1 Because of profs like me? Ouch. That hurts.

2 No, silly. Because I realized that there was something profoundly frivolous about making up new "interpretations" of texts on some (often rather flimsy) evidence.

3 Granted, I honestly tried to come up with things that I at least imagined could have been in the writer's mind—at least his/her unconscious—but I couldn't keep that up all the way through graduate school. It was just going to get worse. Making up more words to stuff into dead people's mouths. What a dreary form of mental masturbation.

4 Ah. Well, it can be fun -- or interesting, at least (I remember having a good argument with a prof I really liked over Gatsby; I was very interested in how Nick's narration was unreliable given his infatuation with Daisy and his own self-satisfaction. The prof thought I was crazy. But how reliable we believe the narrator to be can gives us clues to "his" intent, as that intent exists as a fictional construct. It was like meta-interpretation through appeals to meta-intentionalism). That kind of stuff can lead one to make interesting and potentially important discoveries about how language works. But that's not really what the academy wants from you. They want bureaucrats who teach course loads. You were right to get out.

5 Good reason to quit college. I like it.

6 Oh, believe me: it was fun. I just couldn't see a real point to what I was doing. It was, as Jeff suggests, creative writing. But creative writing virtually no one would want to read. (Rather like much contemporary poetry, come to think of it.)

7 No one has yet asked whether I had a dumb problem with a boy, or a problem with a dumb boy. I feel vaguely disappointed.

8 I was going to ask, but figure it had to be a dumb problem with a boy, since you don't seem like the type to date a *dumb* boy (or at least to get emotionally involved enough with such to be really bothered..)

9 My first boyfriend wasn't too bright. I was 14. When we broke up he wanted a lot of Sturm und Drang, but I couldn't do it. The guy during college was terribly bright, and very alcoholic. I was living with him at the time, and financially dependent on him. That's a dumb problem.

10 Goldstein a college professor? I must have missed that nugget of info somewhere along the way. That explains a lot, yes. And I mean that in a good way.

11 He gave it up to be a daddy, so he isn't much a of a feminist, is he?

12 LMA, You'll note kindly that I am refraining from comments, snide remarks, and whimperings. Though I'm dyin' here!!! Gimme a cookie for self-control... LMM

13 I always disregard that first guy. You'll always be my first real boyfriend. (Was that a good cookie? I'm afraid it's the only kind our spouses will allow me to give you.)

14 Good reason to quit college. I support you.