A bit of my ongoing acclimation to Cornstate and Tinytown: I'm participating in a workshop this week – my second one of the week, in fact – that meets off-campus at a little nature-y getaway that the university owns. It's kinda-sorta tucked behind a nature reserve next to campus, and I had the devil's own time trying to find the fucker this morning. I drove several miles on a sonofabitch of a gravel road littered with deep puddles that ran over several one-lane bridges and eventually dumped me out in...some exurban neighborhood I didn't recognize. My iPhone's map function completely fucked me over this time: it swore to me that the institute I was looking for was at a particular point along the road, but when I got to that point, there was yet another one-lane bridge. Google Maps doesn't know fuck-all about these rural locations.
In desperation – for heaven's sake, I hadn't even had coffee yet, much less breakfast! – I called a colleague who I knew was attending the workshop. Zi has lived in Tinytown for years, and demonstrated it admirably. When I explained to hir that I had gotten lost while searching for CBU's little institute, zi asked me, "Okay, what do you see in front of you: cows, corn, or trees?"
Five minutes later, zi had guided me over the phone right to the front door of the institute.
Apparently, there are only so many natural phenomena that a person can even hope to witness in Tinytown. Oh, wait, there was one more: as I got close to the last turn I had to make, zi inquired, "Okay, now, do you see any turkey vultures?"
Strange landmarks these country folk use.
In desperation – for heaven's sake, I hadn't even had coffee yet, much less breakfast! – I called a colleague who I knew was attending the workshop. Zi has lived in Tinytown for years, and demonstrated it admirably. When I explained to hir that I had gotten lost while searching for CBU's little institute, zi asked me, "Okay, what do you see in front of you: cows, corn, or trees?"
Five minutes later, zi had guided me over the phone right to the front door of the institute.
Apparently, there are only so many natural phenomena that a person can even hope to witness in Tinytown. Oh, wait, there was one more: as I got close to the last turn I had to make, zi inquired, "Okay, now, do you see any turkey vultures?"
Strange landmarks these country folk use.
I love this. Cows, corn, or trees. Turkey vultures add a little variety. Nice.
ReplyDeleteI hope the workshops were worthwhile. I'm starting my meeting hell this coming week. This weekend may be reserved for unpacking and drinking to forget. I STILL haven't finished my last syllabus. I'm fucked a million ways. Oh well. I'm embracing it.