April 30: Good News

I got some good news this afternoon.  All morning long, I graded exams, registered patients, answered phones, and tallied students' final semester point totals.  It was a long, long a.m.  I finally took a break around one o'clock to check my university e-mail.  There were several messages with subject lines like "Congrats" and "Hip hip hooray."  There was also a message from the English Department with the subject line "Contingent/Adjunct of the Year."

Yes, loyal disciples, I was chosen by the English Department as contingent faculty member of the year.  I know I've written about this topic in the past.  I've made fun of not winning before.  I've been sarcastic and angry.  However, this award wasn't even on my radar this time.  I was too wrapped up in doing my end-of-semester duties.  I was taken totally by surprise.

I'm sort of floating right now.  I'm happy and will probably remain happy for a few days.  I might even carry this happiness into the weekend.

I don't need a National Book Award.  Or a Pulitzer Prize.  Or the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Saint Marty is the friggin' contingent faculty member of the year.

I don't need no stinkin' Nobel