I have had it up to here with writing student recommendations. The worst is one I remember spending a good portion of a Christmas break afternoon on, matching rec letter with a dozen envelopes, program details and such, and then hearing nothing from the student until a semester later when I ran into her at the library. "Oh I decided not to do that," she said. I'm all for changing one's mind, but grrrrr.

On the other hand I've really been happy to mentor some wonderful former students and help them find their way. It's the wholr recommendation letter shenanigans that gets to me. Maybe because I still have to painfully ask for them myself.

Whatever happened to the letter of introduction as a social tool? What if you carried around a laminated letter from the most powerful person who liked you?