January 30, 2013

Wind high in the before-morning air. A native English speaking student in my creative writing class–who wants to be a writer–reveals she doesn’t know there is a difference between “me and “I,” assuming the “I” is used to start a sentence and as an intensifier. A sentence such as “You must leave I to continue growth as a human being” struck her as perfectly appropriate. “I never had grammar in school,” she said, “the school I transferred from did it late and the one I transferred to did it early.” The other students explained gently to her while I huddled in a corner and wept.

Interviewing of candidates for the two vacant positions. How inexpressibly horrible to be on display like that, especially if departmental interest has turned away from you in the first five minutes, through no fault of your own. I have agreed to so many independent projects and senior theses! Students appear at my door with sheaves in their hands and I have to scramble to remember why. One young lady is comparing Dr. Who to Peter Pan.