RBOC: It's Tuesday

• I was late for every single thing today. Late for a meeting (15 minutes); late for both of my classes (5 minutes for each).
• I am so freaking done with this semester. Who's with me?
• I found out that one of my bright and most darling students was accepted into Teach for America!!!!!! I'm so happy!!!!! I'm so proud!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!
• The above excitement is only magnified by the fact that this student had been toying (in an ambivalent way) with pursuing grad studies in the field in which we are currently hiring. Remember that song in the movie Heathers? Teenage Suiciiiiide - Don't Do It! Well, I would like to do a version of that song called Grad School'n Engliiiiiish - Don't Do It! I mean, the quality of our candidates is so. freaking. awesome. We have our pick. And we are so not that great.
• Deliberations about job candidates were interesting today, mainly because of the varying perspectives of my colleagues. It is so interesting how different the perspectives of people who've been around for 20+ years are compared with the perspectives of those who've been around for 10 years or less, and then compared with the grad student on our committee (who is learning LOADS). At the end of the day, I'm very pleased with how things are going, though interviewing at MLA will be interesting, given the fact that I'm interviewing with a colleague who... well, let's just say that our perspectives about what counts in a candidate are not identical. This actually is probably a really good thing, in that it means the initial interview process will really reflect the two ends of the spectrum in my department. On the other hand, dude. I sort of wonder how a candidate is going to be able to process the two of us in the same (bed)room. (I get along with this colleague just fine - this isn't about tension between me and the colleague. It's just, wow do we see the profession and our institution differently. And I'm sure that will come across in interviews.)
• I love T.S. Eliot. I mean, it's not true love or anything, but it's definitely some sort of love. And I don't get why students find him so repellent. I mean "Tradition and the Individual Talent" is pure critical gold. "But of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from those things." Genius.
• I also realized that I have an unhealthy love for D.H. Lawrence. I've suspected this for some time, but seriously, Lawrence is like the boyfriend you have who is a bad decision. He has a bad attitude and he treats you like crap, but he is compelling in a way that those nice boys who have good qualities that you really should seek out just aren't. And sure, he's annoying, too, and a little creepy. But yet, he is so freaking cool. Really. This is how I feel about the Lawrence. And yes, I recognize that this is a personal problem.
• Speaking of boyfriends who were bad decisions, a pseudo-ex of mine has been commenting on my Facebook status updates, always with comments about how books are obsolete. I don't get why he wants to be my Pretender to Illiteracy Friend on Facebook, but I feel that his reappearance in my world is perhaps indicative of New Things To Come. I hope that these things do not involve illiterate wankers, though he may indeed be the harbinger of such.
• In other news, what's with high school boys who were never boyfriends or pseudo-exes or even bad decisions (for they were busy going out with "cool" girls while you were editor of the school newspaper and singing in choir) but who indicate that they want to read one's book (although they are not academics) and then perform a massive fail by going MIA immediately after one sends them some chapters of said book in PDF (for one was never going to send an actual copy of the book)? And then you admonish them after like a week of radio silence along the lines of "um, dude, I sent you chapters of my book and you've not written back" with "please be patient, hon! I'm on vacation even though I haven't had a job in months. I want to devote proper time and attention to your brilliant ideas." A. He called me "hon." As my high school best friend quipped, "Who does he think he is? Flo from Mel's Diner?" B. Who gets a vacation when they're not motherfucking working? I mean, dude, I don't get "vacations" and I work like a dog. Look, I understand that nobody really wants to read my book. But if you pretend you do, and you convince me enough that I scan some chapters to send to you, you're obligated. And in a timely fashion. As I noted "I'm an impatient person." The fact of the matter is, you insisted and I relented. You owe me a motherfucking email, stupid boy from high school who claimed to have a crush on me once upon a time. If your crush was pure and true, you'd at least respond when I bestow my book upon you. And you probably wouldn't call me "hon." Because that's just gross.
• FB is ignoring me. I'm not entirely certain about why, though I do have some ideas.
  
• I am so. freaking. tired. Seriously: is this semester not done?
  
• I feel that the above is all for now. More in the coming days, I'm sure.