Saturday, May 21, 2005
The promise of a Coming Day...
Hmmm.... What to report today? We went out last night to the Historic Peacock Alley Restaurant and Bar in Downtown Bismarck, which has served as both a center for bootlegging and the State Capitol after the building burned down in 1910. Saw Eric "Pukehard" Icard, Brian "Diddy" Shawn, Stephen "Muffin" Ryan, Eric "EA" Anderson, my brother, and a guy working with Pukehard named Bailey who's doing a summer ND gig for the State Deparment of Commerce. Following that, we went to the Broken Oar, which may be the coolest bar in the area, as it has a large deck overlooking the beautiful Missouri River and at which boats can dock and pick up a tipple. At the Oar, we saw Lonnie "Lon Nol" Miller, an old friend from the UND days. So it was rather pleasant.
Mother has been making nice meals. The Twins have been pitching extremely well. Other than a rather vicious yet short-lived thunderstorm last night, the weather has been pleasant. All in all, this trip to North Dakota has been a very nice one. I have a fair bit of sorting and the like to do tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday, but it'll get done. Bangkok is coming, and that right soon. Hail progress!
Mother has been making nice meals. The Twins have been pitching extremely well. Other than a rather vicious yet short-lived thunderstorm last night, the weather has been pleasant. All in all, this trip to North Dakota has been a very nice one. I have a fair bit of sorting and the like to do tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday, but it'll get done. Bangkok is coming, and that right soon. Hail progress!
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
West Dakota Breezes
After a successful grad party where fifty people or so showed up and some intense packing, we're all back in West Dakota, safe, sound, and exhausted. But it's good to be back in Dakota. I like it here at my parents home. While I have a load of unpacking, laundry, and other things to square away in the week that I have here, it feels like an oasis of peace and relaxation following the tumult that was the last three weeks of the semester. It's good to watch the Twins games, sportscenter, the Daily Show, and so on.
The stopover at Grandma's went fairly well, and got lots of good pictures (a few of which I will put on here later).
Other than that, not too much to report. Hail progress!
The stopover at Grandma's went fairly well, and got lots of good pictures (a few of which I will put on here later).
Other than that, not too much to report. Hail progress!
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Triage in reverse
What to report today - it was my penultimate day here in the MAD. The first half was spent in a very groggy manner, as I spent the entire night (hopefully for the last time in a long time) throwing together yet another sub-standard term paper cobbled together from bits of the tragic Ms. Thetis. Dr. Jaime A. Peck, being a fellow Marxist, will most undoubtedly have mercy on me like a good Marxist should, as he is well aware of my score. However, I still do not enjoy turning in such a shoddy quality paper. And so it goes - B's get degrees in grad school (along with painstakingly crafted theses.)
Haven't finished the paper for Dr. Wong, but I'll be getting on that immediately following this blog posting. Again, another woefully substandard product will be the result. So it goes, Mr. Vonnegut. So it goes.
I've come to the conclusion that I've had a mild bout of depression of late. I think this is due to the fact that I'm still embarrassed about my thesis, I feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done between now and 25 May, and that no one other than my ever-lovin' parents came for this thing. However, I do believe Thailand will pull anyone out of a downward rut. Or at least it will for me.
Which illustrates the reverse-triage of our society's attitude toward various graduations. When one graduates High School, a feat which in excess of 90% of people in this country succeed in and is about as challenging as climbing Bascom Hill if you're a Sherpa, the entire community congratulates them. They receive congratulations from everyone ranging from politicians to their insurance men to all their father's clients. When one receives one's Bachelor's Degree, a feat which somewhere between 40-50% of our populace achieves I would conjecture and is challenging enough to require two or three all-night study sessions per semester, a good portion of the relatives make the trip and one receives a fair number of cards. However, the hubbub is nothing like the High School graduation. When one receives the Master's Degree, a feat which likely less than 10% of society achieves (and of those, more than half are probably professional Master's which require no thesis or any equivalent,) and is slightly less harrowing than an invasion of Normandy in 1944, one receives the same acclaim as if they had bought a fishing license. Parents are proud, but it doesn't extend much beyond that. If I do end up going for my PhD someday, I think I'm gonna have to buy a dog, because if this trend continues, he'll be the only one showing up. Thankfully, potential employers see it the opposite of larger society when it comes to these degrees and the amount of money they are willing to pay is inversely proportional to the amount of acclaim society puts on the new recipients of these degrees.
