far too close

i've just checked my bank account - i'm NIS 250 off a negative balance. i'm not happy with this at all. i've also just given up on a translation job i was given: it may be NIS 15 per page, but damn it takes me a long time to do a single one. sod it.


---
it was a sweaty morning: not only was it hotter than expected, but a bastard guard at the gate gave me shit for trying to enter with my rollerblades and i found myself in the president's office trying to figure out who to turn to. it appears that this could be a serious battle :/

i was exceptionally displeased at the guard's aggressive tone - "that's just how i am" - and especially at his referring to me more than once with the word "pacifist" as derogatory. i didn't even register how much that word is loaded until just before i called up the head of campus security - half a year ago i completed my service having done more for this country than that maggot ever will, and he's rude to me on patriotic terms???

stopped
i sit and try to listen
to the fascinating sounds

but i can't hear anything
because i can't stop thinking
about the stranger outside

who doesn't know me
nor why he hates me


---
i felt bad being so smelly in class: it really was too warm to blade today.

i had lunch with a guy i used to serve with, who spent three weeks in japan just after i left. the conversation was quite pleasant until the end... a friend of his had joined us, and i found myself suddenly describing an experience that wasn't interesting to them at all and only sort of followed on from the discussion. i don't know what brought that on. they left as soon as i'd finished the concept, and i felt like an ass :(

i had some time to kill before meeting with yogi, and ran into a couple of girls from my class. pratchett and hillman saved their day, and the sentiment was expressed that maybe i should be teaching the class... the fantasy had crossed my mind, actually :P
[this is the same class i mentioned yesterday as being "redundant"]

i was in such a bad way by the second class that i even switched shirts - i assume it helped because i didn't see anybody's nose twitching. the description of the midterm requirements freaked everyone out - they're really harsh. it's been quite a bonding trauma, though, so we now have a study group going :P

unable to stop myself, i spoke out first and very much against herman melville - and was joined by a relieved chorus. my use of the term "mental masturbation" was received as appropriate, even though i know that the lecturer was disappointed...

there's a fair amount of crossover between his two classes, which works in my favour. what works even more in my favour is the preparations i made during the last couple of years - knowing things about the greeks and romans is useful!

our last class:
a) first fig really speaks to me.
b) we were told to google "kevin murphy". i did. i shared my results with the class. they were amusing. i still haven't found the english professor i was looking for :P
c) we read and discussed frost's home burial last, and were treated to a bit of panic ensemble... i was inspired to attack the professor with the lyrics to tool - schism (off lateralus). i think she liked it :)

in spite of the earlier troubles, i strapped on my blades right outside the building* and rolled straight down the hill. i sped home, stopping only to sweat in the shabby thai food parlour until my half a kilo of beef veg noodles were ready (i ate them with chopsticks as i rolled the rest of the way home - i find that comforting for some reason), and would have gotten to work right away with the translation if i hadn't (desperately) needed a shower and received a few phone calls...

* what?! *GASP*
the reason given by the security team for no wheels other than bicycles being allowed on campus is that we'll be tempted to enter the buildings without switching to shoes.
that's nonsensical.

i met up with a bunch of guys from my last unit for beers; loads of chatter - the kinder is desperate to know why i lost my security clearance and all he has to do is wait two weeks before i can talk. i know i don't have to talk, but i don't feel i have anything to be embarrassed about either.

pg joined us towards the end, so i got to see her a little at least. i returned home to get the translation done, gave up, posted, and am now trying to decide whether i'm going to get into bed and finish what's left to do in the morning or... naaah. i think that's what i'm going to do.