Three days ago I was a lukewarm Bears fan with a dream to enlighten unsuspecting undergraduates in the culture of blogging. By 10:15 last night, I was cheering for the Indianapolis Colts as they won their first-ever Super Bowl and mentally sifting through potential discussion topics and workshop ideas for the blogging class I'm now slated to teach this fall. I've even coined a catchy new vocabulary word sure to spread like wildfire at Saint Joe: bleaching! Because blogging plus teaching equals....
Well, maybe not like wildfire, but I just might find a way to sneak it into my syllabus.
I'm going to be a teacher. An adjunct professor. Me, who can't make it through even one staff meeting without frantically searching for the "Pause" button on my Real Life DVR remote so I can jot down a rough outline expressing intelligent, thought-out responses to spontaneous lines of questioning because I'm afraid of accidentally complimenting somebody's bra. I shared the good news with several colleagues from the college's alumni volunteer board and flapped around like a fish out of water when one of them commented, "That's going to be hard. I mean, has anything academic even been published about blogging?"
I received official word on Friday, when Luke and I made the trek to Rensselaer for my quarterly alumni board meeting, an hour and a half before midnight, within minutes of hugging my good friend Maia, who once mentored me through a year-long publications internship with the college's marketing office and saw me through an abrupt transition from intern to employee. I'm honored that the department is willing to entrust me with a classroom full of impressionable minds and hope my course meets their expectations; at the very least, I'd like to refrain from vomiting before I have the chance to introduce myself. They'd probably appreciate that, students and faculty alike.
YEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!
Congratulations! Great job! You'll do great! You rock!
I'm so happy for you!!
Posted by: Molly | February 05, 2007 at 06:07 PM
Also, damn football traitor.
Posted by: Molly | February 05, 2007 at 06:08 PM
welcome to the dark world that is adjuncting. you'll love it, i think! i'm always around, email me if you need to!
Posted by: Art Nerd | February 05, 2007 at 06:58 PM
In my head, I read "bleching," and it was further solidified when you talked about vomiting.
Posted by: Luke | February 05, 2007 at 07:22 PM
Wow, that's really amazing! Congratulations-- I wish I could sit in on your class.
You should be very VERY proud of yourself. Way to go!
Posted by: Lizzy | February 05, 2007 at 07:29 PM
Congrats! That is super news. AND! You have plenty of time to come up with some interesting course materials, a well thought out sylabus and some pepto (you know, for the vomiting). ;)
Posted by: Elizabeth | February 05, 2007 at 09:34 PM
Yea, Professor Frema Wahoo!!!
Posted by: mjd | February 05, 2007 at 09:39 PM
Nice job on getting a college teaching job. Joy. That will be fun.
Posted by: daddy d | February 05, 2007 at 11:26 PM
Whooo hooo! You're gonna be a "bleacher"!
Posted by: VirginiaGal | February 06, 2007 at 08:43 AM
Excuse me???? you were cheering for the COLTS??!!!! you have now been shuned from your Auntie Di! Your only a Indiana transplant! your a Chi-Town girl born and bred-don't forget your roots. If you can't be a bears fan don't be a football fan! P.S. congrats professor Bre.
Posted by: Di | February 06, 2007 at 09:34 AM
Holy crap on a cracker! Congratulations! So... are we going to have the benefit of your bleachings as well?
Excellent new word, by the way. Although it did make me feel a little like I was inquiring about your methods for dealing with unwanted facial hair...
Also? Am Colts fan. Because am Peyton Manning fan. Because am Tennessee fan. So yay Colts!
Posted by: PaintingChef | February 06, 2007 at 09:57 AM
Awesome!! Congratulations. Maybe we can trade teaching strategies. :)
Posted by: Liz | February 06, 2007 at 10:07 AM
And by the way- a quick search in just one of my databases turned up 180 scholarly journal articles on weblogs. Maybe you'll write the 181st. ;)
Posted by: Liz | February 06, 2007 at 10:10 AM
Frema, thanks for sharing your blog with me this weekend. I've been catching up on your previous entries, and YOU ROCK! Good luck with the class; you're going to be awesome!
Posted by: Jackie | February 06, 2007 at 11:00 AM
Oh my gosh Frema!!!!!!! Congratulations. How exciting. I can't wait to hear all about your teaching experiences.
Posted by: Silly Hily | February 06, 2007 at 11:45 AM
Congrats -- that's fantastic news!!! I sure with I could take your class, because there's no way in hell it's not going to be an awesome class.
Posted by: Audrey | February 06, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Maybe all us commenters should get together and juice the blog so it's all pumped up with, like, 80 comments a day so when Frema's students come over here to check it out they're all like, whoa.
Posted by: TasterSpoon | February 06, 2007 at 01:04 PM
That is SO fabulous!!! I wish I could take your course.
Keep us updated about how you work out the curriculum. I think your class will be totally interesting.
Posted by: takin chances | February 06, 2007 at 03:52 PM
So, this is a college class on how to blog? Am I getting that right? That sounds so very cool and hip!
Posted by: Angela | February 06, 2007 at 04:47 PM
Congrats on the teaching job! I wish my college would have had a class about blogging. I would have signed up for that right away.
Posted by: dee | February 06, 2007 at 09:32 PM
Congratulations Frema!! If I were still a student there I would totally take your course! That's awesome and I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job!!
PS-- I love Maia too!
Posted by: Sant | February 07, 2007 at 10:17 AM
Congratulations! I think it is so cool that you'll get to be a pioneer in the field of "bleaching". And I know you'll be a super fun and engaging teacher!
Posted by: kelley | February 07, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Ooooh, TasterSpoon has a fabulous idea. Look at you rockin' the 22 comments so far.
I'm commenting again also to say that even though I didn't get to watch the Super Bowl, I'm still excited that the Colts won because I'm a Peyton/Vols fan just like PaintingChef.
You people better keep commenting on Frema's blog. She's gonna get sick of seeing me in the comments section 5 times. :-)
Posted by: Silly Hily | February 07, 2007 at 11:36 AM
I think it is so cool that you get to teach a class on blogging. You are going to be the best damn bleacher there is! I'm so proud of you. So cool!
Posted by: Lindsey | February 07, 2007 at 08:02 PM
Geez,I just realized that I am just hangin out waiting for TLF. Like maybe you would post it today,it's getting close to Friday. I will wait with everyone else.damn it.
Posted by: debi | February 08, 2007 at 01:09 AM
Wow! What an interesting subject to teach! Will you make them read your blog as homework?
I think you're right about "bleaching." It will totally catch on.
Posted by: Brittany | February 08, 2007 at 03:12 PM