Ma and Pa Luebke came to town today. I was able to show them the Arthur H. Robinson (May Peace be Upon Him) Map Library, and those of us who all came in to the department of Geography together back in the Fall of '03 took a few pictures together and went and had what is likely to be my last beer on the Terrace. The cool, grey weather actually made for a nice day to be out there, and lots of people who were receiving their PhDs were running around in their robes and caps, which is always cool to see.
Had some pizza for dinner, and got a good start on packing. So things are shaping up okay.
The party is tomorrow, and I'm hoping to let loose a bit. Hail progress!
Haven't finished the paper for Dr. Wong, but I'll be getting on that immediately following this blog posting. Again, another woefully substandard product will be the result. So it goes, Mr. Vonnegut. So it goes.
I've come to the conclusion that I've had a mild bout of depression of late. I think this is due to the fact that I'm still embarrassed about my thesis, I feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done between now and 25 May, and that no one other than my ever-lovin' parents came for this thing. However, I do believe Thailand will pull anyone out of a downward rut. Or at least it will for me.
Which illustrates the reverse-triage of our society's attitude toward various graduations. When one graduates High School, a feat which in excess of 90% of people in this country succeed in and is about as challenging as climbing Bascom Hill if you're a Sherpa, the entire community congratulates them. They receive congratulations from everyone ranging from politicians to their insurance men to all their father's clients. When one receives one's Bachelor's Degree, a feat which somewhere between 40-50% of our populace achieves I would conjecture and is challenging enough to require two or three all-night study sessions per semester, a good portion of the relatives make the trip and one receives a fair number of cards. However, the hubbub is nothing like the High School graduation. When one receives the Master's Degree, a feat which likely less than 10% of society achieves (and of those, more than half are probably professional Master's which require no thesis or any equivalent,) and is slightly less harrowing than an invasion of Normandy in 1944, one receives the same acclaim as if they had bought a fishing license. Parents are proud, but it doesn't extend much beyond that. If I do end up going for my PhD someday, I think I'm gonna have to buy a dog, because if this trend continues, he'll be the only one showing up. Thankfully, potential employers see it the opposite of larger society when it comes to these degrees and the amount of money they are willing to pay is inversely proportional to the amount of acclaim society puts on the new recipients of these degrees.
Ma and Pa Luebke came to town today. I was able to show them the Arthur H. Robinson (May Peace be Upon Him) Map Library, and those of us who all came in to the department of Geography together back in the Fall of '03 took a few pictures together and went and had what is likely to be my last beer on the Terrace. The cool, grey weather actually made for a nice day to be out there, and lots of people who were receiving their PhDs were running around in their robes and caps, which is always cool to see.
Had some pizza for dinner, and got a good start on packing. So things are shaping up okay.
The party is tomorrow, and I'm hoping to let loose a bit. Hail progress!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
apprehension
Well, due to my ridiculous level of procrastination and a bit of insomnia to follow it, I've slept only one hour of the past 48 hours. This cannot be good.
This burnout is an ugly one. Turned in my term paper and weekly journal to RD Sack at 4:55 pm yesterday (due at 5). The term paper was basically nothing more than large sections of my thesis cut and pasted. It's probably less integrated than an Alabama High School in 1955, and the weekly journal is even worse, but at least it's in. I doubt RD Sack would give any grad student less than a B on anything, as he knows the score probably better than anyone (one must maintain a 3.0 gpa to remain in good standing/graduate from the grad school here.) However, it's still unnerving to turn in 29 pages of pure garbage when it has some consequence. And so it goes...
This burnout is an ugly one. Turned in my term paper and weekly journal to RD Sack at 4:55 pm yesterday (due at 5). The term paper was basically nothing more than large sections of my thesis cut and pasted. It's probably less integrated than an Alabama High School in 1955, and the weekly journal is even worse, but at least it's in. I doubt RD Sack would give any grad student less than a B on anything, as he knows the score probably better than anyone (one must maintain a 3.0 gpa to remain in good standing/graduate from the grad school here.) However, it's still unnerving to turn in 29 pages of pure garbage when it has some consequence. And so it goes...
