And now for something a little lighter . . . I went to Cornell in Ithaca tonight for what was supposed to be an info session on a teaching program (NYCTF) in NYC. It turned out to be a total bust and the person presenting the information (all five minutes of it) wasn't able to answer any questions, although she did take notes - kind of - and promised to get back to us. We'll see.
What struck me about the experience, however, besides driving through places that are so godforsaken, places so desolate and horrible, places like the Town of Cortland, the Village of Dryden and, yes, the Hamlet of Etna, places that made me want to throw a party for all 4,719 residents of my own village because at least this place is cute, and at least we're not a hamlet, was HOW OLD I AM. College wasn't that long ago, was it? As I walked around the gorgeous campus looking for the lecture site, I was stunned by every person I passed. When did college kids turn into models? In college I didn't have two pennies to rub together. I ate Top Ramen for every meal and stole my friends' old clothes just so I had something to wear to class. Not at Cornell. Every one of those kids was beautiful, with their golden highlights, hip clothes, and iPod earbuds. And besides being cute as buttons, they were so young! Those kids looked like they could have been my children. Oh, shit. Those kids could have been my children. ANYway, during the lecture when I raised my hand to ask a question, they all slowly pulled their attention away from texting on their cell phones and turned their heads to look at me like they were wondering what I could possibly say that would have any relevance to anything they cared about, say, (and here I'd like to insert a brief list of things that 19-year-olds care about, but I am so old I don't even know what those things might be.) Oh, whatever. I'm old.
In other news, Dave had a great idea for something to do when you're feeling really sorry for yourself, (bottom of the awesome post or here for the beginning of the story), so I'm off tomorrow to mail my box of goodies to someone who really has something to complain about, via Any Solider. And then it's back to the job search. Thanks for your kind comments on my last post.
college costs a lot more than just the tuition nowadays. i used to rock the thrift store get ups in college and lived on bagels. heh.
ReplyDeleteTotally lame that the info session blew because I have a few very close friends that have done the Teaching Fellows and its an awesome program... so def. don't loose interest just because they sent a un-informed lameo to the 607 or is that 315? Well either way... good luck!
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