Oh, Yes! I Rocked ‘Em Like a Hurricane! (Now it’s time for the Eye.)

Presentation went very well, I think (though I don’t get my mark back until next week – fingers crossed for confirmation).

I used verbal persuasion, Bob Marley tunes, and a nifty clip from Brooklyn Babylon (2001). (The prof had never heard of the film, or of some of the newer books I used as back-up sources, so she was impressed by my neurotic, compulsive, anal and oh-so-second-generation complete and utter over preparation… Reading that sentence finally makes me understand the meaning of “Media is the Message.”)

I even brought in copies of a great Onion article exposing the hilarious, yet sad, commercialization of His Honor Bob Marley.

Way to cover the pop culture media spread, yeah?

No ganja, though. (But I did pass the handouts out in the correct bong passing procedure, so I think I simulated the experience…)

Dr. Duncan was alert and interested, and my colleagues were interactive and clearly energized by my talk, so I think that’s pretty good. To get a rise out of five first year PhD students in late November is pretty excellent, eh?

My favorite bit? When I slammed the table and announced that “Tevya Must DIE, for the good of our Nation!” (Meaning that the dominant trope of Tevye the Russian Jew must be laid to rest as it serves to establish a somatically normative view of Jewish identity, colour, nationality, and way of life that doesn’t apply to the UN that is the Jewish people. Not that anything should happen to my sweetie, Chaim Topol!)

So, yeah, all that on less than an hour’s sleep… I probably could have had them over-throw what’s left of our government if I’d actually been well rested. (By the by, the government has finally collapsed. No bloody coup or anything, as that isn’t the Canadian way… Just an ELECTION (!!!!!) in January… See you at the polls!!)

I’ve done my duty, bolstered not by food or sleep or anything healthy whatsoever, but by nicotine and caffeine (the two Horse Men of grad school). Now I will forage for nuts and berries in my crunch-time-ravaged apartment and then hit the hay for some rest.

I’ve deserved my treat.