Monthly Archives: September 2012

Fill In the Blanks

My editor just posted a Facebook thread: “If you liked [NAME OF TV SHOW], you should read [NAME OF BOOK].” My response was: If you liked Jersey Shore, you should read Final Exit. Not sure I quite have the hang … Continue reading

Posted in Broken Glass Waltzes, Literature | 1 Comment

My New Favorite Commercial

(UPDATE: Corrected to properly identify the guitarist. Mike Hefferman is in fact Lightfoot’s keyboardist. The Prof regrets the error.) Just saw this during a break in an NFL game: And speaking of Canadians, I had a very pleasant time at … Continue reading

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Just Checking In

It’s a full day today for the Spawn’s favorite medievalist. In a few minutes I’m headed to a marching band competition. It’s an hour away, and the Spawn doesn’t perform until 2 p.m., but there’s a frappuccino preserve en route, … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Family, Music | 1 Comment

On the Snarket

I’ve talked before about the hideous state of affairs in the academic job market, especially in fields like mine. For example, this year’s hiring season began a couple of weeks ago — I’m no longer in the market, but I … Continue reading

Posted in Education | 4 Comments

H.P. Lovecraft Could Not Imagine Such Horrors

One can only hope this is Andy Kaufmanesque meta-humor, but thanks to Alan Cross I now know that there is a site for erotic fan fiction about…   Phil Collins. I’m pretty sure this counts as a crime against humanity. … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Music | 3 Comments

QotD: Florentine Edition

Florence King is not Dorothy Parker, but this offers her the advantage of still being alive and snarking. I’ve always gotten at least one chuckle out of everything I’ve ever read of hers, and she kept the streak alive this … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Literature | Leave a comment

And Some Bonus Birthday Cool Points

I’ve made no secret of my fondness for the work of NR and The New Criterion‘s Jay Nordlinger. We’ve exchanged e-mails on a couple of occasions, most recently last week. The subject last week was the value of tenure. Jay … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Education, Politics, Why I Do What I Do | 1 Comment

I May Require an Intervention

In celebration of my having completed 47 trips round the sun, I dropped $100 this morning on TeenBeat Mayhem, a book I have mentioned on a prior occasion. I also received a lovely hand-drawn card from the Spawn, a chocolate … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Literature, Music | 1 Comment

If You’re Really Bored…

I’ll be giving a brief lecture on garage rock at 4 p.m. this afternoon. It will be webcast here — click the “Faculty Lecture Series” link at right. Time to cure that insomnia once and for all.

Posted in Education, Music | Leave a comment

Apropos of Nothing in Particular

I just learned that Randall Jarrell attended the same high school as my mom and dad, my paternal grandfather, and my great-grandfather of that line (Also, Bettie Page, but that’s another post, I guess.) In particular, Jarrell would have been … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Literature | 2 Comments