Crap

Ok, so pt.2 of the bird incident is coming later this evening. Promise. First, I must share.

So, today I had WIM (Weekly Instructor Meeting). It's like an on-going teacher training thing. Drew, who is the Yoda to my Padawan, warned us about all the germs on the papers we grade. He's all "use hand sanitizer and don't touch your nose or eyes while you grade."

Well, just now, I pulled out the last few papers I have to grade. Plopped then down on my desk, pulled out a portfolio, started reading a paper and almost immediately TOUCHED MY NOSE.

Great. Now I'm going to get ebola AIDS. Of course. As if grad school wasn't hard enough.

Going to Smith's RIGHT NOW to purchase hand sanitizer.

P.S. I'm sorry if you went to that link and you've never been there before. You've effectively said good-bye to any productivity this evening.

Update: Purchased said sanitizer. Used it. I didn't realize I had so many paper cuts :/

The Bird pt. 1

The other day I had a non-graduate school related adventure.

There was a bird in my room. A ninja bird.

How did this happen, you say? Well, everyday when I get home, I open up one of the many windows in my room. This particular day, I opened one that was right next to a tree. A tree with a flock of ninja birds. "Oh cool," I thought, "birdsong."

Unbeknownst to me, the screen in that particular window was out. I was open to attack and I didn't even know it.

I went about my "just got home" routine, unpacking my bag, picking up the clothes from that morning's "I have nothing to wear so let's try on 10 outfits only to decide on the first one" ceremony, changing into sweats, popping open my pre-homework DrP. You know, normal stuff.

Then I hear it. CHirrrp tweet. But it wasn't coming from outside.

It was right.behind.me.

I turn, and there it is, bloodlust in its eyes, a ninja bird.

See the bloodlust? SEE IT?!

At the time I didn't know it was a ninja bird. It just looked like an everyday sparrow, small and brown.
No big deal. So, to encourage it to leave on its own, I opened up all the other windows and popped their screens out. Maybe he'll just fly out.

Boy, was I wrong. That bird was out for blood. My blood.  And wasn't leaving until he got it.

To be continued...

Grad school, thus far

So.  I've been a grad student about 3 weeks and I haven't died yet (emphasis on yet).  I love my 150 students (btdubs I teach freshman writing and my class is so incredibly adorable. and smart. omgoodness are they smart). I love my classes (especially my two seminars--Scottish Enlightenments and Women in the English Renaissance. although I may or may not already be a little behind in the reading. eepp.)

Never been so excited for each day, or so exhausted at the end of each and every one.

There's so.much. to the grad program that I love. 

The carrels--where conversations range from pretentious theory discussions to Blake's use of children (sounds lewd) to who would win if we had grad student death matches (my money is with the MFAs-they're scrappy). 

New friends (and their adorable children, if that applies). SO MANY AWESOME PEOPLE. 

There's also the fact that I'm now part of community that appreciates Dr. Pepper and caffeine in general. The recycle bin is full of cans of caffeinated beverages--and not all of them are mine! Happy day! I have found kindred spirits. 

I'm also not the only who calls professors by their first names anymore. 

Also- FREAKING FREE FOOD. So much free food. these past few weeks, I've gotten *at least* two free meals a week. this week I've had 3. yesssssss

And even when I have to pay for food--I have cool new people to eat it with (there are two set dinner dates every week--on Tuesdays between classes and on  Friday, as a celebration of having lived thru the week).

I love my life. 

These past few weeks have been incredibly validating. This is where I'm supposed to be (whatever that means). And I am definitely going to be applying for PhD programs. This (academia) is really something I want to do. Even if I can't find a job--I want this experience.

I'm sorry I don't have pictures of fun times. My camera is being funny and it needs to be fixed. So here's a picture of Michael Fassbender

You're welcome. 

Every day I'm shufflin'

I am addicted to my Ipod shuffle. Love love love. Cannot function without it. When I walk, study, prep for class. If I'm not actively engaging with someone, I've got those little earbuds in, possibly damaging my hearing.

Here's a snapshot of what I've got on there today:

Lady Gaga discography (of course)

Carbon Leaf collection (something like 8 albums)

the Biebster

Lil'Jon

Garth Brooks

Les Miserables (20th anniversary London cast)

ABBA

Girl Talk

Beatles' White Album, Sgt Peppers

Cali Swag District
Panic! at the Disco

Queen
Big and Rich
Black Sabbath
Smashmouth

Nicki Minaj
Beirut

Mumford and Sons
ACDC

Ke$ha

Herman's Hermits

LMFAO

several other random (and sometimes unidentifiable) artists and songs

I'm so mainstream. What's the opposite of a hipster? That's what I am. 

Some day, I hope to own headphones with a built-in subwoofer.