in a goodly mood

1. A freshperson came in this morning. "I know this isn't going to count for points, since we had our chance yesterday, but can you identify this quote? 'This wind blows us from ourselves.'" Easy, I responded. Benvolio, after Mercutio's long-winded Queen Mab speech. "Uh, okay," she shot back. How about 'For your broken shin.'" Easy again. Romeo. (In her journal, next to the list of quotes she had assailed me with yesterday, she had written "Crap," "Dang it," "Bad," "No way!," and "CRAP.")

"I'm just going to pretend this didn't happen," she said, crestfallen, backing out the door. "Yesterday was a failure, but I never came here today. Rewind."

2. After two months of waiting, I finally received the digital projector I had applied for, and put it to prompt use, slamming my freshfolks with another quotes quiz. "Why do we have to know these random quotes?" someone dared ask.

"Random? Random quotes? They're all from key characters, in key parts of the story, representing key themes and ideas. They're famous. They prove that you're reading closely and carefully. I choose them meticulously, purposefully. I don't ask you to know random quotes, ever. No way."

Incidentally, it kicks ass to have a digital projector in the classroom.

3. Sophomores presented their productions of a crucial scene from Medea. Some suprisingly bravura performances from quiet, unassuming students. Excellent costumes, and mostly excellent line readings. Extra credit went to the guys who wore lipstick. "We got it from my mom," said one.

That's a Freudian road down which I will not travel.