3:35 p.m. - July 26, 2002
Random flow of mental duress
Friday afternoon and the T.A.s were released early, not because their time was up but because I wanted to research alone in this huge library where it's me, the librarians, and nobody else. It's a thrill to me, to track down resources and seeing who last checked out a book, who penciled notes in the margins, and leave my own mark on the text. Yes, just as I am compelled to touch things labeled Do Not Touch in museums, I am driven to write in library books, leaving notes to future readers beyond check marks and underlining; I say Jason, California, here in July, 2002, watched librarian (Carol) pick her nose in an act of permanence and rebellion in one stroke. I don't know why I do that.
Today I am stealing three books from the library, easy enough to accomplish if one is a faculty member because of course, teachers never lie and steal or grade inflate much less bring home books never checked out and intended to never return. If I truly had balls I'd find some way to steal the Old English manuscripts or pages from the illustrated Bibles in the Rare Books & Papers Archives as is my fantasy, but even I have limits. It is tantalizing to daydream one-upping the latest Mission: Impossible movie featuring me in black scaling walls and rolling priceless works into mini-tubes, and of course there's the lady-interest, but today it's Carol the Librarian and she does not fit the bill so let's stop there.
Tonight is Austin Powers with Spec after dinner somewhere; I'm meeting him in about an hour and I will be nice, non-moody, non-attitudinal. Yes, Austin Powers. Come on, even university professors need a break from foreign-language films and tea parties and official functions!
Hasta!
