Stepping Stones and After the Bar?

Transition periods have a tendency of making me restless. This week is the last week before summer break. Thus, I'm restless tonight. And tired. Not the most ideal of combinations. I feel like there's something I ought to be working on - other than my big class paper (which I'm not focused enough to work on right now anyway) - but I'm at a loss for what, in particular.

During dinner with friends tonight, I was asked the question of what I'll talk about here once I'm done waitressing in August. What would have the same kind of tone and comedic potential? I'm steering clear of teaching topics, because I can only poke so much fun at myself and I'm not going to talk about my students. That can only end badly. I've run out of steam on movie reviews - so hard to stay creative when it's all just more "I liked it" or "I didn't."

I've gotten personal in the past, but I don't know that I want to go back to that. Yeah, blogging is the new confessional and all of that, yet I'm not feeling particularly compelled to go in that direction.

Transitions... Going from one place to another. The foot is mid-air, headed for the next rock across the stream.

Can we always be our own compass, or do we sometimes need others to help point the way?

Tonight is a night for questions.

I can say that I'm in a better place now than I was in November. I've been saying "no" more often and in the past week or so I've taken a new risk which is spreading its own ripples. A couple of days ago I bought a new CD, Cracked Rear View by Hootie and the Blowfish. It's much more of a mainstream album than what I usually shell out cash for, but it's fitting really well right now.

I can say that my priorities have shifted. Notable: I've gone through the entire semester (practically) without once getting sick, despite the nasty flu that was going around and hit at least three students in my comp. class hard. As good an indication as any that I'm doing better on balancing myself out.

Tonight I'm thinking of ways of communicating, relationships, uncertainty, fear, the skunk under my porch, popcorn, Celtic music, things that are funny about people, sighs, meteor showers, that time of night when all the lights are out and you're in bed getting ready to fall asleep, the color blue, movies, conversations, eye contact, smiles, things that grow, and next week.

So on a closing note: People underrate the importance of humor. They oughtn't.

Break Downs

Currently I'm working on coordinating various things with people. For one of them, I just had an interesting e-mail exchange. The paraphrase goes as follows:

Me: This is to confirm our meeting at X on Y.
Them: No, that date doesn't work. We can only meet at X on Z.
Me: Um...
(Quick review of previous e-mail from this person. Copy. Paste.)
Has something changed since you sent me this previous e-mail which says:
"Yeah, X on Y works."

Beats me what's going on there, save that this person perhaps did not check their date book as closely as they think they did.

Earlier this morning, I responded to another e-mail on another project.
Person: Hey, what's this thing on the thing? And why is this thing this way and not that?
Me: That thing is the shipping cost. The other thing is that way and not the other because the other thing was the initial estimate vs. the revised one, which I gave you a copy of the other day and told you it was the revised one.

Wall. Head. Smack. Repeat as necessary.

Something Familiar About This

My last semester as an undergrad. culminated in me being knocked flat right before finals week in a combination of flu and exhaustion. I pushed myself too hard, and it caught up with me in a powerful way.

The past couple of weeks have reminded me of that semester. I've developed a steady feeling of general worn-outedness and have made a couple of decisions about pulling back on things. Unfortunately, as the bar isn't fully staffed right now, that's something I can't really cut further down. *sigh*

So now I'm just trying to do what I can (like a lovely two hour nap yesterday) and keep my fingers crossed that the ghost of semesters past doesn't make a visit. I've got three weeks to go until summer vacation. Just three weeks. I can make it. I can make it. I can...

In the Middle

Lots of various people: What're you doing for spring break?
Me: I dunno, stuff. I've got nothing particular planned, but I'm pretty sure I'll be bored by Wednesday.

In the past, when I've been faced with breaks from school (which basically means a break from everything I do except the bar) I last a few days, or a week, before I start getting stir crazy from the lack of structure to my days. I start craving homework. It's weird.

So, here we are. It's Wednesday. I am not bored. Not in the least. I've been playing catch up on various things, doing some writing, getting my hair cut, etc. etc. I've also been indulging in my TV addiction and eating out a lot (of course, the fridge-death-debacle gets at least partial credit for that).

This morning I met Jenny and baby at the coffee shop, hit the thrift store for glassware to cover in polymer and use as candle holders, did some grocery shopping, cleaned some things, had a late lunch, and caught up on my blog reading. Now I'm filling you all in on my super-exciting day while I wait for my mom to get home before I head over to my folks' to pick up the food I deposited in their freezer when mine kicked the bucket. I'll visit with them a while, then head home to get started on my polymer candle holders project, or watch some TV - the mailman brought me two Netflix envelopes today and Men in Trees is on later tonight.

