Strange Fits of Passion

Chapter 2

Samuel knew of at least six guests—there were probably closer to twelve—who carried copious amounts of opium with them. Once the ladies retired and the night had slowed to a sleepy crawl, he hit them each up in turn. They were scattered throughout the house, most of them already out of it. Samuel didn’t have to explain himself. He didn’t have to use the tired excuse of a toothache or a headache. He had only to ask, and they gave him tabs and bottles.
( Chapter 2 )

Today's great mystery

Why do I keep getting email from Loehman's? I've never shopped there, I've never been to their website, and their specials don't interest me.

Yet, the emails come like clockwork.

I was going to friends-lock this, but what the hell...

So Prof Ogden sent me an IM and asked me why another student had sent her a link to my LJ. I said I didn't know. She said "Could it be because I'm Prof Flakey."

I laughed. I thought we should share a joke, but in our conversation she seemed hurt. Now I can never tell with this woman, because she uses sarcasm like a deadly weapon and I can be a little literal minded, but I thought I had really upset her.

And then, before I could clarify, she logged off. And I panicked. See, I've been having a bad week and I'm feeling pretty emotionally fragile right now. The thought of pissing her off--somebody I consider not only a professor but a mentor and a friend--and hurting her feelings really upset me. So I did the only reasonable thing.

I sent her a long apologetic email and then I bought $30 worth of balloons, flowers, and fudge.

She emailed me after I bought these things and said she was just kidding, she wasn't upset, didn't I know her better by now and by the way, why do I have to be so damned literal?

So my panic was for nothing, but I'm not upset about spending the money. She deserves a Christmas present, though my other profs won't be receiving one. (Did I mention that I accidently gave Bailey my copy of the Completed Works of Edgar ALlan Poe do to another miscommunication/mistake?)

So annonymous student who is obviously trawling through my LJ looking for incriminating evidence, how are you? Are you upset because I said the poetry at the reading and in Prism blows? Cuz it does, and I said as much to Prof Ogden, so it'll be useless to send her another link. Also, I can only imagine you sent her the link to piss her off at me. Obviously, she is not angry with me and it didn't work. Nice try though.

One final down

I took one look at the prompts and panicked. "Oh my god! I don't know anything!" But then I gave myself a few minutes and everything about Milton, and Shakespeare, and Johnson came back to me and all was well. I think I did a good job, at least good enough that I don't have to stress over it.
( random thoughts on writing stuff... )