David Fleming
It's All Academic   www.davidflemingsite.com   
Why the lipstick?

January 21, 2013 Blog:  Why the lipstick?

So, the obvious question is, why this superficial re-design, Dave?  After all, it is fairly safe to say that you will rant against the idiocy you see in higher education; you will make obscure music, t.v., and movie references that only 1 reader out of 10 (and you probably only have 10 consistent readers) will get; you will attempt to write stuff that is clearly a rip off of David Letterman, Flavorwire, or Cracked.com; and you underpromote the website as you always do.

And, I won't disagree, but I will keep applying that lipstick all over this page.

Writing the HEAD diaries last semester was very draining.  The work blog hasn't been updated in months.  At times work is so busy that all I can read are the headlines at Inside Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Ed, which is why the "Higher Education Headlines We Really Want to See" is a manageable activity for me right now.  Besides, how many times does one really need to read about any of the following:

  • the lament of tenure;
  • the madness of adjunct life;
  • the controversy of online learning;
  • the folly of college athletics;
  • the instability of college leadership.
Still, I hope I can "pretty" this up.  And to that end, I use my first semi-obscure musical reference of 2013, a parody of Elvis Costello's "Lipstick Vogue."

 

Lipstick Blog

 

Don't say you read me to spread a rumor.
Don't say a word if your boss is about.
Sometimes I think academics have no sense of humor.
I've got to give it to the louts.

 

I can say I'm sorry for the things I've written.
I'd say I'm sorry but I don't mean it.
I wouldn't worry, this has me smitten.
Sometimes I rely on that someone's seen it.

 

It's me, not just another mouth with a lipstick blog.
It's me, not just another mouth with a lipstick blog.
Oh, no.

 

Got out of the classroom, almost fell into that chasm.
Hit a larger group one more time with that sarcasm.
With inkless pen, I believe I'm goring.
You may say I've got no right, that this is boring

 

Select the topic and search the archives.
I needed the space, but not keep from your eyes.
I've never hoped to touch that many lives.
There are some words sharp as dull knives.
Sometimes I rely on that someone's seen it.

 

It's me, not just another mouth with a lipstick blog.
It's me, not just another mouth with a lipstick blog.
Oh, no.

 

 

So, there you have it.  A new season.  Let's see where it takes me.