Waking Up To A Pay Cut

Last night, I fell asleep sitting up.  When I woke up, I decided to go to bed, even though I still had work to do.  I also decided not to set my alarm clock:  I was going to let my body get whatever sleep it needed, everything else be damned. 


I still made it to work on time.  And my work doesn't seem to have been any the worse for it.  Anything I've done today is more useful and interesting than the meetings I had to endure yesterday and today.


Probably the most useful thing I've learned in the past two days is that my pay is about to decrease by one-fifth.  I am one of the people who's being held hostage because the State didn't pass its budget.  So I won't be paid for one day every week until the budget is passed. 


Thousands of other people are in the same boat as I am.  None of us is the captain; in fact, none of us has access to the navigation system.  But we're being penalized for the course the boat is taking. 


In the meantime, the Governor has increased the salaries of his staff.  And I wonder whether he or any of the State legislators is being furloughed, as we are. 


And, of course, we at the college are being furloughed just as we--at least some of us--are working even more hours than most corporate executives.  Many people see only the number of hours we spend in the classroom.  But for every hour each of us spends in the classroom, we spend a lot more on preparation, reading and grading papers and other work related to our teaching.  That's not to mention the amount of time we have to give in service to our departments and the college.  And, oh, did I mention that we're expected to do writing and research? 


Now all of my family and friends know why they have such difficulty contacting me sometimes.  When I'm done with all of that other stuff, then I cavort with my secret lovers. ;-)


Well, I guess I'm really a woman now.  After all, we make 79 cents to every dollar a man makes.  So, I guess I should give up another 1 percent of my pay.  To whom or what is another story.  Then again, even if I did that, I'm not going to convince anyone who isn't already convinced that I'm a woman.  There are a few--including a onetime friend and the prof who made false accusations against me--who will never be convinced until I menstruate and have at least one baby or abortion.  The funny thing is that there are other women in my life who are convinced that the fact I haven't had those experiences actually makes me as much of a woman as they are.  Of course, I know there are plenty of women who have never had or aborted babies.  And, most women my age have stopped menstruating.  Does that make them less womanly?


I must say, though, David Patterson has truly accomplished something.  I mean, how often do liberal Democratic African-American public officials get transgendered college English faculty members pissed off at them?  Granted, my politics are not always what some people would expect from someone like me.  (As if they've ever known anyone else like me!)  But, still....


Anyway, I'm going to end this.  I have another gyno appointment and work to do after that.  Oh, yeah, and I have to render services unto those secret lovers!