tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post1662057796361203487..comments2023-10-21T11:44:45.588+01:00Comments on ResidentAlien: A Gown, With Hugs and KissesMary Witzlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-63105796851724948952009-10-17T23:16:47.420+01:002009-10-17T23:16:47.420+01:00Maybe you can use them next year at Cambridge or O...Maybe you can use them next year at Cambridge or Oxford.Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722567671925063706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-32706875522822752712009-10-17T01:26:48.439+01:002009-10-17T01:26:48.439+01:00Ha! When you're that resourceful, it's oka...Ha! When you're that resourceful, it's okay to be forgetful.Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05583029102450754497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-14089524014762245372009-10-17T01:24:17.054+01:002009-10-17T01:24:17.054+01:00As I was reading I was thinking you were going to ...As I was reading I was thinking you were going to be late and have to explain yourself and so on. How terribly hilarious. :) I'm a first time visitor.Jasminehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040882375218261683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-54876772810625637082009-10-16T20:00:34.857+01:002009-10-16T20:00:34.857+01:00Great story. I'm tellin ya, you should publish...Great story. I'm tellin ya, you should publish some of this stuff.Anne Spollenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12915171740680350711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-37404110680597601132009-10-15T10:48:57.466+01:002009-10-15T10:48:57.466+01:00So is the hassle with the gowns the reason why you...So is the hassle with the gowns the <i>reason</i> why you're going to make sure you're not there next year :)Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-77203608314782307382009-10-14T23:41:42.480+01:002009-10-14T23:41:42.480+01:00My wife's father was a professor at Oregon Sta...My wife's father was a professor at Oregon State. Faculty was required to attend graduation so every year he rented his cap and gown for graduation ceremony. Finally he relented and decided he should purchase a cap and gown; he probably had paid for three of them by then after renting every year. The first year after he purchased his, the university dropped the requirement that faculty attend graduation.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-485181714883489112009-10-14T20:28:42.553+01:002009-10-14T20:28:42.553+01:00Aledys -- Thank you for commenting too!
I come fr...Aledys -- Thank you for commenting too!<br /><br />I come from a very hot place myself, though at least I never had to wear black polyester there. And running in any kind of clothes is awful when it's hot, but that gown was the stuff they probably give people to wear in hell. <br /><br />Bish -- I used to hate all polyester, unequivocally. I went for natural fabrics like cotton, linen and wool. Then I had children. Now, half my wardrobe seems to be polyester. True, it feels icky and does not breathe, but you don't have to iron it! Yes, polyester is my friend. Unless it's that awful black gown...<br /><br />Falak -- The UAE must be hellish in the summer! It's pretty much that hot here too, though at least we do have the sea not too far away. I don't even want to LOOK at polyester for the next two months. <br /><br />Daphne -- Thank you for your kind words. <br /><br />Did your parents have to do this sort of thing too? It just seems so pointless and ridiculous, but the higher ups think it's dignified and impressive.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-42903964392437002172009-10-14T18:10:41.352+01:002009-10-14T18:10:41.352+01:00Mary, this is a wonderful, well-written story. I r...Mary, this is a wonderful, well-written story. I really enjoy your writing and you made me laugh. I could picture the whole scenario unfolding, especially since my parents are academics. Thank you for sharing this.Daphnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17331081210249384572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-68356410205391341692009-10-14T14:00:34.327+01:002009-10-14T14:00:34.327+01:00Black polyester gown in the heat = torture. Having...Black polyester gown in the heat = torture. Having lived in the UAE most of my life where anything below 35 degree celcius in the summer is a miracle I can only imagine what you went through. It is time someone invented portable air conditioners. It was a great read! Really entertaining!Falakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321524864693512771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-50808985229543592682009-10-14T13:20:50.887+01:002009-10-14T13:20:50.887+01:00GAK! I so dislike polyester. In hot climes it'...GAK! I so dislike polyester. In hot climes it's the worst. I feel your discomfort!Bish Denhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13359927719391990534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-4461593475820412612009-10-14T07:56:22.341+01:002009-10-14T07:56:22.341+01:00Hi, Mary!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and lea...Hi, Mary! <br /><br />Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a kind comment! <br /><br />This story was fun to read. I felt sorry for you running all the way to find a -black- gown in the Turkish heat! :) Coming from a place where summer is the longest season of the year with unrelenting temperatures above 35 (and more likely to reach 45), I know what you meant with "you could have wiped the floor with me and I wouldn't have noticed". haha<br /><br />Cheers!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06923613028048879472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-69924223627138193472009-10-14T06:52:47.385+01:002009-10-14T06:52:47.385+01:00Patrick -- Yeah, I think it's funny now too. A...Patrick -- Yeah, I think it's funny now too. At the time, I was hard put to see the humor in it.<br /><br />Postman -- I spent the hotter part of a summer in Korea once and I got through a lot of barley tea. A 10-minute run becomes a real ordeal when the air is as thick as oatmeal. And it doesn't do a lot for your dignity, does it?<br /><br />Vijaya -- You need a floor wiped? Then I'm your woman! Let me just go and get my gown on...<br /><br />Miss Footloose -- I'm still sweating actually. But that has more to do with the weather than reading my story. I can't wait for autumn!