This week, I traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for a literature conference. In case I hadn’t figured this out before, I was reminded, first, that English majors and professionals can turn anything into a verb–and I mean anything. (The buzzword for the weekend was “dissertating”: i.e. Are you dissertating yet?) Second, though, I was reminded thatContinue reading “Cheese and High Heels”
Author Archives: Jen
It Might Be Midterms…
… 1) If you begin to compete with the other cars to be the last to leave the commuter parking lot at night, and are irritated because one car beat you out. 2) If your top coffee shop comment card complaint is a shortage of power outlets and the time limit on the free wireless.Continue reading “It Might Be Midterms…”
I Wonder…
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if Jacques Derrida ever met William Strunk and E.B. White? I don’t know, but I imagine it would involve a lot of commas. Angry commas, with French words in italics and long, tangential commentaries on etymology. And parentheses. Livid parentheses, with honest, energetic, colorful words inside. (And perhaps aContinue reading “I Wonder…”
Red Leather
I’m starting to have a piece-de-resistance kind of idea in honor of the upcoming Flying Fork Day. It’s Romeo and Juliet. A new film version. Based on the Yankees/Red Socks rivalry. It’s called Red Leather. It’s directed by David Lynch. And it goes something like this… ———————————————————VOICEOVER (HARRY DEAN STANTON): Two clubs, alike in history…Continue reading “Red Leather”
Oh Snow-Unaccustomed South
Oh snow-unaccustomed south, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… University, thy ways are so wise. When there is freezing rain starting at 8 a.m. and expected to continue until afternoon, thou dost open the campus at 11 a.m., so that the power has time to go out and the freezing rainContinue reading “Oh Snow-Unaccustomed South”
If Children Were Like Computers
If children were like computers, the education system would be a very different place. Public school would be much less popular as an educational choice. Every time your child contracted an infection from the other children in his or her group, s/he would not only be sent home, but would have to un-learn everything s/heContinue reading “If Children Were Like Computers”
I See Trouble Ahead
I think Marvin has begun reading “The Tortoise and the Hare” to Linus as a bedtime story. This does not bode well. Stay tuned.
WANTED
Graduate School in the Humanities: Just Don’t Go When I found this I thought: Gee, thanks for telling me now. But there’s no use crying over spilt…dollars…or hours…or brain cells…or stuff. Right? So instead, what we need are some super-fantabulous Alternate Careers for Unemployed, Over-Qualified Graduate School…Graduates. What a great idea. I thereby submit forContinue reading “WANTED”
Back in Business
Starting back to classes tomorrow. Graduate school, take 2. Newly resolved NOT to leave final papers for the last week, but not particularly confident in my ability to fulfill said resolution. Newly resolved not to trip on the stairs as frequently, or to patronize Starbucks as often, or… Cancel that. Newly resolved that classes startContinue reading “Back in Business”
Bucket-less Bucket Lists
Today, I donated my hair to Locks of Love. Although I’ve been planning to do it for a while, I must confess feeling a little like Jo in Little Women, and that “vain part of me” misses my long hair. However, the fact that I was really worried/nervous/almost chickened out tells me it was probablyContinue reading “Bucket-less Bucket Lists”
Snark on the Side 