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Angelina Jolie is #9 in searches under Google News. Before Harry Potter (#10).

The Secret of My Success

Here, Cassius is explaining to me why early Christian and Gnostic apocalyptic writings had less in common than commonly held. And he is demanding a by-line in all papers that I publish.

Resting (on the radiator) after expounding on the shortcomings of my Statement of Purpose.

M and I thought that to list all the things this guy has eaten in the last 3 or so years he's lived with us would provide fascinating insights into his psyche. Here, in alphabetical order, is the list:

Avocado
Bean paste, red
Bone meal, for gardening
Broccoli
Cat food, dry & wet
Cat food, Marlowe's
Chicken, roasted, left unattended by downstairs neighbor during his dinner party
Cookie, Verona, Pepperidge Farm
Cuttle fish, dried
Gnocchi, potato
Grease, bacon
Pancakes, tops of
Paper, napkin
Paper, photocopy, academic articles
Paper, tissue
Paper, toilet
Pumpkin, pureed
Rubber bands
Salmon skin
Spinach
Sponge bread, Chinese, steamed
Tapioca balls, uncooked
Tuna
Turkey
Twisty ties

(Of course you know we did not feed him all these things.)

Cheese Smell Association

Feta - Ass
Brie - What Vonnegut calls that "mushroom cellar" smell

What else?

We're Off to See the Wizard

I seem to be moving back to my high school days. 1st was my high school reunion last week; tomorrow I fly to the East Coast to visit schools with my mom (couldn't drag M away from work, but wanted someone to accompany me). Wish me luck as I mumble my way through interviews and try not to sound like an idiot (". . . yes, I like masculinity, I mean, I study it. . . how masculine do you think you are - on a scale of 1 - 10?").

In other news, I have fired a professor from my recommenders list. Not only did he misremember the schools I was applying to as Oxford and Cambridge, he seems to think I am a dolt. Somehow, this doesn't bother me because I know that he is the dolt. He warned me against applying to "big names" simply because I might be enamored with them. When I replied that 1) I was not applying to Cambridge or Oxford and 2) did he not have confidence in my scholarly abilities? he backpedaled and said U.S. schools take a long time. When I replied again and said I had carefully researched schools he wrote back saying he was particularly concerned about the U. of C. and did I know how long it took there and I should look into it.

Obviously he did not read my c.v. and does not recall I am an alum of U. of C. and he also does not take me at my word that I know what I am doing. So, I fired him.

But maybe I'll act like Rory in Gilmore Girls: "Oh my god! I am standing on Yale campus!" "This is Yale's library!" "I can't believe I'm in a Yale professor's office!" "Prof. Martin - what does it feel like to be a Yale professor? Does it make you feel even more manly?"