Let's see, where was I?

The dissertation has been ignored for several months.

So, I am now dusting off my notebook, settling in with Factual Fictions: The Origins of the Novel by Lennard J. Davis (a bit outdated, but still helpful), and I will go from there.

I hope to get a lot of reading done and write 15-20 pages in the next two weeks (despite having to arrange for the Girl's birthday activities and prepare for a family trip to Hawaii).

Wait. Who's laughing? I hear someone laughing. I think it's jc . . .

Meet Snowball

Yes, the newest member of our menagerie is an actual, warm-blooded mammal! And one of the cutest ever, in fact. Also, she seems to have figured out her familial duties, which are to give love and snuggles to the Girl.






























































And then there is this picture taken by the Girl (who is getting a camera--in addition to this kitten--for her birthday):
















Gotta go now. I have a kitten in my lap, and it's time for Buffy, port, and chocolate.

Oh, how I love summer break. Let me count the ways . . .

MamaSox

She's a winner in my book, and I can't wait to buy her first album.

I was in tears after "Up to the Mountain." I'm getting weepy now, just watching it again.

Homework from Ink: Crush Edition

After my Casey James "hotness post," Ink tagged me for a crush/lust post. Her post was in response to The Kitchen Witch's post, and they listed crushes that went back in time. However, since I recently did a chronological crush post, I'm going make a very brief list that focuses on the "eternal" and the "now."


#1 and #2 Eternal Character Crushes: A Tie--Butch and Sundance











Okay, truth be told, when it comes to Paul Newman, I might choose Cool Hand Luke or even Hud (the really bad boy) over Butch, but I tend to think of the two (Butch and Sundance) as a package deal (oh, the puns, the puns!).


#3: Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre

















#4: Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark





















#5: Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer



















I'm not sure whether or not Spike will stand the test of time, but for now, he's definitely on the lust list. I should probably put him higher on the list since I'm crushing on him so much right now, but he's in the #5 slot since he's the most recent guest to the party.

If you're reading this, I'd love to see your crush/lust list--chronological or eternal--in comments or on your own blog.

Ode to My Dissertation: Peter Criss Edition

"Diss"

(To be sung to tune of "Beth," by the rock band KISS)

Diss, I hear you callin',
But I can't sit down right now.
Me and the kids are playin'
And I just can't find the time . . .

Just a few more hours
And I'll get right back to you
Diss, I hear you callin'
But, Diss, what can I do?
(Bow, Bow)
Diss, what can I do?

You say you feel so empty
That I get nothing done
I'm always grading papers
And you're always alone

Just a few more hours
And I'll get right back to you
Diss, I hear you callin'
But, Diss, what can I do?
(Bow, Bow)
Diss, what can I do?

Diss, I know you're lonely
And I hope you're be alright
Cause I'll be grading finals
All night . . .



*I love the weird, 1970s, Sammy Terry vibe of this video.
**I apologize for all of the half rhyme (or slant rhyme, I can never remember the different). Please feel free to recommend lyrical improvements.

Feminotsy?

A couple of days ago, I made the mistake (again) of looking myself up on a professor rating site (you know the one). And I found this new comment:

"So, I am not a chauvinist in any way, but having spent an entire semester listening to the arguments of a militant feminist (who, by her own admission, wants to "control and repress" her husband) has put a small damper on my ability to see eye to eye with the general feminist movement. *sigh* I wish I was joking about this, too."

I was surprised when I first read this, and then I became alarmed--not by the claim that I am a militant feminist, but rather by the fact that I had clearly had not done a very good job of teaching this student to understand irony. I mean, Dude (or Dudette)! Seriously? You took me seriously? Of course, I don't want to control my husband. Yes, from time to time I do attempt to micromanage him, but I'm not asserting general control. And repressing him? Bah! Hardly.

Anyhoo, the day after I read this, a student from the same class came up to me, shook my hand, and said something like, "I just want to tell you that I really enjoyed this class. A lot of my female teachers have been feminazis, so this class was really refreshing."

Hmmm. How am I to interpret these drastically different readings of the same course (which was a Brit Lit survey)? I'd like to think that these two opposite reactions suggest that I've found a good balance, but I don't think that would be an accurate assessment. Somehow, both comments leave me feeling unsettled.

Interview

Some of you may remember a Call for Advice that I gave you about an internal position at my college that would offer reassigned time for leading/mentoring faculty with some campus-wide efforts to get ourselves up to speed on certain accreditation-type things. Well, after much flip-flopping, I decided to apply, and my interview is today.

This is a position that several people, including my Dean and my VP, have asked me to apply for. The college is hiring two co-coordinators to do the work, and, as far as I know, only two people (including myself) have applied. In other words, it seems likely that I'll get the position.

And it's kind of cool to be going into an interview, during which I get to talk about my knowledge and skills, without the stress of worrying about the outcome. Because, really, if I don't get it? I will feel slightly jerked around by the college, but I'll also feel plenty happy to let someone else do the work. The position doesn't have any prestige or extra money--just some time off from teaching (30%). And since I like teaching, this is only a bonus because it inherently means time off from grading (which I like less than teaching).

So, really, I'm just applying for a thankless job that might make a lot of people dislike me. But, still, the interview might be fun.