The View From Kalamazoo

Yeah I know I haven’t done any real blogging in a couple of months.
There are Reasons.

I’ll get back to things eventually and post all of the links I’ve been saving that you’ve probably already seen, anyway, and not be such a hermit and comment on other blogs and have opinions and even share them. I’m in arrears.

But I’m not doing that yet.

One of Da Grad Students who happened to be at registration when I finally got a chance to meet The Man has emailed me the pic she took with her phone (as I, stupidly, had no camera with me. Nor was I smart enough to have him sign my Program or even a damn cocktail napkin. What can I say – it’s Sunday of Congress, I haven’t slept, and stress has snuffed out every last bright light of hope and sanity in my poor addled brainpan. We’re lucky I can dress myself and form sentences at that point, I swear.)

I’m a huge Python fangirl. (I’m not talking my dress size either, schmartass.)

And I used to use portions of his Crusades series when I was still teaching Medieval Heroes and Villains for the Institute, too. Lower-level undergrads like visual aids. (I used to teach with M&Ms too. Stop calling me that! They finally got the feudalism questions right on the exam – and that’s what mattered to moi.)

He had given his paper and signed books for two publishers and all of that, but I hadn’t seen him yet. I figured I missed out, since I was in my roundtable at the exact time I would have needed to be in Exhibits Hall and my ability to get away to attend sessions is pretty limited. But! Lo! Who should enter the Registration lobby on Sunday morning but Terry Jones accompanied by Bob Yeager (who I then harassed for an intro! throwing my “power” around! there oughta be a law!) I was looking like I hadn’t slept in days (’cause, uh, you know..I hadn’t) and had a voice like one of Marge Simpson’s sisters (had started losing it even before my roundtable the day before, so much for my dulcet tones), but I wanted to thank him for coming and hoped I would manage to do so without being a gabbling geek. He took off to take care of something before Exhibits closed as my end of the Congress Adminstrativa conversation that developed was boring as the day is long.
But! He passed back through again on his way out – and I had another opportunity to be the geekiest fangirl on the planet thank him again and express my undying love for him as Most High Humor God appreciation. And pic was taken. And I am Pleased.