It's Friday (day 5) of week 5. I realize there is a lot of pain, anxiety and stress in the community right now for a ton of different reasons; as a reminder: the College has counseling services available to you even if you are not on campus.

Remember that from my point of view, mental health issues are a reason to ask for an extension on assignments; I don't need to see a doctor's note.

Schedule for today

HST137	Comments on Hypothes.is were due last night, so you can start looking through them, and look through posts from your peers to gear up for the End of Week reflection , which is due on Sunday night, Sept. 27. (But you can of course submit earlier). Collect your points in the Canvas Declaration Quiz! Unprecedented: week 6 is ready for your perusal!
HST271	Remember to submit your first larger reflection on the past few weeks as a Canvas assignment. In the morning I will add the posts for Week 5 to the randomizer and load that to the webpage, and then you can begin to comment on the blog posts using Hypothes.is (group HST271). That link has all the info on what to do and four blogs from the Randomizer. Comments are due on Monday night. Don't forget to collect your points in the Canvas Declaration Quiz!
HST439	Your blog post for week 5 is due tonight. Take on board the comments and discussion from Hypothes.is group HST439. Don't forget to collect your points in the Canvas Declaration Quiz!

Muhlenberg Community Activities

• 2pm: Live webinar discussion of Exit West (scroll down the page)
• 3pm: Virtual Trivia Zoom, organized by the Muhlenberg Activities Council. Theme this week is General Knowledge! Prizes include gift cards and Berg Bookshop Merch. Competition will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Zoom.
  • Sponsored by Student Engagement
  • More info: ellenlentine@muhlenberg.edu

Weekend "Long Read"

I don't intend to watch the new Mulan movie, but I intend to find some time and sit down with these movie reviews!

• James Millward reminds us that the Ballad of Mulan has distinct non-Han origins (meaning it's not what most Americans would think of as "Chinese")
• Evan Nicoll-Johnson follows up with a twitter thread to fill out what appear to be a few scholarly details, but actually have implications for the non-scholarly audience, too.
• Kelly Hammond does what all historians love doing when they see a "historical" piece, and goes looking for the mistakes and inaccuracies. Also, it's called "I watched Mulan, so you don't have to," and I think I trust Prof. Hammond on this one.
• Finally, if you still think the lush costuming and the beautiful world of the Tang, in which the Disney film is purportedly set, save the film, please take a look at this detailed analysis on the Hanfugirl blog, especially if you're in HST137! Turns out things change over a period of some 2000 years... who'd have thought?

Conclusion? The animated film was actually pretty ok (even if I am not sure I can handle the songs, but that's a personal opinion).

It's Thursday (day 4) of week 5, and many of you are having big tests and exams this week and next week. Good luck, study hard (so you don't leave everything to luck!) and remember I am always prepared to see where we can work with extensions to give you some breathing space for this course.

I'm in the process of giving feedback on the Show and Tell projects from HST271, so you can prepare for the second Show and Tell. Yes, it's coming around already!

For HST137, feedback on your work so far is also coming, please be patient. As you know for yourself by now: everything online goes slower, and it's no different from the instructor's side, unfortunately.

IMPORTANT:

If you are a US citizen, please check out this slide deck, which includes informative videos and links with information on voting in the upcoming elections. Dean Deegan, Dean of Academic Affairs, asked us to share this information from Berg Votes, which is a non-partisan organization on campus. Your vote matters, make sure you are registered and all set to vote safely.

Schedule for today

Drop-in tutorials

Drop in tutorial: 11am-12pm, open to all. I assume everything is going fine because I never see anybody? You can also just drop in to geek out about cool stuff you found out about Chinese history. I'm pretty sure I'll geek out alongside you!

• Option 1: reserve a spot on this Google appointment page
• Option 2: "drop in" anytime, but you may have to wait a bit in the waiting room.

Both are for a Zoom meeting, using the Green Link on your respective Canvas SECRETS pages (or find the info in your Canvas Calendar).

HST137	Get your Discussion Comments in before 11.59pm tonight, and don't forget to collect your points by filling out the Declaration Quiz on Canvas. Everything you need to know is available on that link: how to comment, and four blogs randomly loaded from our fine selection of student posts. Check out the Extra Credit tasks if you feel like picking up a few points.
HST271	Get your Weekly Blog Post in by 11.59pm tonight, and collect your points by filling out the Declaration Quiz. Everything you need to know is at that link. You can start pondering topics and formats for the second module's Show and Tell project, and pitch your project in the Cloud Lounge like last time. Check out the Extra Credit tasks if you feel like picking up a few points.
HST439	As always you can continue the annotations of the texts and discussion with your classmates, but begin to ponder about your Weekly Blog Post, which is due on Friday. Check out the Extra Credit tasks if you feel like picking up a few points.

