September 20

Sexy professors and sex ed

1978

Recent discussions with my classmates have made me very aware of the sexual tension between female grad students and their male teachers and mentors. I was oblivious to all that as an undergraduate. Perhaps as an undergraduate I was too involved with Jim to notice that any of my professors were attractive. But lately, afterclass discussions have devolved into assessments of the relative hotness of our instructors. [Names have been omitted because they are all still alive, a few still teaching!!!] One is physically unattractive, yet compelling sexually because he talks about it so much. Another is cute and cuddly, intellectually challenging, and, in one student’s opinion, trembling on the brink of a mid-life crisis. (Like the middle-aged male version of Gigi.) One particular professor is the center of several women’s fantasies. What is it? They claim it’s because he is so shy. One would have to be thrown together in the most bizarre circumstances into order to get past his social awkwardness. What scenarios we concocted! Broken elevators, week-long blizzards…

From there, we talked about how hard we tried not to look like the driven intellectuals we were. How wonderful it would be to give a conference paper and overhear someone say, “I knew she was brilliant; it’s incredible to discover how gorgeous she is as well!”. Part Margaret Mead and part Jane Russell. Or Raquel Welch and Georgia O’Keefe.

1997

This will be an odd weekend. Today is supposed to be 90 degrees, and tomorrow around 70. We will be at an AYS workshop all weekend, which I expect to be both interesting and exhausting. But the house is clean, I am not behind in my work. The kids are old enough to look after themselves. Life is good.

Comment 2023

AYS = About Your Sexuality, a comprehensive sex ed course developed by the Unitarian Universalists for middle school kids. Jim and I volunteered to teach it during the 1997-98 church year. Probably one of the best and more interesting things I have ever done. Also the most embarrassing, at times!

2004

I am struggling to
Stay on track
Get on track
Find the track.

What should I be doing, for heaven’s sake?
What I shouldn’t be doing is:
Taking on any new projects or responsibilities
Learning to write like a phenomenologist
Writing the book that the American Studies department expects

I should be:
Getting my thoughts on paper
Reading more
Writing what wants to be written

Why is that so hard?

2011

I am convinced that in the humanities we teach the research process completely backwards. Or maybe inside out.

2014

Jim was at the leadership retreat all day today, and had the car. Since it was the day of the town yard sale -- and a gorgeous fall Saturday, Cunningham and I strolled to the school to see if there were maps (there weren't). But there was a car seat for Grandkiddo 2, and we had a good time visiting stands and chatting up the neighbors. Then I brought the poor old boy home, panting and thirsty, and set out on a short perusal by myself, towing the kids' old wagon behind me. I found a small loom for me and then went by the school to retrieve the paid-for car seat. The BBQ truck was there, so I also got some lunch and brought it home. Then I settled in to watch the Maryland-Syracuse game to see what my students are doing instead of their homework. Terps won, 31-20, which seemed to surprise everyone. When Jim got home, we headed to the Silver Diner and I had some mighty fine fish tacos. Need to remember that!

Comment 2024

Grandkiddo 2 has outgrown the carseat and I never used the loom. Both have gone on to new homes. 

2024

It is very hard to listen to Judith Butler’s audiobook and knit at the same time, but I did it.