All-in-all, not a particularly exciting Wednesday. However, it's certainly a good middle-of-break day with the right balance of having enough in it to keep me from getting stir crazy while also being laid back enough to feel like a vacation.

Here's hoping your day is also proving to be a nice one.

Here We Go Again

We've been in the midst of two simultaneous faculty searches here on campus. Unfortunately, it turns out that, despite having two candidates visit for one of those positions, the search is not yet over. This means more work for everyone on campus and a delay in finding a new faculty member. Not so groovy.

I'm relieved, however, that the big rush on SCWP projects has subsided as I got the last of the mailings out on Monday. There are still plenty of projects lined up, but those have less pressing timelines. The exciting part is that, thanks to new and creative recruiting efforts for the Summer Institute this year, applications have been pouring in. This is the biggest number of applications that have been submitted for any SI at this site so far, and it's very cool to see the volume of interest. The downside is that there are a limited number of spots and not everyone who applied will be able to be in the SI. Given the interest, though, we're sure to have an excellent SI this year.

Well, hopefully the other candidate search will turn out more smoothly. The committee has begun making final decisions and in the next couple of days I may be able to announce who our new faculty member will be. For confidentiality reasons, Katherine can't say anything to me about the committee's selection and so I'm just as in the dark as anyone else on campus (save the committe, obviously). If only I didn't have to wait. I'm excited, having met all of the candidates, to find out who will be our new person.

Eddie and Comp.

I'm always pleased when I can work certain people into conversation. Neil Gaiman, Joss Whedon, Eddie Izzard... If I see an opening, I'll go for it. They are just that cool.

Last night as I was working on my plan for class today, I got to thinking: We're talking all about stereotypes and, especially, how film makers use accents to help with character development (i.e. American accents are good, German accents are bad), and media aids are always fun. In the essay I assigned my students, "Teaching Children How to Discriminate" by Rosina Lippi-Green, she briefly mentions how we don't mind when Robin Hood has an American accent, but a British-accented US president would never work. Wait a minute! Eddie talks about that too!

A quick trip to youtube later, and I picked out a couple of clips which, technology willing, I'll be subjecting my Comp. students to this morning. It'll be great. I'll just preface it with, "Remember how in the essay, she says... Well, this is along those same lines. And yes, he is wearing lipstick."

A Week in Three Days

It's been crunch time around here lately. Between picking up the first formal essays in my Comp. class, writing my first essay for my Scottish Lit. class, and having more candidate visits on campus, I've been swamped. From 9:00 a.m. Monday until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, I literally had something I had to do every moment I wasn't sleeping. Whew. By Tuesday night, as I left Scottish Lit. at 8:30 p.m., I kept thinking that surely the next day was Thursday and that the week was almost over.

If only.

Yesterday was largely taken up by going to the airport to pick up the most recent candidate (morning was shot because her flight kept getting delayed and I had no idea, until about the time her flight was originally scheduled to land, when this plane was actually going to get in - thus, I had to keep checking on it; thus, distraction and time eater). So, it wasn't until about 4:00 in the afternoon that my time was actually my own. While I have no problem with the airport trip, nor with the candidate - whom I quite like - the fact remains that the airport run ate up much of my day and limited what I could do.

Anyway, enough detailed cry-babying, the jist is that I've hit the worn-out point and I'm just about to start my SCWP hours, followed by attending the candidate's presentation at 3:00. I am extravagantly glad that I have the night (and even the week) off from the bar. I'm in rougher shape today than I even was two weeks ago when I was part-way through with that insanely long day.

By four o'clock today, my time is my own until Monday morning.

Well, except for that pile of papers I still need to grade for Comp. because they've piled up while I was working through the formal essays.

Still, I'm doing the optimistic thing here. Very soon, I will have a whole weekend laid out in front of me with hardly anything in it other than what I choose to put there. It's a beautiful thing.

The Blur

Katherine: Is that enough to keep you busy for the next week?
Me: Or month, even.

It's recruiting time for the writing project which means brochures, postcards, mailings, press packs, and various other kinds of packs that need to be assembled, counted, sorted, stuffed in envelopes, tracked... well, you get the idea. The office is coated with a layer of various papers and mailing supplies, and I'm working my way down the list of what needs to be done. I'm almost out of breath just typing it.

