my new employer

CMU PRESS

Mission Statement

"CMU Press is an academic publisher of scholarly, reference, and general interest books at Canadian Mennonite University. Books from CMU Press address and inform interests and issues vital to the university, its constituency, and society. Areas of specialization include Mennonite studies, and works that are church-oriented or theologically engaged."

First day on the job over and done with. I've been shoved into an office I'll be sharing with three sessional professors, not that I'm complaining or anything. I met Simon, who teaches advanced calculus to a class of six. Another fellow strolled in later that afternoon and his cellphone would not keep quiet. Coffee in the staff and faculty lounge may rival the Blaurock's. CMU personal, I'm told, take their coffee culture very seriously - much talk is wasted on who will be making coffee, whether they'll make it strong enough, when to start the new pot, etc. Quite the fixation, but a welcome one. The lounge is also host to a variety of reading material - so anytime I'm tired of "Mennonite studies" I can snag the latest TLS, London Review of Books or any other pretentious academic rag I lay eyes on. 

Did you know the New York Review of Books has a section for personal ads, suited, of course, to the single bibliophile? See example below:

"VERY ATTRACTIVE, slender professor of English, DJF, loves foreign films and classical music, seeks her soulmate, a genuine and successful mensch (55–67) for friendship, love, and whatever follows. NYC. Call (212) 300-3767." Titillating indeed. 

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Over the holidays, I saw a romantic comedy starring Ricky Gervais. Shmaltzy, yes, but Gervais is, as always, a charming slimeball. Here's an audio sample of an amusing interview between Gervais and Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, that I stumbled across recently. It's from the Simon Mayo Radio Show on BBC Radio 5 Live. I love it when Williams does this sort of thing.