Friday Randomness Extravaganza: Random Bullet Points of Crap, Friday Random Ten, and a Random Poem

OK, I don't know what was up with Blogger the last few days, but it has prevented me from doing any posts, let alone my K'zoo update (which is more a musing on blogging and its uses, actually, but from a particularly K'zoo-oriented perspective, and which I will post later). So until I get something more substantial up, here's a Randomness Extravaganza. And yes, even the poem is random. I used the Representative Poetry Online "Random Short Poem" function.

But first, Random Bullet Points of Crap (concept yanked from Ianqui):

• Did I tell you yet that I'm going to be the Graduate Advisor next year instead of an Undergrad Advisor? Yup, it was decided and agreed (love that passive voice) that it made more sense for the person who was teaching the graduate research methods course (i.e., me) to be Graduate Advisor. I'm really going to need that course release, I think, since I'll have to do admissions in the spring and recruiting before that. My plan, btw, is to try to get more of our area high school teachers into our program. I know that a lot of them are doing DL programs, but I'm going to emphasize that there's just no replacement for personal mentoring and instruction that comes with a traditional program. Anyway, I'm really excited by this turn of events, but I'm a little nervous, too.
  
• In related news, I picked up Graduate Study for the 21st Century: How to Build an Academic Career in the Humanities, by Gregroy Colón Semenza, at the Palgrave booth at K'zoo, and so far it looks *fantastic*. And that's not just because Michael Bérubé did the foreward. But as he says: "Trust this guy. He knows what he's talking about and his judgement is unerring." I'm going to give my students in my methods class the chapters on "The Graduate Seminar" and "The Seminar Paper," but for those of you with Ph.D. students -- or who are Ph.D. students, especially in the beginning stages -- I recommend the whole thing.
• In more personal and frivolous news, the Boyfriend's new name on this blog from here on out will be Bullock. Why? Because in honor of the upcoming new season of Deadwood, he has started growing a Bullock-style moustache and soul patch. I have to say, it looks kinda cool, but it's still in that scratchy phase. Not good for kissing. I hope it softens up soon.
• That new season, btw, will begin June 11. I can't wait, especially since my Bullock has a 50-inch HDTV. Oh it's going to look so awesome! (That reminds me -- I could insert a Deadwood-related fact about Dr. Virago here, but I want to pick up that "100 fact" meme thing on its own. I think I left off at #4!)
  
• Meanwhile, I'm going away for a week and a half -- to visit and help out with the increasingly elderly, frail, and demented parents -- so I guess Bullock's moustache will be fully formed when I get back. And expect some blogging from Cowtown. I will definitely take my computer with me and blog from the Panera at the fancy-schmancy outdoor mall near the old homestead. Or maybe Dean and Deluca has wi-fi -- then I can feel really fancy.

Friday Random Ten

1. Real Men - Tori Amos (Joe Jackson cover)
2. Should've Been in Love - Wilco
3. Tina Toledo's Street Walkin' Blues - Ryan Adams
4. Kid A - Radiohead
5. Bad Day - Actual Tigers
6. Unfair - Pavement
7. Rat Velvet - The Lemonheads
8. Jesus Walks - Kanye West
9. I'm Waiting for the Day - The Beach Boys
10. The Fallen - Franz Ferdinand

Friday (Random) Poetry

Paul Laurence Dunbar, "We Wear the Mask"

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!