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[ # ] Beginnings
January 30th, 2006 under Academics

Today is the first day of the spring semester at the IHE at which I administrate. (IHE for those of you not in the know is an acronym for institution of higher education). For many years I looked forward to the beginning of the semester (or quarter while I was at UCLA) with great enthusiasm. When I was a student I was always anticipating that maybe, just maybe, The South Since Reconstruction would be the best course ever. Once I became a T.A. in graduate school, I was excited about the sort of faux authority I “wielded” by sitting or standing in the front of the lecture hall making oh-so-erudite comments that the UCLA football players in the big G.E. for which I was a T.A. would be impressed.

Once I was a faculty member, the excitement was on the new students and new ideas and completely lame-ass hope that my version of the anthropology of religion would actually be a good course this semester.

Now, I administer things. I’ve been sending out e-mails about adding students to classes. I watch the world pass by my window. I ordered a new mechanical pencil from our supplier to celebrate spring semester. It’s a nice one. And I got extra leads and erasers. I read the OfficeMax guide to leads before I chose the “2b” type. Supposedly it’s bold, easy to read, and surprisingly smooth. Who is it supposed to surprise? Maybe I’ll forget how smooth it’s supposed to be between now and when it arrives on Wednesday.

Happy first days to all who have them. Today I just have another today. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with today, it just doesn’t hold the kind of false promise I used to crave.

Read the Comments

[ # 58 ] Comment from bryduck [January 30, 2006, 5:06 pm]

Hey, there’s only room for one depressed and cynical blogger around here, and I was here first! On the other hand, there is certainly good enough reason to be cynical these days, unless you happen to hate America, of course.
And hey, until you’ve had your “US History since 1865″ Grad. Prof. tell you he doesn’t even want to have to speak during seminar class time, your “South Since Recon.” class can’t even be close to the worst history class ever, so cheer up! ; )

[ # 59 ] Comment from sporksforall [January 30, 2006, 5:50 pm]

Wow, I guess I sounded more depressed than I felt. Disconnected, sure, but depressed? I think being a T.A. for Folklore 15 was way more depressing than ordering surprising pencils. The South Since Recon. was actually a good class, but I wouldn’t call it the best class ever. As for my version of Visions of the Sacred…it always blew chunks.

[ # 60 ] Comment from bryduck [January 30, 2006, 9:13 pm]

Ok, maybe I was projecting a little there; I had just finished seeing Alito’s confirmation cloture vote . . . I loved being a TA, but then again, that was for Rock Music classes at U of O. At UCLA (in History) I was only good enough to be a “reader” (in other words, I was the grunt that graded the exams), although I held some study/review sessions as if I were a TA also. That was ok; I enjoyed reading the tortured essay answers.

[ # 61 ] Comment from scout [January 30, 2006, 11:32 pm]

I used to LOVE shopping for school supplies. I miss that. I think I’ll buy myself some new surprisingly smooth pencils just because. Oh, actually I deserve them because Biscuit chewed up my favorite editing pen on Saturday. Staples, here I come!

[ # 62 ] Comment from treecup [January 31, 2006, 5:13 pm]

So I’m curious: If not false promise, what does give you joy at work?

[ # 70 ] Comment from sporksforall [February 1, 2006, 2:51 pm]

what gives me joy at work? ordering surprising pencils.

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