CYA

Oh my goodness, I got the shock of my life this evening. We were all handed back a Philosophy paper that we submitted last week, and on mine was, "This is an odd topic. Why did you write about it?" What??????

Luckily, I implemented the CYA application I learned long ago... yes kids, you gotta Cover Your Ass at all times. I whipped out the e-mail I thankfully printed out and put into my binder, a communiqué between myself and the professor last week. This is how it went:

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 11:04 AM
Subject: Re: PHIL 231


The task is very simple: explain the passage, both internally and
externally. I.e.: what is the author trying to establish in the passage,
and how. And how does the passage fit into the author's larger project.

MH

At 11:03 AM 9/16/02 -0700, you wrote:
>Dr. Hahn,
>
>I'm in your PHIL 231 class and had to leave at 9:00 last
>Wednesday, missing whatever you had to say about the paper which
>is due this Wednesday (18th, although it says 17th in the
>syllabus?).
>
>I understand the paper is a maximum of 750 words, based on the
>readings for weeks 1-3: Chapters 1-4, plus the handout "The
>Allegory of the Cave", but in Week 2 in the syllabus you mention
>'Readings: selection in Life and Death'. Are there additional
>readings that you gave which I missed??
>
>I'm also uncertain what you are looking for in the paper, if we
>are to take a topic and give our opinion, or how a topic pertains
>to daily life... ? I'm sorry to make you repeat this information,
>you probably went over it in great detail after 9pm. This is only
>my second Philosophy class (I also took Moral Philosophy one year
>ago), so I am still feeling very green.
>
>Thank you,
>
>Gail Edwin



... So, wasn't it obvious that he didn't read my e-mail at all??? Of course, I approached him afterwards, and showed him the e-mail, and he said, "Didn't you get the handout?" I said, "What handout??" So he apologized and said he would mark my paper.

Jeez Louise. All I can say is, COVER YOUR ASS.