On the bright side, the brochures I helped put together look good and in the past couple of days we've been able to make a visible dent in the To Do list.

Although, in the midst of all of this, we've begun to have candidates (those interviewing for two faculty openings) flying in and visiting/interviewing. The first candidate came yesterday. I was able to do lunch with her as one of the campus representative-type folk and go to her presentation to staff/students (i.e. the sales pitch). I'm ideally situated for the search because my schedule allows me to help out with making candidates feel welcome - I'm already slated for lunch will all of them - but I don't have the stress of being on the search committe or having to actually organize the visits. Lots of chaos on that front because there's just so much to do.

Today Katherine asked me if I'd be willing to pick one of the candidates up from the airport on the 14th, so I'm going to do a bit of chauffering as well. I'm looking forward to it. So far, having seen the search for David's replacement and having met the first candidate yesterday, I've met some really intelligent and interesting people. The rough part about the process is that out of the group of candidates, all of whom are great, they can only hire one. Tough call.

In any event, between SCWP recruiting, the candidates visiting, having classes, and teaching a class of my own, days on campus are flying by.

The Replacements

I went to my first Composition meeting yesterday, where all the folks currently teaching 101 and/or 102 get together and cover the necessary information. Since I've been on campus so long, I already knew most of the people there, so that was kind of nice.

Among all the news, Katherine gave us a set of dates. These are the dates when candidates for two faculty positions will be coming to campus and giving presentations (this is who I am, the scholarship I've done, and how I teach) to staff and students as part of the process of applying for the positions. The folks coming are those who made it to the short list and Katherine spoke positively about all of them, so it'll be neat to see them. I'm pretty sure I'll meet all of them, one way or another, as I'm certain they'll all get a tour of the SCWP office.

The whole process is fascinating. First you have the collection of applications which come in, then the faculty committee narrows that collection down to the candidates they most prefer, then there's some kind of interview, then the committee narrows the list down again, then they invite their top choices to visit campus, then the committee decides on their top choice and makes the offer to that person, then they wait for the person to accept or decline the offer, and then they announce to the public who'll be the new man/woman on campus. All-in-all the process takes a couple of months. Whew. And that's how you get a job in academia. I'm getting worn out just describing it.

Anyhow, over the next month or so the top candidates will be visiting. I'll be saying "Hi" to them, visiting the presentations, and possibly doing a few of the lunches/dinners where the candidates get to meet some of their potential colleagues and students informally. Last year, during the search for a new David, I went on a dinner with one of the candidates and it was quite fun. Depending on how much room is left at these dinners and lunches, I might end up going on a couple. I hope there'll be room.

Ali The Alien

It's only 2:00 p.m. and I've already been up for far too long. The past few days I've been on bar time, which means going to bed around 3:00 a.m. This morning I had to abruptly shift to teaching class time, with an extra dollop of getting ready for the first class time, so I was up and getting ready by 7:15 this morning. Ugh.

Today was my first Comp. 101 class. I said the introductory stuff, made the students introduce themselves, and made them answer questions while they did so. Questions like "What's your major?" and "What do you read?"

I kept getting those looks, the ones that say, "What planet did you come from?" Now we get to play the game called "Who's dropped? Who's added? How many of the students whose names I've learned are going to disappear?" I've never played that game before, but I hear it's fun.

Today I started learning names. I learned enough that when no one wanted to talk after I asked a question, I got to pick on people.
Me: Well Bob [name changed to protect the innocent], what do you think?
Bob: You know my name already?
Me: Yeah. Scary, isn't it?
I've got to thank my Ninja Waitress skills for that one. By the end of class I was calling a few people by name and thinking, "I think her name is --, but I don't want to call her by it and be wrong," for others. By the next class I ought to have them all down (save any newbies) because the university has this nifty thing where you can print up your class roster with students' school ID photos included.

I know I may be over-emphasizing the name thing a bit, but I'm keen on this idea that if they know I know who they are, there's an extra bit of accountability there. That's certainly been my experience. I'll work harder for a prof. who knows who I am than for one who has no clue.

Speaking of names, wanna hear something funny? When I took roll, I prefaced it by telling them if I mispronounce their name, or if they go by something else, they ought to tell me. I had one student tell me they'd rather go by something else. Then I had them all introduce themselves and about four introduced themselves by something other than what I had called them. It's a psychology thing. It's funny.

