Words all fail the magic prize…
Published 7 Apr 2005
Do they realize how hard it is for a girl that grew up in the ’80s to walk into work in a suit and prepare for a meeting with the assistant dean right after hearing the Violent Femmes on the drive in?
I had no choice but to be singing along at the top of my lungs, driving too fast, and causing pre-coffee adrenaline to spill into my bloodstream. I got to work wanting to yell obscenities, smash a few things, and tell all the establishment sell-outs how they just don’t get it.
I think I deserve special props for having a nice, civilized meeting with the assistant dean, and for being able to somehow convince myself that, despite the suit and the nice, civilized meeting, I am not one of those establishment sell-outs.
I will wait patiently for my lunch hour before smashing things.
Leave a Comment
In: Cocoa on the Couch
This is the section that contains all of my personal articles — sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter — it’s good to have a fire going and a cat purring in your lap when you read these.
Coffee at my Desk
Carbon offsets! Just what I always wanted!
I’ve been besieged at work with what seems like a million different “opportunities” for donating to someone’s pet charity of choice this holiday season. However, when I give, I like …More »
Margarita on the Rocks
OMG, did she actually post?
Yes. Yes she did.
It has been so damn long that I feel like I sould be writing something deep and earth shattering, but I don’t have it in me. …More »
Commentary
Nat writes
Apr 8 at 05:57 AM #
Why don’t you start by merrily skipping out to the parking lot and using your coffee mug to smash their bourgeois-gas-guzzling-european-suv! (on your lunch, of course!)
Andrea writes
Apr 8 at 09:23 AM #
Good idea.
I swear KSLG is trying to kill me… today on my lunch hour it was No Sleep til Brooklyn.
dan writes
Apr 19 at 04:49 AM #
Being an establishment sellout isnt as bad as you might think. The best part is that with the profit motive being in play, you end up eliminating many of the completely useless people who end up ensconsed in a “you cant fire me ever” kind of academic position…
People are dicks out here, for sure. And probably a higher rate of dick-ness than in the Academy. But these dicks have some skills… they have to earn their keep!
Andrea writes
Apr 19 at 08:29 AM #
Dan, you are not an establishment sell-out, any more than half the people in the U. I don’t think the profit/non-profit point is the dividing line… it’s more about attitude, outlook, and priorities.
Bob writes
Jun 3 at 06:45 AM #
YES! I came here on the recommendation of a colleague. I stayed because of the writing, ideas and because the design is so “beautiful it hurts.” I’m joining in because I found some kindred spirits.
Three things:
1) Why only listen to our favs on the drive in. Shoutcast.com has a couple excellent 80s streams, especially Radio Nigel (Oingo Boingo “We Close Our Eyes” now streaming). I’m sucking up my institution’s bandwidth right now! Check out rantradio.com before your next meeting. KMFDM, Skinny Puppy and industrial noise. Try that before your next meeting. (Of coarse maybe that’s why I’m not getting wide support for my ideas.)
2) 20 years after graduation and Live Aid I finally realize “establishment sell-out” is a relative term. I apply the Sid-Vicious-attitude to the institution rather than the people. Change is coming and contrary to what you wrote in an earlier post, I think it will be a revolution. It will be like a Doc Marten to the head. We are catalysts. As always.
3) Attitude? Yes. Outlook? Half empty or shattered. Priorities? 1. Family 2. Change.
Thanks for the content! I’ll be reading again!
Andrea writes
Jul 13 at 12:38 PM #
Bob: I know this is very late, but I have had in the back of my mind to try out the music streams you mentioned, and today I finally did it. Ahhh. Thank you!
-----