Tuesday morning thoughts

*Crud, apparently "new blogger interface" won't post "scheduled" posts. Or something. The one below this I wrote yesterday midday during a break and scheduled it for the afternoon, but it never came through. I disapprove of this.

*I did finally start the Twilight Sparkle socks. And carried them along today for while I invigilate an exam. I'm kind of burned out on the Big Stupid Rectangle (which has been invigilating-knitting). Also, it's gotten warm in some of the rooms and it's more comfortable to work on a sock than on a shawl I have to tuck up under my arm.

*Last night was the faculty appreciation dinner. I didn't win the award I was up for but I'm really OK with that (to use a phrasing I detest: "Okay with that"). The person who did win deserved it more (It was someone in Math). I will note that most of my department was nominated for one award or other and I think that reflects well on us as a department. (And I think it's better to be someone of average or slightly above average abilities in a good and collegial department, than to be a superstar in a difficult department. Not that that's the case of the person who won, but...I've known people on other campuses who were the one hard-worker or outstanding person in a department full of deadwood, and that can be pretty soul-killing)

*I also realized, in the process of realizing I was OK with not winning, that I've come to the conclusion that chasing after the recognition of others is a pretty sorry way to lead your own life, and a pretty good recipe for being miserable. Because there are always people who are better than you at whatever, and if you're only happy being the best...you'll never be happy. Being "good enough" has to be good enough.

*I did get my name in the program twice; they printed the names of the "new" (as of this fall) promotions and the people who received tenure. And I was in for the nomination.

*Unless I get nominated for an award next year, I might not go next year. Or at least - note to self - don't take the fried chicken meal option. Fried food disagrees badly with me these days. (I had figured, "It's been months since I ate anything fried; what can the harm be?" My stomach begged to disagree)

*They tried to make it a theme party, with "80s Rock" as the theme. They encouraged people to come dressed in "80s Rock Attire."

Um, no. Sorry. I don't do that. Maybe at a small gathering of friends, all of whom I know well and all of whom I trust not to photograph me and post it on a website. A few people did dress up - mostly some of the women, it was pretty tame - sort of Bangles or Go-Gos style - leggings and short knit skirts and dark tank tops with loose neon t-shirts over them, and then those jelly bracelet things and such. One guy from Safety wore a large black mullet wig, but he's the kind of person who can get away with it. (I, categorically, am not - I do not think I could get away with much silliness in a setting like that).

I will note that one individual wrote her planned speech to include as much 80s slang as possible, and it was a little painful to hear. (I leaned over to the person next to me - I was sitting with a couple I know from church who were in Sociology - and whispered "Gag me with a spoon" during the speech and she laughed, so I guess I wasn't alone in my feelings)

I will note that 80s slang sounds extremely dated today. (Well, most of it. I guess we still say "awesome." And going back further...I knew someone in grad school, same age as me, who used to use "groovy" as an all-purpose term of approval. It was actually kind of funny and cute because he was the only one who ever did it, and yet it was so "him.")