Activities

Chinese Table

• 5pm, on Zoom: Come and practice your Chinese or find Chinese friends!
• All levels welcome!
• Let me know if you'd like the Zoom link.

Dr. Miller shared the following message: "The theme of this week’s Chinese Table will be movies 电影. Regina Lau 劉麗儀 will be our co-host! Please come ready to talk about your favorite film, or maybe a movie you saw recently that you really liked or a movie that is coming out soon that you are looking forward to. If you want to share a film clip, that would be great! Please email me a link to your clip ahead of the meeting so that I can share it with everyone."

• Future meetings:
  • September 24, October 8, October 22, November 5, November 19, and December 3

Performance: "The Trouble with My Name"

• 7pm, Zoom. Check the PDF for the Zoom link

Javier Ávila, renowned poet, novelist, and professor of English, brings his acclaimed one-man performance about the Latinx experience to Muhlenberg College.

It's Hispanic Heritage Month!

Modern Chinese History

Prof. Thomas Mullaney of Stanford University is gearing up to start the semester and is sharing his video lecture segments online. We're running a little bit ahead of his publication schedule, but they may still be useful for review, or in HST271 for additional info in Show and Tell projects. Check out his Youtube Channel!

#BackyardWildlifeCollege

I've been tweeting about the wildlife (really mild life) in my backyard for a few years now under the hashtag #BackyardWildlifeCollege, but this person takes the "campus infrastructure" to a whole new level. A twitter friend alerted me to this, and I think you might enjoy!

When the badger tries to climb the rope 💚 pic.twitter.com/y4yGlJBDhb

— The Dodo (@dodo) September 22, 2020

As you're doing more writing, and beginning to embark on bigger projects (in this course or others, remember the Writing Center has Online Appointments. Sign up here: https://muhlenberg.mywconline.com/ I highly recommend this for rewrites, for a tune-up, for reassurance, if you're curious,...

I haven't got much other commentary at the top, so let's dive straight in!

Schedule for today

Drop-in tutorials

Drop in tutorial: 1-2 pm, open to all.

• Option 1: reserve a spot on this Google appointment page
• Option 2: "drop in" anytime, but you may have to wait a bit in the waiting room.

Both are for a Zoom meeting, using the Green Link on your respective Canvas SECRETS pages (or find the info in your Canvas Calendar).

HST137	In the morning I will add the initial blog posts to the randomizer and load that to the webpage, so you can start on the Discussion Comments. Comments on due by Thursday night. Optional video conference chat/check in at 11.30am: if you want to talk about the course materials or assignments, or about anything related to Chinese history, please come! "Pink Link" can be found on the SECRETS page on Canvas
HST271	Keep on working on the "readings", remember the main focus is on the documentary and it's a long one but worth your time. Courtesy of your classmate Abbey, here is an interesting Optional Extra read from National Geographic: "Why does the US have so many China towns? (also in PDF but it doesn't look half as good in this print layout.)
HST439	Comments for the Social Annotation are due tonight, 11.59pm in the Hypothes.is group HST439.

Additional Information

Getting Started Workshops from Digital Learning

• 6-7 PM: "Setting up Bergbuilds and WordPress" (Check the PDF for Zoom meeting ID and login)
  • Spread the word: just because you're becoming a "ninja" with your Domains and Hypothes.is expertise, doesn't mean your friends in other courses are - but they can! Send them to the workshops.
• 6.30pm: "Holding the 2020 election under crisis: Challenges and solutions"
  • The Political Science Department's series "Democracy in Crisis: Elections in 2020" continues! Sign up via this website to follow the debate, and ask questions of the panelists.
  • "Keeping the Republic is a bipartisan group that is especially concerned with potential post-election challenges to the electoral process. Dr. Borick [Muhlenberg Political Science] will be moderating the event."

Africana Bookclub

• 4pm: Africana book club is reading Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler, discussing chapters 17 through the end of the novel. If you'd like to join in with the conversation, let me know, I can share the details for the Zoom session.
  • The next meeting will be on Oct. 7, and the club members start reading a new book: Boy, Snow, Bird (2014) by Helen Oyeyemi. Contact Dr. Kucik to be added to the list!

