Stirring the Pot

[COBLENTZ@DT3.DT.UH.EDU]

I know it's a long, hot stressful summer, but I'm longing from some 
controversy here.  The comparative business-as-usual atmosphere that has
calmed our waters for the last couple of weeks is driving me nuts.  I
actually sent a message to emweb (Emily Dickinson) about terminal dashes!  
THe second I pressed the send key, I knew I had lost it.  I usually send
my kook messages to you guys.  Gee.  I'm humiliated.  Perhaps no one will
answer there (One can always hope.)

Let me tell you what's annoying me now:  projections to the year 2000 and
state compentency tests.  Both of them play hell with my dental work.  Is
the clenched jaw the usual facial configuration of a WC Director?

I'm an extremely analytical person.  Before I make a projection, I know
what my assumptions are.  One of my probably unstated assumptions is that
projections are not promises.  Wrong! (Once again, I'm naive . . .)  

I made very conservative projections about Writing Center use based on very 
careful analysis, and the first semester (Summer II '96; I did the diddly 
things only a month ago!) that I projected is spookily accurate.  Suddenly the 
projections for 99-00 (heh, heh) are being taken as the voice of God.  I really kinda 
thought I'd get a chance to back off those figures (we almost doubled, for 
Heaven's sake!) after a real semester in the circumtances we are now 
experiencing.  I told them I thought the tail was wagging the dog in the
summer.  That assumption was ignored.  Does anyone who has ever seen or heard
me think I look like a soothsayer, a reader of entrails?  Perhaps I should
have been that colorful in my projection report.  

Seriously, how do you do projections?  Or perhaps the real question is why do 
you do projections?  Should I have told these folks to back off?  What have I 
committed myself to?  I'm longing for someone to tell me I haven't *committed*
myself to anything.  

Well toot, we'll forget about state compentency exams (the circumstances
we're currently experiencing) and leave me stewing about projections.    

Linda Coblentz
UH-Downtown
coblentz@dt.uh.edu