Monday, May 09, 2005
Smut and Eggs
The operative word for this weekend is procrastination. I've been doing it far too much, and RD Sack is going to want my paper tomorrow, poststructural or not. Burnout is rearing its ugly head in a big way here. Ugh!
Yesterday morning, had breakfast with my fellow map library worker and good friend Marjorie Morningstar. For those of you who aren't of Madison, there is a bar on South Park Street called Bennet's, and it's famous for its breakfast, during which they show hard core pornography on 6 televisions. They call it Smut and Eggs - Porn in the Morn! Marjorie wanted to try it just to say she had, and so we did. Wasn't quite as bad as expected, but drunk people at 8:30 am watching adult videos makes for an interesting crowd to be sure. The owner of the place, who was wearing a large rubber phallus on his head and an Aston Villa soccer jersey, told us a numerous tasteless jokes as we watched the stuff on TV and enjoyed our eggs.
Other than that, we (Keli, Debauchery, and I) went to visit our friend Jessica, who now keeps her own chickens in her back yard. Should make for some good eggs, I guess. Wonder if Bennet's might want to purchase them. Keli left today for a job interview at SMU in Dallas, and India's back in Boston for a week or so, so it's bachelor pad at 1431 for the moment - just me and Rebound!
Gotta type for RD Sack. Hail progress!
Yesterday morning, had breakfast with my fellow map library worker and good friend Marjorie Morningstar. For those of you who aren't of Madison, there is a bar on South Park Street called Bennet's, and it's famous for its breakfast, during which they show hard core pornography on 6 televisions. They call it Smut and Eggs - Porn in the Morn! Marjorie wanted to try it just to say she had, and so we did. Wasn't quite as bad as expected, but drunk people at 8:30 am watching adult videos makes for an interesting crowd to be sure. The owner of the place, who was wearing a large rubber phallus on his head and an Aston Villa soccer jersey, told us a numerous tasteless jokes as we watched the stuff on TV and enjoyed our eggs.
Other than that, we (Keli, Debauchery, and I) went to visit our friend Jessica, who now keeps her own chickens in her back yard. Should make for some good eggs, I guess. Wonder if Bennet's might want to purchase them. Keli left today for a job interview at SMU in Dallas, and India's back in Boston for a week or so, so it's bachelor pad at 1431 for the moment - just me and Rebound!
Gotta type for RD Sack. Hail progress!
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Friday, May 06, 2005
Blast from the past
The most fascinating thing that has happened since my last post was a chance meeting with someone at the Monona Terrace. My friend and colleage in the Geography Department, Matt Steigman, struck up a conversation there yesterday with a very senior gentleman who was in town for a class reunion. It turns out that the man, named Einer, was 92 years old and graduated from the UW with a degree in Geography back in the Year of Our Lord 1937. Later, as Matt was telling me about the meeting, Einer walked up and I was able to meet him as well. Absolutely fascinating. The man still had excellent hearing and a mind sharp as a knife, and the only real symptom of his age was the fact that he walked with a cane. He told us stories about old professors in our department, such as Trewartha, whom we only know because of the rooms and monuments in Science Hall which bear their names. Einer had been a band instructor at a high school in Chicago, and some of his students, long since passed on, were ace fighter pilots in WWII. He said that he came to his class reunion here, but he was the only one from his class who showed up, which must really make him feel old. He said that he believes the secret to living long is the fact that he still plays the French Horn, which keeps his lungs healthy and gives his diaphragm a regular workout. The man was fascinating - I could've spoken with him for hours. I'd post a picture of him, but by that point the battery on my digicam was dead since I took something like 57 pictures around campus yesterday.
And what a beautiful day it was. Enjoyed some beers at the Terrace, blew off my project of modifying the lit. review section of my thesis to de-postmodernify it for my paper for RD Sack, and enjoyed some good conversation with some friends. Ahhhhhhhh, I already am missing it. So it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut would say. Bangkok will have its pleasantries as well. Hail progress!
