Done!!

[kelly_chambliss]

Previously, on Kelly's LJ. . .

. . . .she was complaining about all the work she had to do -- search committees and paper-grading and academic administration, when all she wanted to do was write kinky fanfic.

Well, I'm done! With all of it, at least for this weekend. Today I finished my final fest entry and graded the last of the papers.

In completing my work, I have learned a number of useful things, viz:

-- Mr. Bennet is Mr. Collins's boss, and that's why he doesn't want Mr. Collins to marry his daughter Elizabeth.
-- Mr. Darcy says that he doesn't like Mr. Wickham because Mr. W "doesn't have a proper look."
-- When Elizabeth finally sees Pemberley, she thinks that it would not be a bad thing to be Mr. Darcy's mistress. (Or as the book says -- "To be mistress of Pemberley would be something!")

-- I read a number of recommendation letters, talked on the phone to three actual references, and listened to two candidates' job interviews. And I have learned that the annoying old buzz-word "hands-on" is now being replaced by an equally-annoying new buzz-word -- "go-to person." Six of the references/recs/interviewees described themselves or the candidates as a "go-to person." I now officially detest this phrase.

(Once when we were interviewing for a dean of students, a candidate said, "I'd be a hands-on dean." To which I replied, very solemnly, "I'm afraid we tend to frown on that sort of thing." Even after I told him that I was joking, the poor man kept earnestly assuring me that he would never, ever consider touching students inappropriately.)

Open Plea to the Flist -- Please, do not ever again let me sign up for seven fests in one semester, especially not when I am on (seriously) eight different committees. I did manage to finish all seven fics ( severusbigbang, ownficfest, snapelyholidays, hp_darkfest, hp_yule_balls, femgenficathon, hermionebigbang), but it nearly killed me, fun though it was (in its masochistic way). And 95% of the Hermione fest was written over the summer, or I never would have gotten everything done. I have spent literally every free minute over the last three weeks working on Yule Balls and Snapely Hols.

And now I am hopelessly behind on the flist and on hp_darkfest reading, not to mention laundry and most housekeeping. My New Year's resolution is going to be to sign up for only three fests in the spring. Well, maybe four.

I still haven't posted my ownficfest story here, although I hope to get to it tomorrow. Maybe I'll put on a load of wash, too.

Comments

[aabbey.livejournal.com]

Oh Kelly, LOL, if I had *known* you were on so many committees, I might have said something. :-)

And seriously, haven't your students at least heard of sparknotes??

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Your life sounds much busier than mine, though! Your story of the German bar was just great. "She likes women, and that's all I'm saying" -- that could be my motto.

And sadly, many of my students are using SparkNotes -- and they still get confused. In fairness to the student body as a whole, though, this class is seriously the worst I've had all my years of teaching. I have had people who can read /g/.

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

Glad to see that you've finished all! Enjoy a bit of free time.
I loved the insightful comments of your students, especially the Pemberley one. How clever to realise that Pemberley is not a new character, and that 'something' should be taken as a positive notion.

I never liked 'hands on', but now I'm beginning to appreciate it: at least it isn't 'go-to person'. May one offer suggestions as to where exactly the person should go? (4 letters, starts with H).
In Holland, we have the dreadful expression 'she's a real humans-person'. I assume it means being able to motivate others. I was asked whether I was one, by one of my clients, and I replied in the affirmative. Of course I'm a humans-person. I usually have one raw for breakfast, with a nice strong cup of tea.

Your exceedingly Minerva-like reply to the dean had me laughing out loud.

And I'll do my utmost to keep you from too many fests. You may choose three and that's not negotiable.
Trust me, I'll look after you properly!

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Of course I'm a humans-person. I usually have one raw for breakfast, with a nice strong cup of tea

Hahaha! That's excellent. And I love the idea of telling the go-to people where to go. I'll have to adopt that forthwith, because I know I haven't heard the last of it.

You may choose three and that's not negotiable.

Deal ~~ thank you! I've got my three in mind, I think (and I hope to drag you into at least two of them).

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

If it's HP_beholder and Femmefest, I'm in. That'll be my part of the deal.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Yes, those are the two! Excellent!!! And now we can both go to work on Tetley. . .

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping Miss M is already in.

[miss-morland.livejournal.com]

My New Year's resolution is going to be to sign up for only three fests in the spring. Well, maybe four.

