About two months ago, I pointed out a small (read: gigantic) problem to my graduate adviser: All the classes for my degree track this semester were scheduled in direct conflict with the classes that we’re eligible to TA for… TAing being the thing that makes it possible for me and one of my classmates to afford the program.  Well… they moved one of the classes, which cleared the way for my classmate’s TA assignment.  But there was still a conflict for me.  But they assured me (when I pointed out a week ago that this had still not been remedied) that they were working to move one of the other classes, and not to worry.  So I met with the prof I TA for to plan for the semester, having been told it would all be fixed.

But yesterday - two days before the beginning of the semester - I received an email telling me they would not be moving any of the classes, and they’d be switching me to a TA assignment for a professor I’ve never met.  This would mean that I would not be able to attend one of the classes required for my program.  Of course, the class "might" be offered next semester, so I could try to take it then, and just take another class now (there are none in which I am remotely interested).  Or, I can take this highly discussion based class as an independent study.  So, I’m stuck with "the fuzzy end of the lollipop," as one of my professors put it.

Me, I think it’s bigger than a lollipop.  It’s more as if I have a metaphysical "Kick Me" sign permanently affixed to my aura, and the universe does its very best to follow directions every chance it gets.

So Monday - when the rest of my classmates are beginning a class on critical theory, I’ll be TAing for a class for which I haven’t even seen a syllabus or met the professor or found the classroom… all I know is that it has 100 students.

So far, 2009 can kiss my ass.