And what a beautiful day it was. Enjoyed some beers at the Terrace, blew off my project of modifying the lit. review section of my thesis to de-postmodernify it for my paper for RD Sack, and enjoyed some good conversation with some friends. Ahhhhhhhh, I already am missing it. So it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut would say. Bangkok will have its pleasantries as well. Hail progress!
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Mono No Aware
At the moment, I'm understanding yet again what the ancient Japanese philosophers and poets meant when they said Mono No Aware. Mono No Aware is a feeling of bittersweetness when looking at something beautiful. The sweet aspect is appreciation of its beauty, while the bitter aspect is sadness knowing that the beauty is fleeting and ephemeral. The picture which I posted of the Magnolia Tree that is just down the street from me is a good example - the flowers were, and still are, beautiful. However, seeing the petals falling to the ground shows just how temporary their beauty is. It can be seen as a metaphor for our lives. Futhermore, it's the perfect metaphore to describe my time here in Madison.
Today I had what could very well be my last college class ever as a student, which was an optional question/answer session with Burrito Lover RD Sack (and I ate a Sackian burrito right before class, just for good measure.) Had a beer on the terrace, and then ate pizza on the sidewalk at Tuttos with my friend and colleague, Matt Liesch. I really wish I would've brought my camera with me today - the dome of the Capitol was beautiful bathed in the golden, late evening sun. Plus there was a guy walking up and down state street with a massive Burmese Python draped about his neck. Always interesting people watching there, that's for sure...
Today I had what could very well be my last college class ever as a student, which was an optional question/answer session with Burrito Lover RD Sack (and I ate a Sackian burrito right before class, just for good measure.) Had a beer on the terrace, and then ate pizza on the sidewalk at Tuttos with my friend and colleague, Matt Liesch. I really wish I would've brought my camera with me today - the dome of the Capitol was beautiful bathed in the golden, late evening sun. Plus there was a guy walking up and down state street with a massive Burmese Python draped about his neck. Always interesting people watching there, that's for sure...
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Onward
What to report today...
Last night, my ever-resourceful roommate Keli cooked us all a lovely taco dinner. India made some high-quality daquaries. It was excellent.
A really weird hail/snow type pellet form fell yesterday as well. You can see them in India's hair and on the picnic table in the picuture on here. However, a rainbow followed, so all was not bad.
Today, I've received word from my advisor that he will approve of my plan to delay the thesis writing, which feels good.
I also gave my presentation in Geography 503, my Qualitative Methods class with the great Marxist Geographer in the lead, Dr. J.A. Peck. It was our final meeting, and for some of the people in our class, their final class ever. My presentation wasn't particularly good, as I didn't prepare it until about 10 minutes prior to class, but good enough for me! I'm going to miss that class - probably the most interesting class I've had here yet.
My 901 Seminar Class, which is taught by the burgeoning migration geographer and my committee member Dr. Madeleine Wong, is coming to party at my house tomorrow afternoon. I have to give another presentation which I won't prepare more than five minutes for. But it's not a big deal - it's all related to Thetis, so I can talk about it in my sleep, which I probably do from time to time.
Nothing due in any class until next monday, but I need to get some work done tomorrow night on RD Sack's paper. Other than that, over and out. Hail progress!
Last night, my ever-resourceful roommate Keli cooked us all a lovely taco dinner. India made some high-quality daquaries. It was excellent.
A really weird hail/snow type pellet form fell yesterday as well. You can see them in India's hair and on the picnic table in the picuture on here. However, a rainbow followed, so all was not bad.
Today, I've received word from my advisor that he will approve of my plan to delay the thesis writing, which feels good.
I also gave my presentation in Geography 503, my Qualitative Methods class with the great Marxist Geographer in the lead, Dr. J.A. Peck. It was our final meeting, and for some of the people in our class, their final class ever. My presentation wasn't particularly good, as I didn't prepare it until about 10 minutes prior to class, but good enough for me! I'm going to miss that class - probably the most interesting class I've had here yet.
My 901 Seminar Class, which is taught by the burgeoning migration geographer and my committee member Dr. Madeleine Wong, is coming to party at my house tomorrow afternoon. I have to give another presentation which I won't prepare more than five minutes for. But it's not a big deal - it's all related to Thetis, so I can talk about it in my sleep, which I probably do from time to time.