I'm going to adopt this resolution, if you don't mind. :-)

I think the trick is to only sign up for those fests you *really* want to do, although that's easier said than done... Thankfully, most of the Big Bang fests currently running are about characters that don't really interest me all that much, so I'm not tempted to sign up for them.

(Also, LOL at the list -- 'Mr. Collins's boss', indeed!)

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I think the trick is to only sign up for those fests you *really* want to do

Definitely. I've learned better now which ones really appeal to me. My plans for the spring are hp_beholder, hp_rarities, and femmefest (if the last is being done this year). (I agree that I'm not tempted by any of the current big bangs, either.) Of course, if someone starts an old lady smut fest, I'm signing up no matter how many others I've joined!

[minervas-eule.livejournal.com]

Congratulations for being able to see the funny bits and pieces in all this work-overload *gg*!
Of course it is much easier for me to laugh at your students' silly remarks, getting them delivered without having to read the rest *LOL*.

And your dean-candidate really asked for that joke - honestly, who could have passed that remark of yours.... just so strange that he did not laugh about it right away....kind of disqualifies him in my eyes *gg*.

And better delete the "in the spring" part of your resolution...,it invites "interpretation" ohow long to restrict yourself :-)

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

just so strange that he did not laugh about it right away....kind of disqualifies him in my eyes *gg*.

Mine, too! He did leave himself wide open to it. And his response suggested a regrettable lack of a sense of humor. Anyway, we didn't hire him. (Not just because of this, of course, but he had other limitations, too.)

[tetleythesecond]

"go-to person."

*retch* Thanks for the warning. The phrase hasn't made it over here yet, but I have a feeling that it will. Wonder if it will make as much of an impact as the equally dreadful "proactive."

Regarding keeping you from signing up to to many fests, therealsnape has said it all.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Yay! Another "proactive" hater. I've railed against this obscenity for years, although I fear the battle is lost. I mean, I do understand that language is always changing, but when a particularly annoying potential change gets started, I try to stem the tide until it's clear that there's no stopping it.

(I've lost the fight against "impact" as a verb, so now I've taken up cudgels against its cousin the adjective form -- the shudder-inducing "impactful.")

[therealsnape.livejournal.com]

And "They're scapegoating him".
Do they have to massacre a perfectly innocent noun in the process?

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I once heard a very funny comedian do a routine where he complained about this practice of turning any and every noun into a verb. He finished by saying, "well, I think I'll go sofa for a while, and then later, maybe I'll sandwich."

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

What a life.

I think what bothers me is that there are many BETTER phrases to use that express the same sentiments about a person. Perhaps some day I will write a Reference List - adjectives and phrases I can use on people if I am ever called to be a reference. I'll print out the page and circle the appropriate sections for the person interviewing.

Ack, 7 fests! I can't even imagine that!

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Nice icon!

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

Are those Adama and Roslin? Hilarious...

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Oh most certainly. :) Fandoms and their silly fun... :P

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

Ha, I bet they dress up like this when no one watches...

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

That would make my life.

And also makes me ask the age old question: "Where is the fic?"

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

So far, I haven't even read "normal" BSG fics...

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Strictly speaking, I having seen the series. Just little bits and pieces. It is on my list for winter break. I am in the Mary McDonnell fandom, but have not yet seen BSG because I want to do it when I can get through a large chunk - not great for the busy student times!

But I have seen many crack!fic BSG works, not so many 'normal'...perhaps you're on to something. :P

[lash-larue.livejournal.com]

Is "Impactful" a word?

I gave up years ago when I heard the headmaster of a private school in New England use "conceptualize".

I that's a word now I don't think it was then.

Congratulations on finishing up, in future if you feel tempted, drop me a note and and I'll come there and we'll get properly blasted in a sfe environment. Then we'll take Mt. Olympus!
L

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Is "Impactful" a word?

Not if you ask me! But sadly, I do hear it used. Language change is inevitable and can't be stopped, but sometimes it's more of a devolution than an evolution.

I'll come there and we'll get properly blasted in a sfe environment

Deal. I'll start mixing the tart shit now. . .

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Shakes fist at life. One of these days I will be 21 and legal to drink in BOTH my countries, and I will tag along with the two of you for some tart fun.

(But I would of course leave the room if either had too Adult things to talk about; I would understand. :D)

[queen-of-snapes.livejournal.com]

Please, do not ever again let me sign up for seven fests in one semester
Hmmm, I somehow can't support this... I mean, you write such great stories! There can never be enough, so in my opinion, you should sign up to more fests instead of less. But I should be less selfish, I guess, so three fests are ok.