Good Holy Jesus in Heaven. In about half a day I will be teaching undergraduates at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Are they sure they know what they're doing here?

There's a part of me that's like, "I can totally do this. I *like* working with people. I *love* working with people. I'm a good teacher! And I honestly care about helping students do well!"

And then there's this other part that's like, "You are *barely,* if at all, older than these people. And nineteen-year-olds are nasty-wasties who do not think you or any of your wishy washy literary stuff is cool. They DON'T want to get excited about Anglo-Saxon manuscripts. They DON'T want to write papers. They DON'T want to become huge nerds that spend their weekends scanning poetry and playing super cutthroat games of Scrabble with their bands of nerdy friends. They want to go to parties. And put on eye shadow. And get drunk before they are legally allowed to do so. And they can smell fear...so watch out!!"

AAAHHHH!

Okay, I'm sure most of that stuff isn't true. I'm even sure that, even if it is true for a few individuals, they are exceptions rather than typifications.

Furthermore, I am also sure that I should take the adress to my blog off of my facebook profile...

I'll let you know how it all goes...

Damnitt, I'm in LA. Damnitt!

So I got back to California last weekend, and those were the first words I said to myself as I walked off the plane into LAX. Because somehow, for some reason, I ALWAYS end up back in LA. And it's always a little bit of a shock. Like maybe I expect my particular plane to get sidetracked mid-flight and go to, let's say, San Francisco, or Oakland, or New York, or Canada or something instead. Damnitt!


Oh, well. Now that we're here, we may as well make the best of it.

This year, things are going to be different. This year, I'm going to do useful things and not turn in papers that I suspect are bullshit. This year, I'm going to take things seriously. This year, I am going to drink MORE ALCOHOL. This year, I am going to find new and different cafes in new and different parts of LA that I might like better than Westwood. This year, I will take picnics to the beach. This year, I will take a yoga class. This year, I will work from 9-5 every day, in hopes that I won't have to work 9-12 and then 5-1. This year, I won't stress out so much about things that aren't important. This year, I'll try to read a book every once in a while has nothing to do with school.

This year is going to be okay...