Saturday, December 09, 2006

Hooray English!

So, here's the thing. I don't want to be a teacher. I never had any intention to be a teacher. Being a teacher, I have often thought, must suck like ten kinds of hell.

And then there was the English department party. The English department party was, in fact, the most fun I have had in one hundred and two days. It's almost the high point of my year. Imagine, if you will, a dozen people who are very smart, and who care a whole hell of a lot about the thing that they are the most smart about. Now imagine that there is wine; not enough that anyone will wake up with regret, but the perfect amount to make sure that everybody is talking and completely absent the shyness inherent in people who are very smart. And happy, they are happy too. Now imagine that in addition, there is apple cider and cake. Delicious, delicious cake, among other delightful pastries. And there's me, and later, me and Paul, hanging out with these buzzed and brilliant people. Some of them are laughing at crap you'll never understand, others are arguing vehemently about minutia, and all of them, ALL OF THEM, are wonderful, wonderful people who are treating you like you have PROMISE. Not being condescending, either, these people are being ridonkulously supportive, some introducing you as 'Ed, who wrote a novel'. Uh, this is to assume 'you' are me. Unless, you know... you're a novelist Ed. I don't know, I don't judge.

I want to be a part of that. I want my entire life to be that experience. I never want to go a week without an English Department party again. Like, I totally don't care about teaching, helping people, enriching children. I just want to live a life full of English professors.

3 Comments:

Blogger Aaron Poppleton said...

I'm sure as hell not getting into this business to help people. I'm getting into this business because it's the only way I'll be able to sit and argue about books with people and get paid for it.

12/10/2006 4:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In my experience english teachers are either really cool or really weird or both. A lot of english profs smoke pot and own many cats.

12/10/2006 2:09 PM  
Blogger Ed Turner said...

Smoking pot and owning cats are two of my favorite activities too! Right up there with eating artichoke dip (no substrate, just the dip). I am so perfect for this.

12/12/2006 10:08 AM  

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