One of my students approached me before class started today.

"Hey Gus," he said, "I have kind of a weird question for you."

"Okay," I responded, mentally noting that whatever followed would probably be good for a diary entry.

"The announcement you posted about changing your office hours - on the website, it said that it was posted by... well, it was your last name, but a woman's first name. Katherine, or something."

I try to think of all the possible reasons this might have happened. Whose computer did I use to post that...? But no, the system we're using gets the name from your login.

Then it hits me.

"What was the name?" I ask.

"I don't know. It was your last name, and then..."

"What did it start with?"

"K."

Yep. "Was it Konstantine?"

His face flashes recognition, then realization... then overwhelming mortification. "Yeah..."

"That's my name. Gus is a nickname."

There's a certain power you hold over someone when they've just insulted you without realizing it. He's a good kid, though, so I let him off the hook.

On an unrelated note, I learned today in Computer Music that Pierre Boulez is a wanker.