Translatable Skills

Today I ventured into Katherine's composition class and met a dozen students. I'm going to save most of my comments for the other blog, but I've got to say that all this waitressing is going to pay off in a way I didn't exactly expect.

During class I learned everybody's name, even if I only heard it once, and got a good feel for personality types. One of Katherine's comments during our debriefing afterward, when I mentioned my impression of one particular student, was, "Yup, that's him exactly."

It makes sense, in fact it's so obvious I wonder why I didn't draw a stronger connection before, that waitressing is so much like teaching. When you look at the day-to-day skills effective teachers have, they're really comparable to those of a good waitress. Good teachers remember their students' names, can handle a variety of personality types, know how to lead students to refining their ideas, even when the student isn't all together clear on basic concepts ("Yes, but what's your argument?), and are constantly aware of a large number of people and what they're doing. Good servers remember who had what to drink/eat, can handle a variety of personality types, know how to lead customers to refining their order ("What kind of vodka would you like in your cape cod?) even when customers aren't all together clear on basic concepts ("What would you like for your side?" "Oh, I get a side with that?"), and are constantly aware of a large number of people and what they're doing.

After today, I'm suddenly feeling more prepared for teaching next semester. While I'm still venturing into new territory in terms of designing a whole syllabus and all, part of it's going to be the same exact thing I do each and every weekend. And, with teaching, at least I'll have greater variety in my wardrobe.

So, About That Quitting the Bar Idea...

I got my official letter yesterday about getting the T.A.

A couple of days ago, when I was trying to remember how much the stipend was, well, I overestimated. At this point, and even mid-January, quitting my job at the bar is not a viable option. I've already talked to Marianne about cutting back on hours when spring semester starts, but that's all it'll be, cutting back a bit.

And here I was, on Wednesday, waiting on a superbly annoying table and thinking of how I wouldn't have to do so much longer. Alas, it is not meant to be. There are plenty more long, long nights ahead of me. Like tonight, for instance. *sigh* It's going to be a rough weekend. With John gone we are back in understaffed land and I may, or may not, have a second person (aside from our new trainee) on the floor with me tonight. The gal who was scheduled to fill in had some personal drama and may, or may not, still be in San Fransisco. What fun!

On the up side, the new gal seems nice and, better yet, has experience bartending and serving. So, assuming she wrangled the night off from her other job, all I should have to train her on tonight will be the computer stuff. Since last Friday was fantastically busy and chaotic, and I'm expecting much of the same from tonight, the less I have to train her the better.

"Huh?" You ask, "why start a new person in the midst of your busiest night?" Same reason it's not until we lose two people on staff that we hire one new person. It's not like we're about to be in the height of our busy time of year, and it's certainly not like we're about to hit flu season or anything.

Okay, so I'm a little cranky. I think it's the knowledge that I'm going to work at four and there's little chance of me leaving before two a.m. as, even if San Fransisco gal shows up, I don't think Jan (another owner) would let me leave her to close. Nevermind the fact that it's going to be me, and only me, on the floor from six tomorrow night until two Sunday morning. Two long closing shifts in a row, finishing out a week that's already got me particularly worn out.

At least, as I keep reminding myself, I have nothing planned for Sunday and I just got my nifty new special edition boxed set of Angel. The niftiest part - my box set is not a whole season, but rather the whole series. That's right, in one box I hold every season of the show. There's even a little note in it from Joss. So, worst case scenario - if I'm so worn out by the time Sunday rolls around that I can't even muster the energy to do anything but lounge around all day, I've got a whole box full of episodes to watch while I sit on the couch with an afghan and possibly a pizza.

An End in Sight?

Yesterday I found out that I'll be a teaching assistant in the spring and fall. Among other things, this means a tuition waiver and a stipend. In essence, I'm gearing up to start a new job in a couple of months. With a new source of income (even if said income is far from large) I can, in theory, quit my job at the bar. That prospect makes me happy, though I hesitate to quit entirely. After all, it's money. Still, limiting myself to weekends only, or being on stand-by to fill in when someone wants time off could be a good compromise. I'll still have a little extra money, but without the same amount of bar wenching.

Unfortunately, this means that, come mid-January, I'll have far fewer bar quotes and stories. Sorry to everyone who likes 'em, but a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do.

Huzzah!

"You can tell whoever you want, 'cause it's official now."
-Katherine

Okay, the big important meeting was about who's going to replace Dr. Sheidley as the head of the English department. And the winner is (drumroll)... Katherine. I had a hunch she'd get it, and there you have it. I'm excited on her behalf. If anyone should be running the department, it's her.

