Work Weekend

I

had an interesting day today. No, nothing spectacular happened. I did not hit the Lotto. There was no major scandal DC. I just taught my one Thursday. But, on the way to work, I met a former student. I was on the Metro, incognito, as usual--I have sensitive eyes and so I wear my sunglasses even on cloudy days, and I don't usually take them off even on the subway. Anyway, the car is half empty but someone gets on at Ballston and plops right down next to me. Yes, she didn't sit, she plopped. I'm sitting there trying to focus on my Sudoku--yes the O-man is addicted too--when I realize she is staring me from the side.

What the f...

It was a former student of mine, Triphox. I knew it was you, sensei. The sunglasses don't fool me. She is currently a law student at a local university and seems to be doing quite fine, thank you. She wrote an article for a journal that she and her colleagues put out at school. The title is "Deconstructing the Politics of Being Yellow." I don't know how much Derridian deconstruction will be going on in the article, but is sounds interesting enough and when it comes out, I will let you guys know about it. It is a contrast of the success of the Latino community to get together politically and the coughs and wheezes of the Asian community to do the same. Sounds interesting to me.

About an hour ago, another former students pops his head in my door and hands me a letter. Sensei, I'm getting married. It's in Hawaii. I love my students, but I'm not sure I can go to Hawaii for a wedding. But the invite was very nice and makes me feel special. The point, however, is that it is nice to know that my students remember me, and that they are growing and being successful along the way. It is nice to know.

There are other good things about a college teacher, like having the luxury of making my own time schedule. It is now Thursday evening and the weekend will begin after I sign off of Xanga and start for home--yes, I will sometimes write a little at school after I've finished my work. But "weekend" is a relative term for me. While the week has come to an end, in that I do not have classes to teach, I have plenty of work. Mostly I must do the following.

• Grade 31 J-literature papers
  
• Grade 50 J-film papers
  
• Prepare readings for Classical Japanese--we're doing Heike monogatari and I need to put together Yumi nagashi--stray bow.
  

So it looks like another work weekend for me. The Spring semester has finally started.