A Drop of Golden Sun

This summer, I will be working on a Graduate Summer Research Mentorship with a certain Dr. Raymond [Last name omitted for purposes of preserving anonymity]. In preparation for this experience, I would like to expound on the many beauties of Ray.

1. Once upon a time (this fall), Ray gave me a good grade in his seminar. Upon another time, he indicated to me that he was disappointed I hadn't submitted my final paper from his seminar for the department's Best Seminar Paper of the Year award.

2. Every time I show Ray a paper of mine, he wants to work with me to turn it into something publishable. He has never been anything other than completely supportive and excited by my work. He is almost equally excited about showing me his work.

3. Today, when we met to discuss our summer projects, he was an hour late, and when he arrived he was tipsy. Why is this a good thing, you may ask? He was taking our department SAO (Student Affairs Officer) out to a two-hour lunch. And they had white wine, which he described as "yummy."

4. He wrote an article about some boring Mahler thing a while back--and included an extended footnote about...wait for it..."Jingle Bells." Because he read something exciting about "Jingle Bells" and wanted to share.

5. He got me TA-ships in the three classes I most wanted to TA! If things go as planned, the three professors for whom I am TAing next fall, plus Ray, will be my dissertation committee. Plus, I suppose, some outside person, since I need one of those.

(My three TA-ships, by the way, are History of Rock and Roll in the Fall, Writing about Music in the Winter, and LGBT Pop in the Spring.)

6. He once walked into our office and put a lamp shade on his head for no immediately apparent reason.

7. An actor in Attack of the 50-Foot Woman looks like a much younger version of him. I understand that he didn't do this, but it's still awesome.

8. A totally other man who also happens to be named Ray told me today that the gym I use, chosen by virtue of its being three blocks from my apartment, is also the gym used by QUEEN LATIFAH!! This is the best way to get me to go to the gym more often. Like ten hours a day. Every day. With my copy of Chicago and a Sharpie.

9. He (back to the first Ray now) told me that my inability to write a decent conclusion is just like most musicals (and Gilbert & Sullivan shows), which generally have shitty second acts and trite resolutions. While this doesn't excuse me from learning how to write conclusions, it gives me a damn good line to use on all my other professors when they complain.

I think I've exhausted my paeans for the evening. I must be awake again in 6 and a half hours to get ready to leave for the airport! Exactly 24 hours after that, I will be having lunch with Pokémon and Rainbow Brite!!