dagblog - Comments for "Solving the Two-Body Problem"

Yes, those are hilarious,

Doctor Cleveland — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:26:09 +0000

In reply to So Doc, I've put your wife's

Yes, those are hilarious, Peter. You aren't the only person who laughs at those, I'll admit.

But those aren't the real teaching evaluations from her job; those of course aren't online, because you're right. It would be a terrible idea. The site you found is a private site that asks students to anonymously rate professors online. The only good thing about that site is that students mostly seem to have gotten bored with it.

For what it's worth, my own real name is now linked from my Dag profile. I'm not going to use it on the blog, but any reader is free to know it. I just don't want students googling their professor finding the blog where I spout my political and religious opinions as one of their top hits.

So Doc, I've put your wife's

Peter Schwartz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:57:50 +0000

In reply to Solving the Two-Body Problem

So Doc, I've put your wife's book on my "wish list"...it sounds interesting.

But of course, the book gave her name, and your delightful encomia propelled me to find out more. She sounds great.

In the course of my two-second research, however, I came across one of those student evaluations of professors for her. Why they put them online for anyone to see is beyond me.

But some of the student comments made me laugh OUT LOUD. Particularly the encouraging ones that said, more or less: "Don't be intimidated by this course. I'm an idiot, and I passed. So you can, too."

Then there was one that brought JK Rowling, of all people, and said something like: "This professor thinks she's JK Rowling. When you get back your paper, there's red all over it. You make the changes and hand it back, and then she critics you again."

I can feel their pain.

Yes, the lottery. But don't

Peter Schwartz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:44:28 +0000

In reply to Solving the Two-Body Problem

Yes, the lottery.

But don't they say that luck favors the person who prepares?

Thank you, Mona! It is

Doctor Cleveland — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 22:43:26 +0000

In reply to Congratulations to both of

Thank you, Mona! It is totally like winning the lottery. It's so hard to make these things work out.

Congratulations to both of

Ramona — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 12:04:11 +0000

In reply to Solving the Two-Body Problem

Congratulations to both of you! Must feel like winning the lottery, since you say this sort of thing rarely happens this way. I know nothing about academic life (except what I read in Jane Smiley's Moo) but it sounds like you came at it with a plan and made it work for you. Also, serendipity.