Eeeeeeehhhh!
This past weekend was busy--I had rehearsal Saturday morning, softball, and then a baby shower in Toms River for New Jersey and then NEWS. Rehearsal went fine, although I found out that our darling Luke, our Demetrius, will not be able to do the show because he broke his arm. The replacement seems cool but I love Luke! After rehearsal I went over to Pinkberry--I was sitting there, nomming on my Original with Cap'n Crunch and blackberries, when a guy walked in with a woman and two kids. My gaze drifted over him and I thought "he kind of looks like Kelsey Grammer but I thought his hair was darker?" When he said something, I realized it WAS he! He and the other three sat at the table next to me, which had only three chairs--he asked if he could have the free chair at my table, I said "of course." I'm so shy around celebrities, for several reasons--the main one is that I don't want to bother them. The guy's out with his family, let him have a nice time, don't pester him. The only celebrity I'd ever say anything to would be someone whose work I really admire and follow--Kelsey Grammer is a fine comedian, he was perfect in Cheers, but it's not as though I watched Frasier obsessively every single week. Another reason is that I think celebrities have so much weird energy fixated on them--somebody's always coming up to them for something, an autograph, a photograph, validation, whatever. Someone's always trying to get a reaction out of them. And then they sell the story to TMZ. I can't stand this when it's just a random guy on the street, I can't imagine how annoying this would be times a million. I just leave 'em alone. Also, this is New York, and you just can't fawn over celebrities. It's not cool. (In that way it's like the Vineyard--I saw plenty of them there as well, albeit they were more erudite--Art Buchwald, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Bill Clinton (well, my aunt and uncle met--and had dessert with--the Bill, not me :) But for all my shyness, it's still exciting!
After Pinkberry, I went over to softball where I got nice and messy. I just love softball--I'm so happy Ken Scudder hooked me up with this crowd. It's an alumni group associated with the University of Chicago, although you don't have to have attended there to be on the team (in case any of y'all want to join me, they're very open to new players), it's pretty casual. We play other alumni teams in the area and I have been getting teased about my conflicting loyalties, since I'm going to Columbia. I usually play second base--I greatly prefer the infield because reflexes and eye-hand coordination are everything there, plus I like the teamwork. LOVE executing double-plays. My hitting is improving--my big thing about hitting is that in baseball, I was a good hitter. In fact I led my team in homeruns when I played Little League. Why? The ball is smaller. This means it's pitched faster plus you can hit it harder. This all changed when I switched over to softball--I was lucky to get doubles in 8th grade softball, I just couldn't hit the ball hard enough with my scrawny little arms, not enough upper-body strength. VERY frustrating. I can certainly still hit the ball, it's a question of sending it somewhere, getting something besides a pathetic little dribbled grounder to third. However, my training with Calvin has begun to change that--he is definitely improving my strength and I have gotten quite a few decent little clips, at least 1-2 per game. (It's hard to judge because when I make contact, I bolt for first, I don't ever watch to see where I've hit it--you lose valuable time that way. This is one reason why, even when I hit those crappy grounders, I usually get on.)
After the game, I had just enough time to run home, feed the babies, and run back down to Port Authority for the bus down to Toms River. This was fun--I got to talk to Lori's dad at the shower, who for some reason really likes me and always makes a point of talking to me about history after I burned his ears off last Thanksgiving going on about Henry VIII's wives. I was telling him about my class.
When I got home Sunday night, I checked my Columbia email--we'd received a message from our professor.
I have read and graded your papers. I have them in my office together with your final exams. I'll be back in NY from August 1st on. Over the summer I'll have very limited access to the internet and I apologize in advance if I won't be able to reply to your emails in a timely manner.
Somewhat confused, I forward the email to my TA and added:
How can we pick up our papers and exams? Is he handing them over to you guys or do we try to get them before he leaves for the summer?
She replied:
Hey Clara. Unfortunately, he has the exams and left today for Tunisia then off to Italy. He will be back on August 1. You made an A on your exam and paper and, I believe, an A+ for the class. Good work!
Eeeeeeehhhh! So happy! Although I want my paper back NOW, not in August! *pout* There's an interesting followup though--I received word that grades had been posted, logged on, and saw that the grade (for the semester) was A-. I was, to say the least, very surprised--notwithstanding what my TA had emailed me, my average was a full A (I received As on the midterm as well--the midterm, final and paper add up to 90% of the grade, and I assure you, I represented well in the discussions (the other 10%)!). I sent an extremely tactful email to my TA, asking where the deductions had been taken (I was very concerned about coming across as a grade grubber), and she wrote back immediately:
It was a mistake. I'm not sure when it can be rectified but I am
certain it was not an A-. I will email him and take care of it. He was
probably really sleepy. And with 95 students, this is no surprise.
Sorry for the error.
And then later:
I emailed him. It shouldn't be a problem. There will just probably be
some time for you to notice the change. I am glad you said something.
Otherwise, we'd have no idea. I wish I had access and I'd change it
myself.
And then later:
Me again. Marco responded but won't be able to change it until August.
But, he will! I'd like to think I'll remember this conversation then,
but as I will be in China most of the summer, it's possible I will
not. So, email me if it's not been changed by the first week or so.
Sorry that you have to wait.
So I still don't know if I got an A or an A+ but whatevs, I'm happy. We had this hilarious exchange in addition to this;
Me: Oh God, THANK YOU. I was trying to hide it but I was, uh, a little upset--I want to apply to the Master's program (in History) and it's so competitive to get in, I am pushing myself for nothing less than full As.
Amy: Masters in History? Welcome to the dark side.