Nothing due in any class until next monday, but I need to get some work done tomorrow night on RD Sack's paper. Other than that, over and out. Hail progress!
Monday, May 02, 2005
Sunday, May 01, 2005
A top ten...
I don't really like Dave Letterman, but since I didn't do a heck of a lot today, I'm going to make this post a top ten list. The title is: The ten things I'll miss the most about Madison.
1. Spotted Cow and Edel Pils
2. My backyard
3. Burritos (ala Bob Sack) and beer on the Terrace
4. Food from the food carts on Library Mall
5. The change in the seasons
6. My wonderful roommates and friends and colleagues
7. Deep philosophical discussions in Science Hall
8. The Ice Cream
9. The various characters around campus, such as Scanner Dan and the Piccolo player in all blaze orange
10. The Onion on Wednesdays
Things I'm going to miss the least:
1. The change in seasons
2. Excessively theoretical discussions in Science Hall
3. Triage
4. People handing me flyers and yelling about some sort of cause wherever I go
5. Walking down crowded State Street when I'm in a hurry
6. Trying to go into Science Hall while a class is letting out
7. The uneven heating in Science Hall
8. The Homework and papers
9. Trying to pretend that I've read something that I haven't
10. typing all night
1. Spotted Cow and Edel Pils
2. My backyard
3. Burritos (ala Bob Sack) and beer on the Terrace
4. Food from the food carts on Library Mall
5. The change in the seasons
6. My wonderful roommates and friends and colleagues
7. Deep philosophical discussions in Science Hall
8. The Ice Cream
9. The various characters around campus, such as Scanner Dan and the Piccolo player in all blaze orange
10. The Onion on Wednesdays
Things I'm going to miss the least:
1. The change in seasons
2. Excessively theoretical discussions in Science Hall
3. Triage
4. People handing me flyers and yelling about some sort of cause wherever I go
5. Walking down crowded State Street when I'm in a hurry
6. Trying to go into Science Hall while a class is letting out
7. The uneven heating in Science Hall
8. The Homework and papers
9. Trying to pretend that I've read something that I haven't
10. typing all night
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Addicted again
As you can all probably deduce, I'm a big fan of my new digital camera. I love it! Got lots of good pictures today.
I've officially decided to pursue the 'worst case scenario' option, as I discussed it with our extremely resourceful Grad administrator, Char Burke, and Dr. Wong, the effervescent professor who's on my committee. She told me that she was in a similar situation when she did her master's due to the expiration date of her Visa, so that she could empathize and sympathize. So I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who's been stuck like this. But I think this plan will work. I just emailed Dr. Kaiser, and hopefully his reply is favorable. I already feel like a five ton weight is lifted from my shoulders. This doesn't mean it's margaritaville from here on out - I have three term papers, three presentations, student loans to sort out, and oh yeah - I'm moving out of my apartment and to Thailand in less than a month. But it still feels good to know that I'll at least be able to sleep before May 13.
Other than that, I hope to get some work done this weekend - 0ne of those term papers is due next week. Hail progress!
I've officially decided to pursue the 'worst case scenario' option, as I discussed it with our extremely resourceful Grad administrator, Char Burke, and Dr. Wong, the effervescent professor who's on my committee. She told me that she was in a similar situation when she did her master's due to the expiration date of her Visa, so that she could empathize and sympathize. So I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who's been stuck like this. But I think this plan will work. I just emailed Dr. Kaiser, and hopefully his reply is favorable. I already feel like a five ton weight is lifted from my shoulders. This doesn't mean it's margaritaville from here on out - I have three term papers, three presentations, student loans to sort out, and oh yeah - I'm moving out of my apartment and to Thailand in less than a month. But it still feels good to know that I'll at least be able to sleep before May 13.
Other than that, I hope to get some work done this weekend - 0ne of those term papers is due next week. Hail progress!
