The Research Abides

Our Center hosts a two month research program every summer for thirty or so undergraduates, and a lesser number of high school students and teachers. It's a surprising amount of work for those of us who volunteer as mentors, but is also a fair amount of fun, and always satisfying. The students come from all over the country, from colleges of all descriptions.

My mentat this summer is a student from our school who just finished her freshman year. She is intelligent, ambitious, overprivileged (drives a nicer car than I do), and reminds me of my favorite philosophy professor's observation that, "no one on Earth knows more than a college sophomore." She had a great time and tied for first in the poster competition, but that's not important right now.*

I do all of the grocery shopping. Image from here.

We built a rapport, since she exudes the insecurity inherent to being nineteen and I am generally awesome. During one of her daily drop-ins to my office she mentioned that I had acquired a nickname among the summer students. She said something about her mentor, and several of the students replied, "You mean Jeff Bridges?" She is too young and normal to know which of his roles had likely inspired the comparison, but I knew immediately. I guess there are some things we really don't live down.

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* And don't call me Shirley.

The name abides

I got an IM today from an old friend : "Have you seen The Big Lebowski?"

I knew what was coming next. All my life I have wanted a nickname that sticks, but I have never been able to be a Pogey or Pony, Blister or Fister, Stoner, Boner, Weasel, Cracker, Buster or Grunt for more than a few weeks at a time. With one exception.

When The Big Lebowski came out, everyone I know called me "The Dude" for about five years. Now, I don't know if you've seen this movie, but it's a comparison that could be interpreted in several ways. It's sort of like being compared to Nick Cage's character in Raising Arizona. All of my friends swore it was only positive, and I have to admit I feel more than a passing kinship with the character. Still, I was not too upset when the movie and characterization faded from the collective consciousness.

But about twice a year or so, someone will see the movie for the first time and feel compelled to let me know how much I remind them of the lead character. I guess for the thousandth time (plus or minus ten), I am learning that we need to be careful what we wish for.