"All words are symbols that represent unspeakable realities. Which is also why words are magical." (Donald Miller tweet)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

the crusty professor

I have a midterm exam next week for the course that I thought I just started. Boy, time flies.

And I haven't even told you about my prof.

He's crusty. Opinionated. Sometimes obnoxious. Impatient. Sarcastic. Doesn't "do" computers or anything to do with them, so if you miss a lecture, there's no online place to get notes.

And he's a storyteller, who knows his content backwards and forwards, rarely uses notes as he lectures, never goes off track, and drily cracks hilarious jokes that go over most people's heads.

I. Think. He's. Great.

But I can't tell him that. He's like a radio talk show host (one of the intelligent ones). Entertaining to listen to, but I would never call in, because they always win the conversation and then hang up on you. And then talk about you on the radio after they hung up on you. My prof would totally do that, I think.

So I am LOVING his class. LOVING his style. LOVING sitting in a cramped classroom with too many people two nights a week, listening to him talk.

But I will consider myself to have been successful if I manage to remain anonymous in that space. And I don't think that will be hard. He talks to students who make eye contact, but never, ever asks their name.

Which is fine with me.