updates on stuffs

Music: Mansun: Kleptomania (2004)

Today Eddie Stout who runs Dialtone Records here in Austin is coming to speak to my popular music class. Dubbed by DJ Smokehouse Brown as "the ambassador of Texas blues," Eddie is hailed for tracking down and recording Texas blues and gospel folks whom many have forgotten; he's a true Austin legend, and I'm pretty excited to see what he has to say to day. Props to Smokehouse for making this possible!

I received word last night that my home is "mold free." I can commence the rebuild. The trouble with this is that I have not found someone to rebuild the walls, cabinets, and other things yet. I had three folks out to provide me estimates. The first guy called on Sunday and said he couldn't find a carpenter, so he couldn't do the job. The second guy pitched roughly 2,500 for the rebuild (both sides). I put him in contact with my adjuster, who must green light the estimate. If he does, rebuild may begin on Monday. The third guy has still yet to send me an estimate, which means he may simply be too busy for the job.

This morning Feisty Neighbor called for another update, upon which I repeated the above paragraph. "Yeah, but does that include my carpet?" she asked. "No m'am," I said, "that estimate includes replacing your carpet pad and re-stretching the carpet."

"But my carpet is ruined! It has rust colored stains all over it."

"Kay, when they did the inspections none of the contractors, including the mold people, recommended a complete replacement of your carpet. It doesn't have mold."

"But it looks terrible! Can't you tell them to replace it?"

"I don't think my insurance will cover that. You'd have to have the whole house's carpet replaced if we did that---and I can tell you they won't go for it."

"Can't you at least mention it?"

"I could, but the guy who may start on Monday will have to do a whole new estimate, which will put us back to square one. And he doesn't do carpet, so he'd have to hire a carpet person. I'll mention it to the adjuster, but . . . . "

"I think they should replace the carpet."

So, why this new demand couldn't have been made at the on-set I don't know, but it is irritating to get this phone call at 8:30 a.m. Regardless, with luck by the time July 1 rolls around maybe my house will be put back together and I can use my kitchen again. Did I mention I liked to cook?

Last night Brooke and I discussed Paris Hilton. We both feel some empathy for her. Brooke suggested maybe I ought to see Sarah Silverman's "roast" at the MTV Music Awards. She said Silverman is particularly brutal. I'd rather not watch it. Silverman is a bully and mean; I'm sorry all you Silverman fans out there, but the woman turns a buck by being mean. Boo on Silverman.

Also, my paid leave of absence to write the book begins on July 1 and ends on September 1. In preparation, I've been saying "no" to a lot of stuff. Saying "no" is really hard: students and colleagues want feedback on papers, and I have to say, "I'm sorry, but I'm unavailable from July 1 until September." I am now on the editorial boards of like six journals I think (two of which I thought I'd never get anything, but I am), and I review regularly for like three more. Many of them are on "Manuscript Central," so I went on to that interface and set up an "unavailability" date. Presumably this tells the editor I'm not available to review stuff with a little message. Anyway, two days after I did that not one, not two, but THREE articles landed in my lap to review. Hah hah! I said I'm gonna review them, but come June 29 no more.

Which reminds me: I've lost count, but I think I have reviewed 15 essays this past academic year. That seems like a lot to me. I guess it's par for the course---and warning to y'all newbie assistant professors. "Service" is often invisible, and get ready for the onslaught!

Off to teach!