The “multi-media” presentation is nearly ready. I plan to demonstrate at the faculty meeting next Wednesday. Some of—more than half, actually—the faculty didn’t return their bio sketches to me with corrections. So I assume they’re OK. Of course, I’ll probably make about 20 copies of the program, send it out to all and sundry, then hear, “wait—mine isn’t right!”
I don’t know why I’m getting myself into the dep’t. promotion game anyway. Not my job. But…I just can’t seem to get away from being a practitioner to being a “scholar.”
Gotta get to work on that article!
I also completed a 2-page newsletter to mail to all my advisees, many of whom don’t even know me, since we have “group advising” in our dep’t. (that is, no real advising at all). I don’t plan to tell anyone about this project. It’ll get around anyway, and if I begin to crow about this, I’d likely raise faculty hackles for my “one-upmanship.” No need to alienate your colleagues by being too enthusiastic….. In fact, they probably are already alienated, the insecure ones. That’s most of the dept.’ Kid Ph.D.s. Sheesh.
Julie and I had this morning what Julie termed our first “owly morning.” She accused me of being grumpy because I said we were frequently out of yogurt, bagels, orange juice—or that the orange juice was perpetually frozen because her refrigerator is kaput and the landlords won’t replace it. She got mad at that accusation, and I realize I’d not been particularly diplomatic, so I retraced, recanted. Of course, it really is true—nearly every week she’s out of something, or the O.J. is frozen (when we have any). But then: I guess it’s really my responsibility to provision my own breakfast anyway.
—Feb. 3, 1994, Fargo
OtD 