21 August 2003 - 11:35 p.m.

Today I had English grad school orientation at CompUter U.

Anyone who has been following the Jennoirs for over a year will be wanting an update on my old pals.

Prof. McHotHot is on leave for this semester. Such is life.

I appear, oddly enough, to once again be the sole film enthusiast among a group of 15 M.A. candidates. This is a little more dire than it was at HU, which is probably the reason for Prof. McFilmProf's sudden and almost surreal cordiality.

Apparently, next semester he will be teaching a media course on either youth culture or celebrity, and if I have a preference on what should be offered, I should email him.

Needless to say, I have in the hours since that offer applied for a position as his research assistant. Ain't no thang like a sho thang, and I need some mother effing cash.

So it's really too bad I had to cut my schmoozing short when I ran into Aitch, who's not even affiliated with my program, but came to lunch with us anyhow, and deserved a good reception just because he was standing in front of the department office in beach clothes.

I guess it's true about absence making the heart grow fonder, because while I was in VA, I quickly forgot how flaky Aitch can be at trying to converse. Observe:

JP: Hi, Aitch, it's good to see you!

Aitch: Yeah, I haven't seen you in a while!

JP: Well, I was in Virginia last year, and you were in lLondon, right?

Aitch: Oh, well, yeah, and I guess that's why I haven't seen you. What are you doing, are you writing?

JP: Today?

Aitch: No, I mean, this summer. Are you home and are you writing?

JP: Well, yeah, I couldn't find a job after I got back from Hollins, so I've just been at my parents' house, writing.

Aitch: Oh, so you were in Holland? Did you like that?

JP: No, I was at Hollins.

Aitch: In Europe?

JP: No, Hollins University. You knew that.

Aitch: Wait, I think I did know that! Did I help you with that?

JP: Well, you wrote all my letters and encouraged me to go.

Aitch: Right,I remember now! Oh my God! I'm so confused! But you didn't like Hollins?

JP: No, I liked it a lot.

Aitch: You just said you didn't.

JP: No, I just said I didn't GO to HollAND.

Aitch: This is confusing the hell out of me!

JP: Aitch, I went to Hollins and I liked it!

Aitch: Then I don't understand, why did you leave?

JP: Because I graduated.

Aitch: What are you doing here if you were going to Hollins? Are you just here for today?

JP: No, I'm here all year! I'm getting another degree here. I already got my degree from Hollins.

Aitch: Oh, okay, well, what was that like?

JP: It was really good, but then I graduated and had to stop going.

Aitch: Who's at Hollins that I know? Anyone besides that [Are-Aitch-Etc.] guy?

JP: Um, do you know PGDB?

Aitch: No.

JP: Well, he's pretty young, the whole faculty's a little bit young.

Aitch: Well, that's encouraging. But I bet I don't know anybody there but Are. I warned you about him, I remember that much.

JP: I remember that, too.

Aitch: I can't believe I warned you about that guy and you went anyway.

JP: Okay, Aitch, first of all, everything was fine, but can we have this conversation another time.

Aitch: Right, I'm sure I'll be seeing you later.

JP: Yeah, I'll be here all year.

Aitch: Right!

I have to admit to taking the long way into the lunch line to avoid having to explain anything further to Aitch. I had no idea he'd make me so tired the first time I saw him again.

Man, even typing that wore me out. I can't believe Tinsel ever thought I was attracted to that man. There but for the grace of... dude, I don't even know, okay?

What I'm wearing: Harvard t-shirt, X-mas boxers

What I'm reading: Nada, it would disturb my sleeping folks.

What I'm doing after this: Sleeping myself.