Friday, April 29, 2005
Just a little nervous from The Fall (II)
What's new today? Seems ol' Tom DeLay, demagog extraordinaire, is in big trouble! The Radcons are beginning to falter a bit it seems - the appointment of thuggish Bolton is held up, Shrub's plan for Social Security reform (er, deform) is going over like a turd in a punchbowl, and now thug DeLay is being investigated on ethics charges. Hope it's the start of a new trend...
I'm beginning to rethink my Thetis plans a bit. The 'worst-case scenario' which I spoke of a day or two ago is becomming more appealing. I plan to run it by Char Burke, our highly resourceful and effective grad student administrator, as well as Dr. Madeleiene Wong, one of my committee members, tomorrow. Hopefully I can run it by Dr. Leila Harris, another one of my committee members as well, if I can get a hold of her. There are ways around every little bit of administrative law, and if I can find a way to do this whole process properly and hopefully not have to pay for it, I'll be quite pleased.
In other news, I was supposed to do Beer and Loafing tomorrow, but due to going home this past week and more pressing things (i.e. Ms. Thetis,) I'm not going to, and quite possibly will not be able to present and all. This is a big disappointment, but as Vonnegut would say, so it goes.
God help us all...
I'm beginning to rethink my Thetis plans a bit. The 'worst-case scenario' which I spoke of a day or two ago is becomming more appealing. I plan to run it by Char Burke, our highly resourceful and effective grad student administrator, as well as Dr. Madeleiene Wong, one of my committee members, tomorrow. Hopefully I can run it by Dr. Leila Harris, another one of my committee members as well, if I can get a hold of her. There are ways around every little bit of administrative law, and if I can find a way to do this whole process properly and hopefully not have to pay for it, I'll be quite pleased.
In other news, I was supposed to do Beer and Loafing tomorrow, but due to going home this past week and more pressing things (i.e. Ms. Thetis,) I'm not going to, and quite possibly will not be able to present and all. This is a big disappointment, but as Vonnegut would say, so it goes.
God help us all...
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Just a little nervous from The Fall...
Due to the recent train wreck in Osaka, Japan, I'm rethinking describing my thesis defense as a 'train wreck.' Seems a bit disrespectful and reductive in such a light. So I'm thinking debacle? Disaster? A Hindenburg? Custer's Last Stand? If anyone has any ideas, feel free to suggest...
Combating feelings of deflation and lethargy at the moment. Gonna go to bed early tonight, and then wake up early tomorrow and hit it hard and hope that energy returns to me.
The first day back wasn't so bad, but I feel rather nervous and inadequate in and around Science Hall these days. I know I shouldn't, as this thing isn't really my fault, but I feel the same way nonetheless...
Had my last real class with R.D. Sack today, that enemy of all things postmodern, as he discussed the concepts of 'nature' and 'wilderness.' I'm gonna miss it, but I know I'll always remember and think of RD Sack whenever I take a big bite of a large burrito.
Gotta hit the rack. Hail progress!
Combating feelings of deflation and lethargy at the moment. Gonna go to bed early tonight, and then wake up early tomorrow and hit it hard and hope that energy returns to me.
The first day back wasn't so bad, but I feel rather nervous and inadequate in and around Science Hall these days. I know I shouldn't, as this thing isn't really my fault, but I feel the same way nonetheless...
Had my last real class with R.D. Sack today, that enemy of all things postmodern, as he discussed the concepts of 'nature' and 'wilderness.' I'm gonna miss it, but I know I'll always remember and think of RD Sack whenever I take a big bite of a large burrito.
Gotta hit the rack. Hail progress!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Aftermath
Back in the M.A.D. after four days of reflection and funeral attending back in Dakota. My brother, my cousins, my cousin's husband, and I bore up the pall at my aunt Arlys' funeral on Monday. It was a sad funeral, coupled with a sense of relief knowing that Arlys is no longer suffering after 20 years of struggling with Multiple Sclerosis.
It was a good thing for me to get out of the MAD for a few days to reflect on what I'm doing and where I'm going, in the wake of last Friday's train wreck of a thesis defense. My advisor will not likely give me a favorable letter of recommendation for PhD work should I turn in what was suggested to me by the committee. However, do I want to do a PhD? Do I want to study all of these pedantic theories that have at best abstract application to what really happens? I realize that my advisor is more of a theory lover than most, but would this all be worth it when all I really want to do is to teach? And even if I don't want to do these things at the moment, it would be nice to still have the option at least. So should my advisor's schedule be an excuse that keeps me from going to a PhD program in the future? I don't like that one bit. I know that they (my commitee) doing their best, but this just seems dangerous...
