

* * *

Tutoring Self Evaluation – Fall 2004
Peter Ellis

I have found that my tutoring this quarter has been a mess of questions combined with a series of realizations about my weaknesses in tutoring. The big thing I’ve noticed this quarter is the difference between program tutoring and drop-in tutoring. I’ve missed the personal connection that comes with being assigned to a particular program and tutoring the same assignments repeatedly; now, I’m forced to budget time trying to get a sense of what the actual assignment is. This is an odd issue in time management for me, since some people take five minutes just to tell me what they’re working on.

I have noticed a slight lack of confidence this quarter as well, since I have had to deal with situations where the advice I gave was often only given once. I rarely (if ever) got feedback on how a particular tactic or idea worked. I felt a little awkward at times recommending the same advice to others, since I had no idea of the advice had worked in previous circumstances or not. This is something I continue to struggle with, and I’m not entirely sure how to negate the effects of this.

Recognizing that tutoring is really an ongoing process of learning and tweaking strategies, it seems like my tool bag has remained much the same over the last quarter, with a few interesting new tricks added into it. I do wish, though, that I had more substantive information on grammar and the language to communicate with others about grammatical errors and quirks. I also feel a weakness surrounding my position in a tutoring session � I don’t always allow the student to run the session. It sometimes feels as if I am in control too much, which is something I have always struggled with.
In terms of my work as head of the Web Team, I feel as if we’ve made significant progress this quarter in developing a web presence. Some of that progress has been hard-gained, and it seems like perhaps more could have been done, but I’m satisfied with my work in that arena as a whole.

Looking ahead, I feel like I definitely need to work more on reviewing grammar and fine-tuning my communication skills. Next quarter, I hope to expand my knowledge of grammar by attending some of the Grammar Rodeo workshops. In addition, I hope to continue work on the web site so that it presents the Writing Center as a unique and creative space for writers on campus.

Winter Class and Work Schedules

Class Schedule for The Novel: Life and Form

Mon: 9:00AM – 12:00PM
Tue: 10:00AM – 12:00PM
Wed: 9:00AM – 12:00PM
Thu: 10:00AM – 12:00PM
Fri: 9:00AM – 12:00PM

Requested Work Hours for Winter 2005

Sun: No hours (0)
Mon: 2:00PM – 6:00PM (4)
Tue: 2:00PM – 6:00PM (4)
Wed: No hours (0)
Thu: 1:00PM – 6:00PM (5)
Fri: No hours (0)

The Winter 2005 work hours are subject to approval. Those hours also include three hours of work time on the Writing Center’s web site. That makes 16 hours/week of work.

Readers and Writers

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the difference between readers and writers. This is mainly because Evergreen’s Writing Center is in the process of updating its mission statement, revising it to a “mission and core values” statement. As tutors, we serve Evergreen’s population by providing objective feedback on particular pieces of writing, whether that writing is academic or personal. As we’ve begun the revision process, a question came up regarding the difference between a reader and a writer, and what role both of those actors play in the process of a tutoring session.

I have argued that the role of the tutor is rarely one of a writer. According to dictionary.com:

writer, n.
One who writes, especially as an occupation.

The role of a writer, then, is to actually write text in the literal sense of the word. However, in tutoring, the role of the writer changes somewhat — as a tutor, writers are expected to be able to correct on an expert level any problems related to grammar, sentence structure, paper structure, and flow, as well as having a fairly good command of different styles of writing. Certainly, these expectations are not beyond the ability of a writing tutor, but it is one part of this, the idea of writers working on an expert level, that doesn’t quite jibe with the role of an undergraduate writing tutor on a predominantly undergraduate campus (I have tutored graduate students, but this is beyond the scope of this entry).

Now, compare this against dictionary.com’s definition of a reader. I have only included part of this definition, since these parts apply to the discussion:

Reader, n.
1. One who reads. Specifically: (a) One whose distinctive office is to read prayers in a church. (b) (University of Oxford, Eng.) One who reads lectures on scientific subjects. –Lyell. (c) A proof reader. (d) One who reads manuscripts offered for publication and advises regarding their merit.
2. One who reads much; one who is studious.

This definition immediately comes much closer to the role of a writing tutor: “one who reads manuscripts and advises regarding their merit; one who reads much, one who is studious”. A tutor’s job is not to critique a work word by word or phrase by phrase; rather, our job is to provide advice to those who come in regarding the state of their paper and make suggestions for improvement, along with the process of asking questions about the work and providing an objective viewpoint for any piece of writing. In addition, the term reader does not implicitly imply any sort of expertise. In actuality, the term reader is much fairer to apply to writing tutors, because we do not engage in the physical act of writing, but instead appreciate it and assist it from a higher level.

