No offense to any of the esteemed academics on this list, but I wanted to make the gratuitous observations that Mark Twain was not a professor, anywhere, and that I am certain he would have enjoyed being Camy's houseguest ten times more than reading a hundred scholarly postings on this site. Ben >Dear Doctor Greg and other professors: >As a graduate of Catholic school and catholic college, I was taught to rise >when someone holding a PhD entered the room. I always address a professor >as "Doctor" unless I am instructed not to do so. When I find requests for >papers, I with my little B.A. in English lit shrink back in horror, feeling >this is quite above me. I have been chastised in the past by someone for >asking a question that has been posed previously. I'm sorry about that, but >I'm still figuring out with my screen reader how to properly peruse the >archives. I wanted to be an English Grammarian, but no one knew how one >could achieve that. Do I love Twain? I think the answer to that is more >than obvious since I am a member of this list. When I get to heaven, >(hoping that Miss Watson isn't there), when I meet Saint Peter, I'm going to >ask "Where is Mark Twain?" I have spoken with a retired teacher who also is >on this list who feels that some profs are in an ivory tower. Mind you, I >highly respect you, but always ask myself when posting anything if I am >being too trite or ridiculous. I'm kind of like Huck in his dirty clothes, >feeling out of place. Oh but I love Twain, so I hope you'll forgive a gal >with a B.A. in English lit, who didn't stay in teaching because she didn't >want to put up with the garbage from kids who have no respect for authority. >You can tell I've been reading dickens, as this is an exceptionally long >post. >Bless all of you for welcoming me back, and I do intend to stay. >Camy