My brain is full

One of my favorite cartoons has a little kid in class raising his hand and asking, "Teacher, may I go home now? My brain is full." My brain is also full, but not of knowledge and wisdom. Irritation, perhaps. Guilt. Those are the things my brain tends to stay full of.

I drove up to Big Rapids this morning in a slow drizzle, which is supposed to become light snow by morning. Thus far this season, none of the predicted snow has manifested itself, but we are now into the month of November, so the snow-free days are certainly numbered. At least that damned daylight savings time is over. I've reset more clocks than usual this time since I have the apartment with four clocks (counting the microwave). I also have a couple of clocks in my office. Fortunately, the computer clock sets itself and is not my problem.

A student came by a short while ago to have me sign his drop slip. He doesn't like the topics I assign, he told me. He also mentioned that he was six years into college and still doesn't have a bachelor's degree yet. I can't imagine what the problem might be (said dripping sarcastic honey from both sides of my mouth).

On Friday I plan to attend a session at a hotel in downtown Grand Rapids to show solidarity with my faculty colleagues who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered. They've been trying to get benefits for their partners for a long time. I'm very much in favor of allowing marriage with all its rights, responsibilities, and privileges to anyone who wishes to undertake it. As I once told my brother, the problem with the world is NOT that there is TOO MUCH LOVE. It's that there isn't enough.

My colleague Bernadette had her car window smashed and some of her things stolen. She's feeling violated, of course, and wishing that smash-and-grab were a higher priority on the police blotter. I do fear more now that I am a woman living alone some of the time, but my little apartment seems safe enough. Her break-in occurred while she was inside a bar, and I never go to bars. In fact, I never go anywhere for plain old carousing (because it isn't fun for me). I'm so boring. Unless someone knocked me over the head and took away my books, my "good time" is not likely to be interrupted. But Bernadette is single, so I guess she's a bit more socially active than I am.

I'm listening to NPR as I count off the minutes until I allow myself to go home. They're discussing whether the vaccine for H1N1 flu is a global conspiracy to depopulate the earth. Geez. I can only imagine the kind of mind it takes to come up with a theory like that one. Believe me, if they ever get more vaccine into my doctor's office, I'll be there to get it. Maybe it WOULD be a good idea for paranoids to avoid the vaccine. Darwin, ya know.

Speaking of Darwin, the photo today is an example of the kind of body that so many students would like to have, but their minds are flabby obese middle-aged polyester-wearing trailer-trash.