Big News, but Not Yet

Me: So, you're feeling less stressed, at least?
Katherine: Maybe, maybe not.

Over the past two weeks or so, Katherine's been very tense. Basically: a big decision's being made at the university which is all hush-hush and such. So, Katherine mentions that she's stressed about an upcoming meeting, then when I ask what it's about, she says she can't say. Like that's fair. Then, via a grapevine source, I find out what's going on.

The big meeting was last Wednesday. Katherine knows the decision, but she's keeping her best poker face on. "I can't tell you until they make the announcement." Now, while part of me can understand and appreciate her discretion, the other part just wants to KNOW already. Though, I have a good hunch as to the outcome.

Of course, she assures me that I'll be among the first to know. But she knows now, I want to know now. Alas, I cannot. *Sigh*

Attack of the No Energy Having

"The worst part isn't even the cough, it's feeling so run down."
-Dave, on being sick

I'm supposed to be getting over this cold, and in some ways I am. However, I still feel like bed would be the nicest place to be, or curled up in front of the TV watching X-files. Gah, I have no energy and two papers to write before class tonight, thus requiring energy. I have other things to do, too, but find myself sitting here thinking, "But, I don't wanna."

Maybe, if I get up and get moving, get some momentum behind me, I'll be okay. An object in motion, right? Right. Now, just gotta work on that getting up part...

At the moment, the prospect of going to class tonight is almost more than I can take. I've been up and accomplishing things since 8:30 a.m. The last thing I want to do is be in class until 8:30 p.m. Even funnier - Katherine's in high-stress-mode and distracted & worn out, so today she says, "I don't want to talk a lot tonight. You talk a lot tonight." Ha!

Thank George for other people in the class, especially when one is Rick and the other is Sarah. Betwixt the two of them, I don't think we'll have to worry too much about lags in the talking.

A Whirl

"I don't have any time."
-The jist of what Katherine said

Fall semester got going yesterday, and the previously deserted campus is now packed again. I get all settled into the summer, into being able to park in the lot nearest the Psych. building, then yesterday I came to campus to get online and almost couldn't find a spot in any of the lots. Yeesh.

Everything's all a-bustle, and Katherine's dashing about from meetings, to class, to yet another meeting. It's all very hello-goodbye. I feel kinda sorry for her, being so booked. She had me dig out some markers from the supplies today, "They're for your class Thursday" she said. What use Crayola markers will find in a graduate English class, I'm not sure. I'll be fining out soon enough, though.

Tonight, not yesterday, begins the semester for me. I get to meet a new professor, start a new class, and see lots of people I've not really seen for a few months. I think most everyone's in tonight's class, after all it's one of the specifically required classes for the M.A. It'll be fun to see everybody again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the new professor is a good one.

Bye to David

I don't want to write the post twice, so here's a link:
http://dwtdwende.blogspot.com/

Everyone's feeling bummed around campus right now.

The New David

The committee has conferred and made a decision. David's replacement will be the poet Juan Morales. Cheers.

English Major Camping Trip

"Simon just called me. The original campsite is full, but they found another one a few miles up the road. So follow the original directions, but instead of Forest Road 231, you now need to take Forest Road 240. The camp is 4 or 5 miles up that road. Look for a sign (I think) that says Angel of Shibano (or something like that). Please call Simon at ###-#### if you get confused."
-Email from Shane

A couple of years ago, a big chunk of our close-knit English major group graduated. As a way of having a last get-together before everyone scattered, Simon, Lydia and James came up with the idea to go camping. This weekend will be the third annual EMCT. The best part is how most of my Englishy friends have very limited camping experience. On the first trip I became famous as the outdoorsy gal. It was funny.

Actually, with Dorothy there, it was hilarious. Dorothy brought rubber gloves with her to the great outdoors and had James pour water bottles over her head so she could wash her hair. We were up at San Isabel, i.e. no facilites. One of the nights, I walked with Dorothy to the "bathroom" because she was nervous to go by herself. On the way we heard random animal noises and she was a little freaked out, thinking the mountain lions and bears were right beside us. "No, Dorothy, I'm sure it's just a chipmunk." Like I said, hilarious.

So, on Sunday, Mishell and I are going to load up my car and head up to meet everyone at the campgrounds and spend the night. It'll be fun. I just have to remember to borrow the smudge pie makers from my parents. Mmm... smudge pies.