Me: Ever seen The Revenge of the Sith? I'm picturing you in a long black draped robe beckoning to me with a bony finger, flipping your Rs.
Yeah, a Master's in History, that's practically a license to print money, right? :)
Amy: Oh yeah! Plus, with an MA in history, you'll have to fight off the job prospects ;-).
And Amy is coming to see Thyme! She was a great TA, I hope she likes the show. I'm also inviting some other Columbia friends to the show who've asked about it--they know me as Hermione, just WAIT until I blow their mind as an androgynous, skinny, wood fairy who puts a girdle 'round the earth! Interesting though, I've been reading on the Times site about the horrors of student debt--I'm so behind the times, I had no idea private lenders lent out money to students and had variable rates. For some reason I thought this was a much more regulated market--some of these stories are scary, it sounds like debt bondage. Very glad I've been so cautious about my financial plan so far (1-2 classes at a time, etc.).
After Pinkberry, I went over to softball where I got nice and messy. I just love softball--I'm so happy Ken Scudder hooked me up with this crowd. It's an alumni group associated with the University of Chicago, although you don't have to have attended there to be on the team (in case any of y'all want to join me, they're very open to new players), it's pretty casual. We play other alumni teams in the area and I have been getting teased about my conflicting loyalties, since I'm going to Columbia. I usually play second base--I greatly prefer the infield because reflexes and eye-hand coordination are everything there, plus I like the teamwork. LOVE executing double-plays. My hitting is improving--my big thing about hitting is that in baseball, I was a good hitter. In fact I led my team in homeruns when I played Little League. Why? The ball is smaller. This means it's pitched faster plus you can hit it harder. This all changed when I switched over to softball--I was lucky to get doubles in 8th grade softball, I just couldn't hit the ball hard enough with my scrawny little arms, not enough upper-body strength. VERY frustrating. I can certainly still hit the ball, it's a question of sending it somewhere, getting something besides a pathetic little dribbled grounder to third. However, my training with Calvin has begun to change that--he is definitely improving my strength and I have gotten quite a few decent little clips, at least 1-2 per game. (It's hard to judge because when I make contact, I bolt for first, I don't ever watch to see where I've hit it--you lose valuable time that way. This is one reason why, even when I hit those crappy grounders, I usually get on.)
After the game, I had just enough time to run home, feed the babies, and run back down to Port Authority for the bus down to Toms River. This was fun--I got to talk to Lori's dad at the shower, who for some reason really likes me and always makes a point of talking to me about history after I burned his ears off last Thanksgiving going on about Henry VIII's wives. I was telling him about my class.
When I got home Sunday night, I checked my Columbia email--we'd received a message from our professor.
I have read and graded your papers. I have them in my office together with your final exams. I'll be back in NY from August 1st on. Over the summer I'll have very limited access to the internet and I apologize in advance if I won't be able to reply to your emails in a timely manner.
Somewhat confused, I forward the email to my TA and added:
How can we pick up our papers and exams? Is he handing them over to you guys or do we try to get them before he leaves for the summer?
She replied:
Hey Clara. Unfortunately, he has the exams and left today for Tunisia then off to Italy. He will be back on August 1. You made an A on your exam and paper and, I believe, an A+ for the class. Good work!
Eeeeeeehhhh! So happy! Although I want my paper back NOW, not in August! *pout* There's an interesting followup though--I received word that grades had been posted, logged on, and saw that the grade (for the semester) was A-. I was, to say the least, very surprised--notwithstanding what my TA had emailed me, my average was a full A (I received As on the midterm as well--the midterm, final and paper add up to 90% of the grade, and I assure you, I represented well in the discussions (the other 10%)!). I sent an extremely tactful email to my TA, asking where the deductions had been taken (I was very concerned about coming across as a grade grubber), and she wrote back immediately:
It was a mistake. I'm not sure when it can be rectified but I am
certain it was not an A-. I will email him and take care of it. He was
probably really sleepy. And with 95 students, this is no surprise.
Sorry for the error.
And then later:
I emailed him. It shouldn't be a problem. There will just probably be
some time for you to notice the change. I am glad you said something.
Otherwise, we'd have no idea. I wish I had access and I'd change it
myself.
And then later:
Me again. Marco responded but won't be able to change it until August.
But, he will! I'd like to think I'll remember this conversation then,
but as I will be in China most of the summer, it's possible I will
not. So, email me if it's not been changed by the first week or so.
Sorry that you have to wait.
So I still don't know if I got an A or an A+ but whatevs, I'm happy. We had this hilarious exchange in addition to this;
Me: Oh God, THANK YOU. I was trying to hide it but I was, uh, a little upset--I want to apply to the Master's program (in History) and it's so competitive to get in, I am pushing myself for nothing less than full As.
Amy: Masters in History? Welcome to the dark side.
Me: Ever seen The Revenge of the Sith? I'm picturing you in a long black draped robe beckoning to me with a bony finger, flipping your Rs.
Yeah, a Master's in History, that's practically a license to print money, right? :)
Amy: Oh yeah! Plus, with an MA in history, you'll have to fight off the job prospects ;-).
And Amy is coming to see Thyme! She was a great TA, I hope she likes the show. I'm also inviting some other Columbia friends to the show who've asked about it--they know me as Hermione, just WAIT until I blow their mind as an androgynous, skinny, wood fairy who puts a girdle 'round the earth! Interesting though, I've been reading on the Times site about the horrors of student debt--I'm so behind the times, I had no idea private lenders lent out money to students and had variable rates. For some reason I thought this was a much more regulated market--some of these stories are scary, it sounds like debt bondage. Very glad I've been so cautious about my financial plan so far (1-2 classes at a time, etc.).