As a result, it seems to me appropriate to apply the idea of a writing tutor as reader to my part in recasting the Writing Center’s mission statement. The word comes much closer to the ideal that we try to promote as an active part of the College’s writing community.

Hearing and Web Sites

I had to come back home a day early without Amanda due to a problem with my hearing aids. Despite my troubleshooting of one dead left hearing aid, I apparently missed moisture in one of the tubes, which led to me hurrying back down here and going to the audiologist.

Okay, false alarm, but I was going to go in anyway. Needed new molds made, and I got to hear about some new hearing aid advances, which, of course, is always a subject that gets my attention.

Oticon has released a new model called the Synchro, which is basically one level up from the aids I’m currently using, the Oticon Adapto models. The really big differences here have to do with the way in which the directional microphones on the hearing aids work. On the Adapto, there are really only two ways in which the microphones can work — they can either focus on a narrow amount of noise while still allowing background noise or they can act as a sort of omnidirectional microphone. That limits the Adapto’s ability to — well — adapt to some situations well, since its intelligence is limited to two preset programs stored within the hearing aid itself. With the Synchro, there’s apparently quite a bit more flexibility. Instead of two programs that the aid depends on, the Synchro model does a form of parallel processing, considering several different noise scenarios at once. Based on whatever scenario seems best at the time, it will adjust the volume of the aids to whatever’s most appropriate for that situation. In addition, the Synchro improves on the Adapto’s noise cancellation and feedback cancellation systems, which makes it both better at isolating sounds and better at preventing other people from getting annoyed at hearing aid users because of the whine generated when the aid doesn’t have a tight seal. Both are good things.

Oh, and let’s not forget that a wide selection of colors is available: beige, light brown, dark brown, light gray, dark gray, transparent, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and green. For some, I could see where this would be nice. Personally, I like the clear ones — my audiologist had a display of some of the available colors out.

In addition to that, I’ve been doing some web site work. I’m planning to update the naturalaxis web site with a new layout that depends entirely on CSS (which, I admit, puts me a little behind — there are lots of other sites that have long since gone to CSS-only layout control, but better late than never). I’m also hoping to redo the portfolio section to be more of a case study section on one or two good projects.

In addition, I’m still working with Evergreen’s Web Team and Access Services actively, though progress is a little slow. I’ve also thrown together an informational web site for the Enrollment Growth DTF, which I’m serving on for the duration of the academic year — it has yet to be approved, so, thus, has not been posted.

I’m looking forward to seeing my good friend in Port Townsend. It should be a good weekend.

Hodgepodge II

Thursday brought about a judge’s ruling that Washington State’s ban on selling certain violent video games to minors violates First Amendment free speech rights. The ruling also stated that the ban was too narrowly defined. Interesting, considering that these sales are more of a perpetuation of violence than anything else. There are those who would say that such games are harmless, but I err more on the side of caution: I prefer to say that there is a fairly high likelihood that these games cause children to think that violence is somehow routine. I would agree that the ban is too narrow, but it seems to me that construing this as a First Amendment issue is a little questionable.

Lawyers are free to contradict me on that conclusion.

In other news, I’m now officially working for Evergreen’s Web Team and Access Services departments, as well as being on retainer for the Writing Center. The Web Team position is probably only for the summer, and I will be focusing on accessibility issues within the entire Evergreen site. The other two are both part of my Site Manager position, which I’ve been doing for the last year on behalf of the Writing Center. It’s nice to add another Evergreen department to the list.

Not much else going on. I’m looking forward to a camping trip with Amanda to celebrate our one-year anniversary. We leave for Larrabee State Park on Wednesday and come back on Saturday. Until then, we’re lounging around in Bellingham doing generally nothing.

Truth in Magnetic Poetry

“Be ugly though fast as tongues.”

Thus spake the magnetic poetry muses as I fiddled with the magnetic poetry set we have up in the Writing Center this afternoon. For some reason, I found this to have a very faint glimmer of truth, depending on how you interpret it. You can interpret it as being an ugly person, yet being able to run fast. This isn’t really the one I was thinking of. No, the interpretation I like is being ugly as in being truthful, yet being quick enough to realize the power of your words and work accordingly.

Okay, this may seem as if it is quite a stretch to some, but think about it. Words have a power over us that is undeniable — if used in the right way, they wield an enormous amount of influence. The issue at hand is not tact, but rather, honesty: we should be honest enough to say what we think, but careful enough to make sure we also say what we mean. This is a lesson a lot of people never truly learn.

To me, it is a valuable lesson, and guides my tutoring work at the Writing Center. I tutor knowing that honesty is the best policy, and I’m unafraid to tell someone that their work has problems or to discuss those problems within the framework of the piece. The trick is to do it in such a way that it comes across as an impression about the writer’s work, rather than a criticism.

My two cents about the work I do.