On the beginning of the semester.

A favorite saying from when I was an undergraduate: It's better to fall behind in your coursework early in the semester. That way you have more time get caught up.

You know you're an academic when...

...at the end of the first week of classes you find yourself
3 weeks behind.

Moose Turd Pie. In memory of U. Utah Philips (May 15, 1935 -- May 23, 2008)

My favorite joke is Moose Turd Pie, which I was lucky enough to hear from U. Utah Philips himself sometime in the late 1980s. The joke is both funny and extremely instructive. I tell this joke often -- although sometimes, depending on the audience, I substitute ``mustard pie.'' (Note: The joke itself starts after various preliminaries. Your patience, however, will be rewarded.)