MichaelandChrissy.com

We did send out a Christmas letter this year, but I wanted to post it to the web site anyway.  Who knows, maybe somebody who isn’t on our holiday mailing list would like to know what we were up to this year?  If you’re not on our Christmas card list, and would like to be, please let me know!  The “online version” is now enhanced with links back to blog posts that give more details.  Click “Continue Reading” to read the 2008 Christmas Letter.

Netflix has a star-based ratings system that goes from one to five, one being that you hated a particular movie, and five being that you loved that movie.  That sounds pretty straightforward, but it’s very subjective.  I doubt that most people put a lot of thought into this.  They see a good movie that kept them entertained for an hour while they enjoyed their popcorn, and immediately throw five stars at it. Will they even remember the plot tomorrow?  No?  Then don’t give it five stars!  They should give it three stars, to show that they enjoyed it, but it didn’t change their life.

Here is how Netflix suggests that you rate movies:

1. Hated it
2. Didn’t like it
3. Liked it
4. Really liked it
5. Loved it

That’s all well and good, but I am more objective in my ratings system.  Granted, whether or not I liked a movie is entirely subjective to me, but I try to rate each movie on the same scale.  Few titles will get five stars from me.  To get five stars, I would want to own that movie.  Keep in mind that I have a small, very particular, DVD collection made up of movies that have moved me.  I rarely watch the same movie twice.  No time for that.  I’d have to really like a movie to see it a second time, even on DVD.

Here is how I judge Netflix movies:

1. Shouldn’t be watched by anyone, ever
2. Didn’t enjoy it
3. Enjoyed it, might remember the plot tomorrow
4. Would recommend it to friends, might watch a second time
5. Near and dear to me, would buy it for my own DVD collection

While grading students in my class at Indiana University, I asked my mentor professor if it was normal to give “A”s to everyone in class.  He told me that grades should ideally be distributed in a bell curve, with a few students getting As at the bottom of the curve, more getting Bs as you go up, the majority getting Cs at the top of the curve, then back down the curve to Ds, and just a few getting Fs at the bottom again.  The ratio of As to Fs should be relatively equal, as should the ratio of Bs to Ds.  There are benefits to this type of grading system, but there are also shortcomings.

I don’t generally grade this way in my classes (most people get As, with a few slackers getting Bs, and the one kid who never shows up gets an F).  However, I think that the bell curve distribution is useful to keep in mind while rating movies.  You can’t quote every movie word-for-word (five stars), and you won’t walk out of every movie in disgust (one star).  In fact, the majority of the movies that I’ve rated on Netflix have gotten three stars.  Unrealistic movie ratings would throw off the curve.  I wish that more people would adopt a more solid method for rating on Netflix.

I was driving down the Borman Expressway when I noticed a new billboard ad with the Indiana University logo splashed across it.  I graduated from IU (twice) and occasionally teach at the Northwest branch, so I’m drawn to this stuff.  The advertisement said something along the lines of “Get Your MBA In Twelve Months”. You only have to go to classes on Saturdays and the degree is AACSB accredited.

What the hell?! I spent two and a half years at Indiana University to get my MBA.  I took night classes twice a week, after commuting back from my full-time job in Chicago. There were no Saturday courses back then.  To add insult to injury, Indiana University Northwest lost their AACSB accreditation a year into my studies and didn’t get it back until two years after I had graduated.

I called my mentor professor to complain a bit.  He said that the twelve month program was new and included many internet-based classes.  He also said that it cost $25,000 for all of the classes.  That’s cheap by “Ivy League” standards, but I only paid about a thousand per semester for my degree (a lot less).  So, there’s a trade-off for the quick degree.

I understand that the business school has to stay competitive, since there are now thirteen other MBA degree programs in Indiana, but I’m still aggravated by this.  I can’t say whether the degrees earned under this new program are less deserved than the one that I received, but it seems like I could have waited six years and gotten an MBA far more easily.  Where’s my “quick and easy” PhD program?

Chrissy has decided to go back to school for her Master’s Degree in Education.  She has wanted to do this for a while now, and is ready to take the plunge.  She researched and applied for the classes at Concordia University, and luckily they have a meeting center nearby.  But wait, isn’t she due to have a baby in July?  Well, yes, but the first semester will wrapped up by then, and the next semester doesn’t start until after the summer is over, so this actually works out well for her. 

There are many benefits of going back to college for Chrissy.  First, the school district that she works for pays on a sliding scale based on years of service and education level.  Earn a new degree and it’s an instant raise!  Also, her degree will be tailored for “School Administration”, which means that she can not only teach, but she can also take a role as an administrator (such as Vice Principal or another district-level position).  This really opens up her options in the future.

So for the next eight weeks, Chrissy will be spending four hours each Thursday night in a classroom.  She’ll be able to meet other students who share her same background and goals, since even elementary school teachers need to network.  It’s been six years since she was last in a classroom where she wasn’t teaching, but I’m confident that she’ll ace this one.  Chrissy was always an excellent student, so she’ll do fine once she gets back into the groove.  Everybody wish her luck!

Chrissy and I went to Lamaze classes this weekend at Community Hospital in Munster. We took the weekend crash course that was eight hours on Saturday and five hours on Sunday. Two very long days. But we brought our own pillows from home and were relatively comfy.

It was very interesting though, and we learned a lot. Surprisingly, the class wasn’t all about breathing for pain management. The instuctor talked to us about pregnancy issues, and then the birthing experience, and then postpartum issues. We found out that the Yoga Ball that Chrissy put away long ago could be used to strengthen the birthing muscles and ease the pressure during labor.

We did practice the breathing techniques for a little while each day, but the class was mostly about what to expect and how to prepare for the next stages of pregnancy and birth. I feel a lot more confident about what I’m supposed to be doing now. And the instructor was very good about answering everybody’s questions. I was sort of dreading the long classes, but now I’m glad that we went.