"If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it" -- William Shakepeare
Hanging out with teachers is sometimes dangerous. Okay, not like that kind of dangerous, the other kind. The kind that you know you'll hate yourself in the morning kind of dangerous. It got so bad last week that we instituted "alcohol free Monday." We all agreed that no one would indulge on Monday after eight straight days of some imbibing of some kind. It was successful. I myself took part and refrained. Today however, and well, yesterday, not so much.
Yesterday we had an end of the day lecture from perhaps the least enthusiastic person on the face of the earth. He was telling us about a grant the Folger had gotten to create a site to display images that perhaps have not been seen in four hundred years. The site will make it easy for scholars and other researchers to find stuff. Exciting right! Yeah, exactly. You're asking yourself the same question we were, they don't already have this? Wait, the more ridiculous issue is forthcoming - it's not going to be ready until 2009 at least, and not completely until '10. Okay, it's great that the Folger is finally catching up with what my phone can do, I appreciate that, but c'mon, 2010? Tell you what, send me an email, at least I'll remember then. We sat for an hour for this guy who had zero personality and talked with the lowest voice and no inflection - at the END of the day!! The two things we all agreed on was that the lecturer was not a good speaker/teacher, and that we all needed a drink. Perhaps several.
Today was one of my new friend's birthday. We decided to go out for sushi. I love sushi, and I was particularly excited to have non-bread sustenance . It seems that DC is big on sandwiches. Everything is a goddamn sandwich. Or, at the least, bread related...ie. Pizza. I finally rebelled. I have not had, with the exception of some broccoli two days ago, any substantial veggies in 10 days. I was worried about contracting scurvy! Today for lunch I bought myself some baby carrots, a banana, a plumb, and a cup of peaches all neatly cut up in a little cup. And it was delicious. Nary a slice of bread in sight. We also have a colloquium style lunch once or twice a week. That's where we all eat lunch together, and we have a speaker talking to us while we're eating. Those are optional, and as I mentioned, I rebelled at that today as well. I wasn't alone, however, there were about ten of us enjoying the warm sunny day DC finally offered instead of sitting inside. We were marginally guilty, but hey, the colloquium is optional.
My new friend had to bolt right after dinner because there was an issue with the person she is staying with, so I hung out the other person (there were three of us for dinner) at a bar not far away. We were joined by yet another memeber of TSI. (Teaching Shakespeare Institute). Why was I telling you all this? Oh, because it was NOT alcohol free Thursday. We were supposed to be celebrating a birthday, we wound up celebrating Thursday. The funny thing is, despite all the debauchery, we're still sharing ideas about the Institute and how we can apply things to our own classes... at all hours, in all places. And of course - how best to make the Bard more approachable to our students.
It's all exactly what I came down here for. It's late. Fare thee well.
Mahalo
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2 comments:
Alcohol is a requirement to help keep teachers at the top of their game. That's why beach houses and house parties are still a part of otherwise mature lives.
I enjoy a drink or two in the late afternoon and always did. The idea is not to let it become three or nine or until oblivion.
It's good for teachers to suffer an occasional dry presentation. It renews your vow to be energetic in the classroom.
Remember that the Folger Library is a GOVERNMENT institution, so two years to set up a search engine is not unusual.
I can you enjoying the baby carrots and the banana, but wouldn't a "plumb" be difficult to eat (though it would be useful for making straight measurements)?
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