I’ve always known that I have a slight obsessive-compulsive streak. That, in fact, may be why I do so well in math and science - I intensely dislike inaccuracy and sloppiness.
So now that I’m back in school, those OCD tendencies are beginning to manifest themselves in a rather amusing-yet-disturbing fashion. Namely, on the chalkboard.
Obviously, professors fill up the chalkboard with equations and notes and diagrams and so forth when they lecture. It’s understood. Accepted, even. And students dutifully copy the scribbles and doodles into their notebooks.
At some point in a two-hour lecture, however, there often comes a point where the chalkboard is full. No room for more notes. When that happens, obviously, the professor erases the board and starts clean.
Except he doesn’t always start clean, and this is what drives me batshit. Often he’ll just give the board a cursory wipe, removing the majority of the writing, and then start with the new stuff.
I don’t know what it is, but when the board isn’t erased cleanly, and there are scattered fragments of previous notes and equations and bits of diagrams, it gives me the heebie-jeebies. Enough so that I have to make a conscious effort to ignore them and concentrate on the new stuff. If he erases the board cleanly, I give an almost audible sigh of relief and go forth on my merry way, copying down notes and equations and knowledge.
Incomplete erasing makes me just want to scream “Doesn’t that bother you? How can you leave it like that?”
But I don’t, obviously, and I suffer in silence.
I know, I know. Feel free to disparage me in the comments.
March 2nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Yes. Totally, completely, and totally completely drove me nuts when I was school. Also: You’re watching a movie. A character hangs up the phone without saying goodbye, and then forgets to shut the front door.
Skin crawls.
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
With me, not so much the hanging up the phone, but the door thing? Absolutely. You have to shut the door. It should be law, or something.
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
That can be disconcerting, true. I used to try and erase it all when I was a teacher, but then I had 30 or so unruly teenagers. When there’s a room of mature (ish) college folk, it should be different.
It may not be, though, all I’m saying is, it should be …
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Chris, I forgot you used to teach. Poor bastard. Just promise me that if you take it up again, you’ll strive for cleanly-erased boards.
I’m thinking of starting a movement.
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:13 am
Or in last James Bond, elaborately stole the inhaler for no apparent reason. Or Reese Whitherspoon having a roll of certs in her pocket during a scene in Dangerous Liasons. Puke-worthy.
To the chalkboard problem, I say get some balls and take back the eraser. Clean your spot while all stand in awe and jealousy of you. Perhaps, Wolf, you are being tested. “what will he endure?” “how can I make them dance to my chalk-infested jig”. Bypass his assness and take command.
March 4th, 2009 at 5:37 am
Chief used to have shaman like that. Would never scrape buffalo hide completely before starting next pictograph. Pissed Chief off to no end.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Mia: that reminds me. I need to watch Quantum when it comes out on DVD. I missed it in theatres.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Chief: how many times can you scrape a buffalo hide before it’s too thin to write on any more? Sounds like a waste of buffalo hide.