So after many an eventful trip to Tulsa, to Juarez, back to Tulsa, the wrangling with the airlines over 6 hour delays, lost luggage, and a "wing and a prayer" landing in a tornado wracked Dallas Love Field, I have survived my "Christmas Vacation." Henceforth to be known as "Suckmas 2006."
The trip to Juarez was a great vacation away from my "vacation" though :D. Much thanks to the family Ardilla for their hospitality. I almost made it through the entire trip without getting sick. But then something bad got in my system, and that last night I had to take a little magic pill to sleep and then get on the plane in the morning. I do miss the squirrel though. Would be nice if she could stop by sometime soon. But the repsonsibilities of school are calling.
Classes have started, and I have but one strange story (of the many, myriad strange ones around campus) to share with you. This one comes from my labor professor. I will relate it as best I can.
We were discussing general topics after our lecture had ended and some one brought up the book Freakonomics. What followed was the funniest "I know the guy who wrote Freakonomics" story I've heard so far (and I've heard quite a few).
Labor Prof:
"You know I haven't actually read Freakonomics yet -general schocked mumbling among the class-. Well I gave it to my wife, because she was interested in reading it. She got past the introduction, then threw the book at me, saying that it was boring. 'Jeez, this whole introduction is just the reporter and the economist professing their undying man-crush for each other.' Well I thought this was a pretty funny story, and the next week I was out of town at a conference. I was telling this to a friend of mine at the hotel bar, and about when I got to the man-crush part, he said, 'Uh... you do realize Levitt is eating right behind us?'"
That is perhaps the best "I Met the Freakonomics Guy" story I have heard so far. Funny also because, despite enjoying the book, his wife is right. The whole introduction sounds like these guys do have a serious man-crush for each other.
Next Fun Topic:
The United Methodist Church vs. Southern Methodist University.
Years of debauchery, drunkenness, scandal, and other general university fun, and the Methodists get pissed and start passing around petitions because they don't want the Bush Library associated with the name "Methodist" that happens to be in "Southern Methodist University." Yes. That is a good reason to deprive a university of 8 years of historical documents and a multi-million dollar research center, benefiting the student body at SMU. That my friend is the very definition of "using your head."
Sorry UMC, I think SMU was already associated with Bush when the "Laura Bush Garden" was planted outside Fondren. They really should just stop making a fuss about this, unless they want SMU to be renamed "Laura Bush University." That would probably disassociate the Methodists from Bush. And of course disassociate them from a highly respected institution with some of the best graduate schools in the country (I suppose there's always ORU whose credits are recognized by... uh... nobody). So please... UMC... for all of us... just let it go.
2 comments:
This is not a serious contention....Right? D
No. The board of trustees at SMU (50% of the members of the United Methodist Church, as well was pastors and members of other UMC churches around town) voted unanimously to accept the Bush library if offered. SMU released a statement which said that they respect the UMC's right to petition, but that the decision has been made on this end already.
However there were a few notable professors on campus who signed the petition and made a bit of a stink (so far as I can tell, not one from the Econ or Law Departments... go figure) causing for a bit of local scandal.
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