In better news, I received a digital camera (thanks ma and pa, Dan and Carol!) and some accessories as an early grad gift. This will substatially enhance this blog, as you can see already with the picture of the house.
God help us all...
It was a good thing for me to get out of the MAD for a few days to reflect on what I'm doing and where I'm going, in the wake of last Friday's train wreck of a thesis defense. My advisor will not likely give me a favorable letter of recommendation for PhD work should I turn in what was suggested to me by the committee. However, do I want to do a PhD? Do I want to study all of these pedantic theories that have at best abstract application to what really happens? I realize that my advisor is more of a theory lover than most, but would this all be worth it when all I really want to do is to teach? And even if I don't want to do these things at the moment, it would be nice to still have the option at least. So should my advisor's schedule be an excuse that keeps me from going to a PhD program in the future? I don't like that one bit. I know that they (my commitee) doing their best, but this just seems dangerous...
In better news, I received a digital camera (thanks ma and pa, Dan and Carol!) and some accessories as an early grad gift. This will substatially enhance this blog, as you can see already with the picture of the house.
God help us all...
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Train Wreck
T-day has come and it has gone, and the result is not a positive one. In fact, while's it's not a worst-case scenario, it's pretty close to it. Were it not for the tightness of the schedule, I wouldn't have been allowed to defend today, I've been told. I need to basically strip it down and then build it up again. I need to have an outline in to my advisor by Wednesday, and will have to send drafts via email and have a passable thesis in before I leave on 15 May.
While all is not lost and this load of more work is not too big of a deal, I'm guessing that it'd be really tough to get any sort of a favorable recommendation from my advisor for any PhD program now. This creates the larger question of 'what am I going to do with my $80,000 in debt life?' I feel like I'm going down the wrong path, as if I've squandered two years of heavy work. I dunno - perhaps a few days back in ND to reflect on it all will be a good thing...
While all is not lost and this load of more work is not too big of a deal, I'm guessing that it'd be really tough to get any sort of a favorable recommendation from my advisor for any PhD program now. This creates the larger question of 'what am I going to do with my $80,000 in debt life?' I feel like I'm going down the wrong path, as if I've squandered two years of heavy work. I dunno - perhaps a few days back in ND to reflect on it all will be a good thing...
Friday, April 22, 2005
The Eve of the Slaughter
As I've learned from Dr. Kaiser (who, by the way, said that the thesis is going to need 'major revisions,') that I don't need to have my revisions in by the time he leaves next week. This means that I'm headed back to Dakota for my Aunt Arlys' funeral. Fly out on Saturday to Fargo, back in on Tuesday. I'm happy about this, and I know my family is as well. But it's a bit more stress in an already stressful schedule.
And, of course, tomorrow is T Day. I'm nervous, perhaps more than I should be, but with the comment listed above by Dr. K, it seems that there's good reason for nerves. I do believe that the only things I would be more nervous for would be a trial or some sort of Congressional hearing. I've become increasingly religious, going out to my back yard and standing on the end of our dock and praying.
Tomorrow is the day of days. Two years of often trying work, $70,000 + of student loans, countless sleepless nights and insomnia fits, who knows how many points higher of blood pressure, and it all comes down to this. I gave up a good girlfriend, a decent paying job in an interesting place. Was this all worth it? Tomorrow will hold the answer. God help me...
And, of course, tomorrow is T Day. I'm nervous, perhaps more than I should be, but with the comment listed above by Dr. K, it seems that there's good reason for nerves. I do believe that the only things I would be more nervous for would be a trial or some sort of Congressional hearing. I've become increasingly religious, going out to my back yard and standing on the end of our dock and praying.
Tomorrow is the day of days. Two years of often trying work, $70,000 + of student loans, countless sleepless nights and insomnia fits, who knows how many points higher of blood pressure, and it all comes down to this. I gave up a good girlfriend, a decent paying job in an interesting place. Was this all worth it? Tomorrow will hold the answer. God help me...
