Snowflake in the Crowd

The University has been in the process of unifying everyone's email addresses across multiple schools and institutions.  This means a new email alias for everyone.  And much consternation for those of us with common names.  I thought having an "86" follow my initials was bad at Partners.  The new system takes it to a whole other factor.

Moi: What's your number at JHU?  Or are you senior enough not to warrant a number?

[Advisor Who also has Common Asian Last Name, though not as common as mine]

Who: Well, it's one.  Isn't it the same for everyone?  Everyone gets a one after their name.

Moi: Not me.  The numbers can go much higher.

Who: Like 20?

Moi: That's nothing.  Try 3 digits.  Like 430. 

Who: [Laughs more uproariously than I have ever seen him laugh.]

 At least I'm bringing joy into the world.

The Merman

I'm home in Dub-ford for a quick visit, which means intense contact with Mother's particular brand of crazy.  Yesterday, discussing colleges ("I know you joke that we don't treat the Bo' with the same prestige as we do Harvard, but I never knew that you and your friends actually believed that the Bo' was a really elite school"), Mother mentioned that Brother had previously received admittance to Smith but ended up choosing UMass Amherst for financial reasons-- an account we vociferously denied on many counts.  Finally, Mother called Brother to set the record straight.  You don't even need to hear both sides of the call.  Just soak in the crazy. 

Mother: Help me settle a score with your sister and father.  Didn't you get into Smith College when you were applying?  They're saying you didn't.

[...]

Mother: I know it's a women's college.  I remember you'd gotten into one, which I thought was weird at the time.  What about Holyoke something?

[...]

Mother: Yes, I know Mt. Holyoke is a women's college.  I know you're not a woman.  So you didn't get into any women's colleges?  I really thought you did.  

One Down

I had my departmental preliminary exam today.  As everyone promised, it wasn't half as scary as I thought it would be, everyone there did want me to succeed, and I did pass. In fact, I probably had one of the shortest exams amongst all my peers (God is merciful). Though this did not mean that I found any of the jokes the faculty members made prior to my passing to be funny at all.  

Fifteen minutes before the exam, as I was about to make last minute preparations, Prof Dubya (? I forget his nickname), who is not on my committee, comes by for some friendly, last-minute advice.  It was very kind of him to do.  Unfortunately, it sent me into all sorts of last minute panic of problems I did not even consider.

Dubya (sees Doc Khaleesi in the hallway): I'm just giving her some last minute advice.  You shouldn't listen, you're on her committee.

Khaleesi: Oh, I'm ready.  I have a long list of questions.

---  

(regarding the homemade cookies that I brought to the exam)

Doc Who: There should be some sort of an arms race to see who can furnish the most elaborate meals at these exams.

Moi: Oh, I heart some professors didn't want it to seem like a bribe.  Otherwise, I would've catered lunch.

Doc Who: Some professors appreciate bribes.  I once had a student who brought sushi.

Khaleesi: You have 5 minutes.  There's still time [to impress us.]

---

Best question of the whole exam (courtesy of Doc Normandie):  Which 2 popular American companies were founded in Quincy, Massachusetts?

Most horrifying question (courtesy of Doc Who, natch): Should I just tweet these exam notes to you?  Or would you prefer Facebook?

Biscuithead

Le Pretzels, biscuit season is once again among us, which means the addition of 2-3 servings of simple carbohydrates into my weekly diet. 

In my roughly 2 years of biscuit eating in Bmore, my achievements are as follows: discover biscuits, buy so many biscuits as to have the biscuit crew learn my name (there was a brief winter hiatus after which name was forgotten then quickly relearned), and have Biscuit Boss express disappointment when I didn't choose the special of the day. Today, after a winter hiatus during which my name wasn't forgotten, I add a new achievement to the list: cashier knew that I hadn't yet tried the pork sandwich because I hadn't visited the 2 other times they'd had it. I hope that one day, as the ultimate reward of my faithfulness, they visit me in the hospital when I eventually have my heart attack.