Growth Mindset Cat says:

I hope you can see how this Cat's mindset applies to our courses:

Today is Tuesday (day 2) of week 5. Wait what? How is it already September 22? I type these dates and am constantly in my calendar but it doesn't always hit me that we're already a month into the semester. Aaarghghgh! Also, we're 72% through the year and I'll now try very hard to forget that.

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 72%

— Year Progress (@year_progress) September 20, 2020

Schedule for today

Drop-in tutorials

Drop in tutorial: 2-3 pm, open to all.

• Option 1: reserve a spot on this Google appointment page
• Option 2: "drop in" anytime, but you may have to wait a bit in the waiting room.

Both are for a Zoom meeting, using the Green Link on your respective Canvas SECRETS pages (or find the info in your Canvas Calendar).

HST137	Add your comments for your colleagues' Week 4 Reflection posts on tombs, using Hypothes.is by tonight, 11.59pm. Your Initial Post for Week 5 is due at 11.59pm tonight. Remember to collect your points in the Canvas declaration quizzes for both these tasks.
HST271	Optional video conference chat/check in at 4pm.Drop in if you're a bit unsure about the first reflection (which is a different animal from a Show and Tell project). Use the Pink Link from the SECRETS page on Canvas or follow your Canvas calendar. You can now see what others did for their first Show and Tell project, and give feedback. While it's not graded, I'd like to see you be a good community member, even when there is no carrot other than the warm fuzzy glow of giving to the community, and the likelihood that others will give you feedback in future, too!
HST439	Optional video conference chat/check in at 1pm: useful if you miss your synchronous class sessions! "Pink Link" can be found on the SECRETS page or on the Canvas Calendar. Feedback on your colleagues' posts from Week 4 is due by 11.59pm tonight. Don't forget to collect your points in the Declaration quiz on Canvas.

Additional information

Academic Resource Center

6PM tonight: Memory and Test Preparation seminar from Academic Resource Center.

Mini Tuesday

Ooops! I forgot to do Mini Monday yesterday! Here's a cute little Russian squirrel who suddenly realizes s/he should be afraid of humans. Or maybe that it's 2020 and s/he starts to ponder everything that's happened.

(But don't be mistaken by their cuteness, they are fierce omnivores. Ask me about the bird feeder incident from last week… Content warning: not for sensitive souls!)

Today is Monday (day 1) of week 5, and we're officially in autumn now! Apple cider donuts and crisp autumn leaves are just around the corner - I hope you get a chance to enjoy some of that, even as the workload for your courses is undoubtedly increasing, and I am likely also one of the causes. It's unfortunately part of the rhythm of the semester.

Reminder: I welcome feedback, including on course work load. Teaching online is new to me and it is tricky to estimate how much time assignments or readings take in this new format. If you feel uncomfortable telling me with your name attached to it, scroll down on your "week 5" course page to "Where to ask questions", and find the link to the anonymous typepad where you can leave anonymous comments. I'll do what I can, without compromising the quality of your education!

Schedule for today

HST137	Feedback on response posts is due on Tuesday, and the Randomizer will go up on Monday morning. Get started on your Readings for week 5. A basic set, and two options: one exploring daily life as gleaned from documents in a desert oasis, another is a chance to look at all the cool foreign stuff that found its way into Tang China.
HST271	Discussion remarks and feedback on your colleagues' post from last week is due tonight. Don't forget to collect your points in the Canvas quiz! Start viewing the documentary in the basic set, which is the most important part of this week's Reading list.
HST439	Feedback on your colleagues' posts is due on Tuesday and the Randomizer is up and running!.

Activities for the 'Berg Community:

• 5PM tonight: Memory and Test Preparation seminar from Academic Resource Center.
• 5PM tonight: History Club meets to elect new officers, and to plan new activities for the semester. Email me for a link!
• 6PM tonight: Advocating for all Black lives in the era of social media -A Conversation with the Muhlenberg Community about Inclusive Activism, Social Media, and Racism Online, Followed by Open Question & Answer Session 
  • (you should have received an email with a link from Dr. Kucik) - check out further details of the series in this PDF: BLMSeries_InclusiveActivism_Fall2020

Fun stuff:

I think this is a brilliant way to end a Zoom session. Can we start doing this, too please? Please?! (Also: which muppet are you? Which muppet should I be??)

My students agree with me that Zoom classes need to end with all of us waving at each other like Muppets. pic.twitter.com/DCZLcQ06SI

— Prof. Johanna Franklin (@JohannaF_math) September 16, 2020