Today I was asked to fill out a little “faculty bio” of myself. In my school, students list their top 3 choices for advisers each year, and by some mysterious process that probably involves a Sorting Hat, the students get portioned out into homerooms. The students make their choices after reading the various faculty bios.

Here’s what I submitted.

1. Department: Math
2. Classes you will be teaching next year: Algebra II/Trigonometry, Calculus, Multivariable Calculus
3. Two of my Favorite books: Drawing Theories Apart: The Dispersion of Feynman Diagrams in Postwar Physics (David Kaiser), The Secret History (Donna Tartt).
4. Last book read: Dead Souls (Gogol)
5. Favorite Movie: Igby Goes Down
6. Favorite thing to do with your homeroom: Relax and prepare for the day. Put large ships in small bottles. Thumb my nose at those who don’t love “Veronica Mars.” Force my advisees to do really hard math problems. I mean, really, really hard.