Uppers and Downers or; I love the smell of napalm in the morning...It smells like...victory.

I just received my grades for this semester: ALL FREAKING B'S. Just kidding. I once again received all A's to bring my final cumulative Master's study GPA to 3.973. Thank You Very Much to the Professor who I admire more than almost any other professor. He felt it necessary to B me in my very first semester of Grad school because I balked when he asked me write my final paper over a topic related to a special issue of his journal. I was scared to death and wanted to stick to my own idea which I thought was fabulous. He, however, did not agree, although, it is under submission to Film Quarterly and when it is published I am going to mail it to him with a reply that matches his snotty comments on my draft, and his snotty advice for surviving grad school during that semester of grad school.

Here is a little life lesson for those of you pursuing the dream that is higher academia that is not in any book: When a professor suggests you write a paper over something, you write over said topic. End of Story. Sure you may be able to eek out an A but don't risk it, dude. No matter how great your Foucauldian reading of the power of knowledge in Apocalypse Now is, they will freaking B you if they can, and they can. Trust me. You have no recourse. What are you going to do, Challenge the grade? That would be a great way to secure the chance of you never getting a recommendation from ANY professor in the department. Takes the feeling of crapulence to a whole new level.