Teaching shape

I haven't taught a class since the Summer of 2005. I semi-taught a class last summer and another this fall, but both were cancelled before I could get going.

So today I taught for the first time (for real) in almost two years. While I was InterimDirectorofWhatever, my Dean didn't want me to teach. Now that I am AssociateProfessorandDirectorofWhatever, I have to teach. I can't get tenure otherwise. I didn't want to teach for my return engagement in WhateverProgram, despite my being in charge of it, because the courses are especially challenging to teach. So I graciously (well, I quibbled over the number of students that could enroll) accepted a chance to teach in my PreviousDepartment. It wasn't my Department really. They never let me all the way in the door. I was a (dum dum) lecturer. No status. No job security. The same four classes over and over again. Still, when the chair of PreviousDepartment called and offered me one of those very four classes, I said, "yes."

So, today I went to teach it. Truth be told, I prefer to teach three days a week for 50 minutes. It's easier to be cute for 50 minutes. Here I am teaching twice a week for 75 minutes. Those extra 25 minutes are a killer.

It's a course on gender. I did my usual ice breaker of having everyone say "breast" and "penis" out loud so that they won't be nervous later when we talk about menstruation and genital mutilation. Sounds uplifting doesn't it?

It's a fun class, though, some of the tougher topics aside. I'll be fine. But today I didn't feel so fine. My jokes felt flat; my syllabus overview felt mean. Because it's a prime-time class, there were seven people who wanted to add and stood around the perimeter. Ah, the joys of state education.

I need to re-establish my comfort-level in the classroom. Self-deprecation, wit (such as I have it), and deep breathing will all help. Maybe I should do some shout-outs of "breast" too.

Or maybe not.

L Word Confession

Ok, here's the deal. Scout and I had never watched The L Word before this season.

Scout doesn't so much like the lesbian cinema/tv thing. I'm always trying to convince her to go to the new lesbian movie because "this one is supposed to be good." Don't get her started about the various ones we've gone to. She doesn't like them. Name one. We've seen it. She hated it.

So...tv seemed safer and she's much more indulgent. She watched Buffy with me during the Willow/Tara greatness and indulges my Elizabeth Mitchell fixation which dates back to the Kerry Weaver coming out storyline on er. Lost is back soon. Sigh. I love me some Elizabeth Mitchell. Anyway, I'll go low on tv. I watch South of Nowhere on The N. Yep, The N--that's Nickelodeon's teen channel. Mmmm Hmmm.

Why not The L Word then? I can't explain it, really. We've always been HBO people and just got Showtime recently. We were earlier Netflix adopters and I could have queued it up. There are Showtime preview weekends. There are ways. For three seasons, no L Word for us. This despite the fact that scout works to promote the Gay Agenda™. We've had opportunities. Hell, we live in Southern California. We could be living the show if we wanted. (Not). When is that damn radio show on KCRW anyway? I listen to that station a lot.

So this season we have Showtime and we've been watching. I have to say that we are enjoying how badly written it is more than anything else. (No offense to big fans).

Here's what's pleased me the most, though...

We were watching last week and I said, "Alice is the hottest." (Scout is particularly anti-Shane, so I figured Alice was an ok preference to state). Scout said, "that's Liesha Hailey and she's actually a lesbian." I was so proud of myself. Spot the gay girl in the cast and think she's hot. How many points do I get? Wait, have I lost them all before I said something for never having watched the show before? Or for loving a woman who hates lesbian movies and tv? Ah well, we've got this week's episode on the tifaux. Scout, I'm sure, can hardly wait.

R&R

I'm back from a little trip. I went away for a couple of days to relax. All by myself. It was weird but good and I might write more about it.

I can offer the following advice--midweek, midwinter, mid-coast. You can't go wrong. I didn't relax this much. I've never relaxed this much. But the seals know where to go to hang out. Fo'shizzle'seal.



Midweek, midwinter, mid-coast. Repeat as needed.