Correct me if I'm wrong:  It seems to me that students generally do not resent teachers or courses that are demanding.  Comments on heavy workloads are not necesssarily complaints.  Seems to me that students have a threshhold for the amount of work they are willing to devote to a course.  Exactly where this threshhold is is determined by the amound of inputs and support the teacher makes available to them.  If the teacher is accessible, friendly, and if he equips students to face the work demands, then the students' threshhold is high.  If there is a mismatch, though, between teacher inputs and expectations, then the students are more likely to rebel.

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The Christmas break has officially begun.  It's so nice to have a breather!  Sometimes, though, I think the breaks are there for us to catch up on work--everything we are supposed to be doing but have not done and everything we would like to do but can't for various reasons.  I have a list of 12 items that I have to accomplish over the break.  Some can be finished fairly quickly--checking CS 197 and HCI papers, for example.  Others will take at least a day each. 

Despite the work, I relish the time away from school.  It's a real luxury to be home while the sun is shining, to spend my days in shorts and a ratty t-shirt, to take all three meals with my family, and to cuddle the puppies every few minutes.  I guess this will be a vacation after all.