Intimidation
I spend a good portion of my time being intimidated, here at the august University of The Archipelago. Let me illustrate this, via the introductions of a couple of professors that instruct at this particular institution of learning:
- Dr. John Haig. Teaches my Japanese 451: Structure of Japanese class. You might know him for his work editing the Nelson’s Kanji Dictionary.
- The real sockdolager today, Dr. Valdo Viglielmo. This retired UH professor was a guest lecturer in my Meiji-Taisho literature class. He spoke chiefly (and enthusiastically) on his great literary love for Natsume Soseki, but also related amusing tidbits about his relationship with the Tale of Genji in translation, such as his meeting of Arthur Waley, his close friendship with Edward Seidensticker, and the fact that “the most recent translation of Genji was done by a student of mine at Harvard.” Also, (and quite innocently, I might add) name-dropped as friends of his were Kawabata Yasunari and Mishima Yukio.
Man, what am I even doing here?
November 3rd, 2005 at 10:17 pm
Okay, I registered. X_x Do you really get that much spam? I’ve gotten like one spam comment in the last year on LJ… Anyway, was his “former student” Royall Tyler? I think I ran into him at Stanford once or twice. Anyway, yeah, I did know that feeling at Stanford. But I think you deserve to be rubbing elbows with those people.