<br /><br />Helen -- You saw pretty much what really happened. Normally I can walk unmolested through the corridors and down the walkway with only the occasional wave or greeting. But this time I might as well have been Angelina Jolie on the way to Oscar night. I always see myself as sedate and well prepared, but in the end, the emotional disorganization I tend to be mired in swallows me right up. <br /><br />MG -- By the time I slid into my seat and pulled out my notebook to fan myself, I felt like an Olympic athlete crossing the finish line. And in some respects, I looked like one too...<br /><br />Robin -- I felt very much like the Wicked Witch of the West in that nasty gown. It's already been washed: I didn't even look to see what came out in the water. <br /><br />Pennsylvania? The land of (some of) my ancestors? You find us a couple of teaching jobs in Pennsylvania and we'll be there in a hurry!)<br /><br />Travis -- On any normal day, having the students greet me so joyfully would have made me very happy; most of the time, they just slink by me with the merest of nods ("Eww, it's her -- she'll make us speak English!") I'll bet they only chatted me up because they sensed I didn't have time to talk.<br /><br />APW -- Thank you. It felt like a minor miracle all right. It's the little hurdles I manage to leap over during the day that give me such satisfaction.<br /><br />Charles -- You have to wear a gown too? POOR YOU! Because as hot as it was here, I can imagine it would be even worse in Louisiana. I'll never forget driving through there in July once, with no air conditioning in the car and a window that didn't want to be rolled down.<br /><br />Kara -- Whoooa...me running down the corridors in a bikini: that REALLY makes me break out in a cold sweat!Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-76894604111437044742009-10-14T05:48:44.459+01:002009-10-14T05:48:44.459+01:00so the trick is...also remember a bathing suit nex...so the trick is...also remember a bathing suit next year.karahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690274092026593186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-17912207630399284522009-10-14T05:48:11.775+01:002009-10-14T05:48:11.775+01:00Oh man, I hate wearing those things. And I do eve...Oh man, I hate wearing those things. And I do every year at least twice.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-12519985365463847252009-10-14T04:00:20.457+01:002009-10-14T04:00:20.457+01:00Another minor miracle accomplished by sweat and st...Another minor miracle accomplished by sweat and stress.<br />Congratulations on making it through. :)A Paperback Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10155962941590663738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-27529125729793179172009-10-14T03:40:16.378+01:002009-10-14T03:40:16.378+01:00At least so many ex students want to talk to you. ...At least so many ex students want to talk to you. That has to make you feel good.Travis Erwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09420879160702098979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-60762956019577419342009-10-14T01:13:52.608+01:002009-10-14T01:13:52.608+01:00Yay! You made it! I am the sweatiest person I kn...Yay! You made it! I am the sweatiest person I know, and am impressed by you even daring to slip on that black polyester gown. I would be like the wicked witch of the west - nothing left but a splot.<br /><br />Why won't you be there next year? Moving to Pennsylvania, are you? What fun we'll have!Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396540555696283171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-39165450894343959122009-10-14T00:26:03.408+01:002009-10-14T00:26:03.408+01:00Wonderful story! You had me on the edge of my seat...Wonderful story! You had me on the edge of my seat, wondering if you'd make it back in time. I'm relieved that you did.MG Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03584010470283038023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-14516701686701240762009-10-14T00:22:06.197+01:002009-10-14T00:22:06.197+01:00Heh heh - good one Mary. I have a decidedly amusin...Heh heh - good one Mary. I have a decidedly amusing vision of a large, sweaty, frantic rubbish bag on legs sprinting down one of those "avenue of honour" type scenarios where everyone wants to touch you. Thanks - this should keep me sniggering most of the day. And you thought you were so organised.......damn that opening ceremony! If it hadn't been for that, I'm sure you would have looked very composed, elegant, fresh, together, dignified, etc etc (tee hee).Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00693689301853592917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-42657410719203048942009-10-13T22:20:54.438+01:002009-10-13T22:20:54.438+01:00Fun story! And I was sweating just reading it! J...Fun story! And I was sweating just reading it! Just as well you won't be there next year, even if you do think you'll remember. <br /><br />Miss Footloose<br />www.lifeintheexpatlane.blogspot.com<br />Tales of the Globetrotting LifeMiss Footloosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15601892611652195901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-34748562767931293462009-10-13T21:50:43.944+01:002009-10-13T21:50:43.944+01:00Mary, I need a floor washed and
the dog is wonder...Mary, I need a floor washed and <br />the dog is wondering why I'm laughing my head off. Okay, back to work. Ahem.Vijayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07876606729146077830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-54680585654260326272009-10-13T21:27:48.179+01:002009-10-13T21:27:48.179+01:00An entertaining read. I can sympathize. I can'...An entertaining read. I can sympathize. I can't recall how many times I forgot my wristwatch or a vital textbook (not as important as a gown, but still necessary for teaching) with only 10 minutes to go before the start of class, and had to run back to my apartment through the suicidally hot and sticky Korean summer air guiltily dodging students who hailed me on the streets, to return to class soaked (literally soaked) in sweat and panting like a horse. Not the most dignity-conducive situation. I hope the parade went well...?A.T. Posthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03987529687181431843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-91922564650066936252009-10-13T20:12:01.945+01:002009-10-13T20:12:01.945+01:00Haha...Haha...Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05562271120251744291noreply@blogger.com