I have a meeting with the Dean this morning, so he can tell me that the Provost is threatening not to sign any contracts (putting me and 7 others here out of a job) but that I shouldn't worry because the ABA says there has to be someone with my job title here. If the provost signs mine, but refuses to sign the others, I can't quite imagine walking into the faculty meeting that follows.

Tomorrow, however, is a holiday, and I am inside-pantsing.

Thank you, Zen, for being our conduit for information. I know that's not so easy. I've been worrying about Mr. Peabody, too, and I'm glad he's got a place to go. I hope Ginger knows that she's got a lot of people who will do what we can to make sure he's cared for.

I desperately want to be here with you all, but today I'm giving the biggest pitch of my career. This is literally a huge deal, and I need to have my shit together. Ginger would not want any of us to fall apart because of her, so I am going to pull up my socks and take care of business. I love you all, and I'm here in spirit until I can be back in pixels.

Good luck, Maria! You can do it!!!

Kick its ass, Maria.

Best of luck, Maria.

Go Maria! We are with you in spirit, too.

Hit it out of the ballpark, Maria.

I am working at home today.

Going to work because I still have a shitton of stuff to shovel through after having taken two days off in the last three weeks to deal with my friend G's hospitalization and death and funeral, and another day off so soon will put me hopelessly behind (and fuck up the other people who are waiting for their share of the the shitton of stuff but can't do it until I've done mine). So off I go. It feels like I've spent the entire year sitting at my desk silently leaking.

My students have their final exams today. So I'm administering those, and then grading, and then the other class's exam, and then more grading.