Oh god - why can't I get really started writing this stupid article??? I'm in fifth gear avoidance right now and I'm beginning to sink to the lowest forms of daytime TV (The Price is Right) in order to avoid the gigantic 600lb. pink gorilla in the corner wearing the "Write Your Damn Article, Loser" t-shirt (yes, my gorilla is pink. Isn't yours?).
But, wtf. There's blogging to be done. And leftover chili to be eaten. And toenails to re-paint. And naps to be taken after a full 9 hours of sleep.
Here's my life in .357 magnum bullet form:
1. Some of you might know about my inherent fear of student evals. In fact, there's one class's evals from a couple of years ago that I still haven't read because I'm such a wuss. Actually, my evals are usually pretty good - but this class was TOUGH, so I've filed it under "open when hell freezes over." So, I got my evals from this last semester and they were truly lovely. There was the usual couple saying that the professor assigned WAY too much reading and one even said that my confession that I had prepared for a few lectures the night before and had looked on the internet to confirm something was "unecessary". I feel like giving that kid a huge wake-up call titled "I have a life outside of your class, yutz!" I consider preparing the night before to be actually working ahead - at least I'm not making it up as I go...
But about 96% of them left me with a warm fuzzy glow, especially this one: "This was the kind of course that made me want to go home and talk to friends about the things I've learned." I'm going to have that tattooed somewhere... However, this was the funniest one - it was for my FANTASY LITERATURE class: "I like fact. There was almost NONE in this course. I wanted more."
?!?
I knew I shouldn't have indulged in all those crazy rumors about Tolkienian elves and unfounded speculations about the real relationship between Harry and Hermione. When will I stop and just convey truth to these eager young minds?? I'm weak....
2. I've talked the Dutchman into doing a "tester" quit smoking day. It was scheduled for today, but the crazy look of stress he gave me this morning (he's writing a paper from scratch to present at a big prestigious conference soon) caused me to put it off for a couple of days. Out of solidarity, I've consented to give up Coke Zero for the day as well. I'm really not sure about the wisdom of this. I feel like I'll be much harder to handle off Coke Zero than he will be off nicotine. I'll keep you posted...
3. I spent all yesterday online and on the phone researching apartments in Dream Academy City and setting up appointments for when we're there visiting next week. I have 9 set up but I'm thinking that I need more. What would you say is an adequate number? I hate thinking about living there alone...
4. The collection I published my first article in has just been reviewed for a smaller, subfield specific journal. The review was overall pretty good, but the reviewer made a comment about my paper that was somewhat dismissive and slightly laced with snarkiness. Of course, this comment was completely missing the true point of my essay - oversimplifying it and acting like I wasn't saying anything new. Now, I wasn't trying to re-invent the wheel, but I was saying something about this text and its readers that hadn't been said before. Grrrrrrr! I'm making a "faceless reviewer" voo-doo doll out of paper clips and old copies of Cosmo. My petty revenge will be swift and relatively painless.
5. I feel like I should cook dinner tonight because I haven't actually done any work today whereas the Dutchman has been working his little wooden shoes off. But I haven't a clue what I should cook. He will eat anything. What can I cook that would not require me to move much at all? Chinese take out...
6 comments:
I'm picturing a tall guy in little wooden shoes with a ciggie hanging out of the corner of his mouth and it's crackin me up!
Hee, hee - if you add little wire-rimmed glasses and a Heineken to that picture, you'll have him to a T!
I got one this semester that said, "i don't know why she kept showing us things in Latin!"
I showed them about three pages of the source I use the most to give them an idea of what it is I do ...
I am so glad you got good evals overall! (I am totally with you on the waiting to open them...I have some that are six months old, and have had this semester's in hand for several weeks without opening them - I think I need to get someone else to do it for me, to vet the, before I do...)
As for the apartments...I'd say nine sounds like more than enough. In my mind, six is a good number. Good luck on that front!!
Ha! I love, love love! that photo. Is my gorilla pink? Do I have a gorilla? Hmm. Have to check that.
This is why I have to go work in the library cubicle --- once I get past the gauntlet of friendly people I want to chat with, the room is so damn boring that I have to work to keep myself amused --- there are only nine ceiling tiles after all --- it's hard to avoid by counting 'em for long!
But you go, you! Write that article! Produce that brilliance! Fill those pages! (and psst ... don't get the gorilla angry!)
I love the pink gorilla! I don't know what mine looks like because I deliberately avoid looking in that direction. ;)
Not that blogging should EVER lead you to writing, but perhaps you could scratch out some ideas? I OFTEN start writing like this:
"If I were going to write this -- AND I'M NOT SAYING I WILL OR AM -- but if I were going to write something this I might say something like. . ."
I've been doing this since undergrad. At least in all my procrastinating, I get some bs notes down. Don't know if it will work for you -- but think of this -- if you get a half-hour down, then you can have a coke. . .or wait. . .
How can you give up anything when you're WORKING? GAH! How will you give yourself rewards?!
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