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I've ridden an emotional roller-coaster over the last 24 hours:
Good: My job is funded next year, despite massive layoffs at the University of Kansas.
Bad: They cut my summer salary for this year, despite its being my busiest time of the year.
Good: Fetish-Kitty's illness has been diagnosed and treatment has begun - she's already feeling better.
Bad: Waking to find bloody urine in the bathroom before hearing the diagnosis.
Good: Catching up with high school friends. Facebook serves a purpose.
Bad: The reason we're getting in touch is that we lost a dear friend, Tim Haukos, in a small house fire.
A little about Tim: He played Oscar in Ortonville High School's production of "The Odd Couple" (I played Murray the cop and did set-building and special effects). He performed humorous speeches for our Forensics team and fought fiercely for our Debate team. He helped me build and launch rockets for the Ortonville Space Program (including one that made it at least 30 feet into the air before gloriously exploding - hence the icon choice). We played countless games of chess after school in his living room. He once performed a flawless imitation of a fountain-cherub in the entryway to my parents' house. I'm not sure if he got me in more trouble or vice-versa. He was hilarious and kind, crazy and well-liked. Tim was troubled in many ways - partly why I loved him.
RIP, Tim. Here's hoping you find some peace.
Chris
Good: My job is funded next year, despite massive layoffs at the University of Kansas.
Bad: They cut my summer salary for this year, despite its being my busiest time of the year.
Good: Fetish-Kitty's illness has been diagnosed and treatment has begun - she's already feeling better.
Bad: Waking to find bloody urine in the bathroom before hearing the diagnosis.
Good: Catching up with high school friends. Facebook serves a purpose.
Bad: The reason we're getting in touch is that we lost a dear friend, Tim Haukos, in a small house fire.
A little about Tim: He played Oscar in Ortonville High School's production of "The Odd Couple" (I played Murray the cop and did set-building and special effects). He performed humorous speeches for our Forensics team and fought fiercely for our Debate team. He helped me build and launch rockets for the Ortonville Space Program (including one that made it at least 30 feet into the air before gloriously exploding - hence the icon choice). We played countless games of chess after school in his living room. He once performed a flawless imitation of a fountain-cherub in the entryway to my parents' house. I'm not sure if he got me in more trouble or vice-versa. He was hilarious and kind, crazy and well-liked. Tim was troubled in many ways - partly why I loved him.
RIP, Tim. Here's hoping you find some peace.
Chris
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From: (Anonymous)
Tim
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Re: Tim
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i'm glad fetish-kitty's ok. i clicked over to her pix, and that is one adorable cat!! i love the one where she is wrapped around her neck!!!
my class was also cut for the summer (they're doing a remodel of the photo lab). i'm always scared to be without that paycheck, but at least when you know in advance you can plan ahead for it. and honestly, the time off is also really welcome.
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I'm so sorry about your friend. Thanks for sharing the memories.
And yay for Miss Fetish having a diagnosis. Here's hoping the treatment does the trick.
And finally WOOHOO!(-1) SO glad your (partial)funding came through. :)
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Thank you.
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I've noticed life is full of the roller-coaster. It seems for every good thing, something else comes along to offset. (I suppose that's being pessimistic; I could have framed it the other way...)
Anyway, take care.
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I also hope your kitty recovers quickly. And that your employer doesn't expect you to work all summer without salary. The economy continues to affect so many people I know, yet other people I know still deny there's a problem.
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Unfortunately, I'm still in charge of many things over the summer - things not explicitly on my contract, such as our not-for-credit SF programs and the Campbell Conference. To prevent KU from thinking it can do this again next year, I need to not do for-credit teaching-related stuff and let the university recognize what they're losing.
Irritating.
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Budget cuts horrid out here, too.
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States need to stop thinking about education as the place to cut. What I'd really love to see is a student backlash, which is only now starting to bubble up. So many other fine places to cut (say, a couple of wars that are costing a bit more than all the other cuts, combined).
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- E
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Glad to see positive stuff in there for you too though, especially on the job situation and Fetish-Kitty.
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Glad to hear you still have a gig (even with the downsides) and that Fetish is getting better.
D.
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However, I will hope that somehow the one door closed will allow another opportunity to find you.
D.
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I am really sorry about your summer situation.
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I'm going to treat the summer cut as an opportunity to finish a bunch of writing, so it's not an entirely bad thing!
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Glad to hear you weren't part of the layoffs and Fetish-Kitty is doing better.
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From: (Anonymous)
Tim
-Doug Julius
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You're right about him, that getting to be friends with Tim was a joy. I hope he got as much pleasure out of our friendship, too.
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Glad to hear about your cat.
I don't know what to say about your friend. I'm happy you have so many good memories to share. Thanks for that.
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Thank you. I've been realizing that a majority of my happy or funny memories of high school include Tim.