15 May 07

Time:

?

Money:

?

More interesting things:

Met a student whom Professor Alpha had just signed up for my section of the summer class. This would have been nice regardless; it was particularly interesting because "I've just signed you up for [my] course, you'll love it," was directed at a middle-aged guy in collared shirt and Dockers who was "Thank you, Professor"-ing all over the place - but was meant to describe a still-days-off-27 chick in scruffy lifeguard t-shirt who snorts with just plain Alpha. It was not hard to understand the underwhelmed look on this person's face, but it was rather difficult to avoid laughing while I stood there. (Even better, though, was that later, when I related my perspective on this tale to Alpha, and he looked like he was all ready for a good story, he seemed kind of underwhelmed himself with what I described: it really does not enter his head that the contents of my closet or the date on my driver's license should in any way be expected to correlate with what's going on in my head or my classroom, and that somebody else might is just their problem.)

Appreciated and returned an enthusiastic wave from one of Anne's students, who was waiting for the elevator on our floor.

Attempted to meet with Professor Number One at 1330, as directed, but found that she was being hogged by Professors Alpha and Number Four, who had gotten there literally steps ahead of me (Alpha and I had gone up together, actually.) Number Four came back to get something from his office, near which I waited rather patiently, I thought, and asked whether I was meeting Number One at 1330. "Ye-es?" I answered. "No," he answered, "you're not. Hee hee. We'll let you know when you can come back." This, of course, could have been a prime eavesdropping moment, but there was too much other noise and no reasonable way for me to get closer (that hallway does not exactly offer a lot of security and/or excuses for someone who's not supposed to be standing in it!) so instead I just rested my head on top of a filing cabinet next to this half-brown plant I picked at for half an hour (!), inspiring Miss L. to ask whether among my other duties I was now also going to tend to their plants. Mm, no. I'm going to stick to professor-chasing, which I did once they'd all vacated Number One's office, trotting after Number Four with a paper I'd been told was his. Nope, he told me, it's Alpha's. Well, it wasn't, actually; Alpha sent me back to Number Four, and to head off any commentary about going back to someone else once again, I explained to Number Four that he was getting the paper because Alpha was bigger and therefore more capable of beating me up. In what may have been the highlight of my day, Number Four put his hands on his hips, cocked his head, and said, "Hey, don't be so sure, now!"

Got invited, along with my compatriots (although I don't think they know it yet...), to Professor Number One's Fourth of July party, where, I'm told, everyone talks and eats and talks some more, until a certain moment where they all get quiet and face the windows, and you can watch the freakin' fireworks from her apartment.

Met another professor - an adjunct, with crazy curly red-and-silver hair; I don't think I can afford to give her a code name 'cause I'll probably forget what it is - near the elevator heading down, and was complimented once again on our party presentation. I'm very, very glad that it came across in a way they all appreciate so much - and of course, I'm even more glad that it came across in a way our people appreciated so much.