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Arlys - RIP
I've received the sad yet relieving news that my Aunt Arlys passed away this afternoon. I say relieving in that she has been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis for the past 20 years or so and has been on a gradual decline, wheelchair-bound for the past ten years or so, and her condition has been really bad, with recurrant infections and possibly a stroke in the past three months. That suffering is over, which is a blessing.
As the funeral is Monday, there's no problem with the defense of Thetis. However, as my advisor, Dr. Kaiser, is leaving the country next week, it could have implications on my revisions, which he would have to sign off on before I can deposit Thetis and call it a day. We'll see what happens...
In other news, I'm dissappointed that the Catholics chose not only a European Pope when there were so many other good candidates, but a reactionary one. A very reactionary one. But he's pretty old, so likely won't last long.
Hail progress!
As the funeral is Monday, there's no problem with the defense of Thetis. However, as my advisor, Dr. Kaiser, is leaving the country next week, it could have implications on my revisions, which he would have to sign off on before I can deposit Thetis and call it a day. We'll see what happens...
In other news, I'm dissappointed that the Catholics chose not only a European Pope when there were so many other good candidates, but a reactionary one. A very reactionary one. But he's pretty old, so likely won't last long.
Hail progress!
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Rubicon in the rear view
This morning, despite the best efforts of the malfunctioning printer and an inadequate paper supply, the die was cast, the Rubicon was crossed - the defense draft of Thetis, my thesis, was deposited in the mailboxes of Drs. Kaiser, Wong and Harris, the members of my committee. It feels good to be at this point, but yet I have a hunch the battle isn't over. Stay tuned...
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Put up time
Today was a day full of meetings - meetings with my advisor and the various members of my committee, which went fairly well and made me feel easier about the prospect of thesis defense one week from today. However, one thing that was said made me a bit uneasy - Dr. Kaiser, my advisor, said that this thesis should be sufficient to receive the Master's degree, but a bit fuzzy to recommend me for PhD work. Since I hope to go on for PhD work eventually, this concerns me. Of course, he said that if there were more time to do more revisions on it, it would be fine. So I hope that his and my tight schedules don't sink any future plans of mine. I'm sure I'd be able to get in for PhD work somewhere, but it may be tough sans a good recommendation from him. Hmmm... Guess that means this is going to be a weekend full of typing and such. Oh well, what else is new? Time to put up.
RD Sack continued his assault on all things postmodern today when he gave his lecture for the Yi Fu Tuan Series (and Dr. Tuan, the 82 lb. yoda-like father of humanistic geography was there himself). Dr. Sack, a lover of the burritos produced by the cafeteria in the Memorial Union, stated that morality is impossible with a postmodern approach. He's probably right, as if we all viewed everything as being morally relative, then anything could be excused. However, I don't think that anyone (or at least not many people) take PoMo that far. I think that I'm a tempered post-modernist. But I don't want to get into that anymore.
The backyard was lovely tonight. And one month from today, Madison will be a memory. Mono no aware, as the Japanese philosophers would say. I enjoy the beauty of the moment, yet am a bit saddened by it, as I know I won't be in it long. And so it goes. BKK will provide plenty of intrigue I know...
RD Sack continued his assault on all things postmodern today when he gave his lecture for the Yi Fu Tuan Series (and Dr. Tuan, the 82 lb. yoda-like father of humanistic geography was there himself). Dr. Sack, a lover of the burritos produced by the cafeteria in the Memorial Union, stated that morality is impossible with a postmodern approach. He's probably right, as if we all viewed everything as being morally relative, then anything could be excused. However, I don't think that anyone (or at least not many people) take PoMo that far. I think that I'm a tempered post-modernist. But I don't want to get into that anymore.
The backyard was lovely tonight. And one month from today, Madison will be a memory. Mono no aware, as the Japanese philosophers would say. I enjoy the beauty of the moment, yet am a bit saddened by it, as I know I won't be in it long. And so it goes. BKK will provide plenty of intrigue I know...
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Stercus vs. the proverbial fan
In the grips of yet another insomniacal/typing binge. This week, the stercus has hit the fan - received comments from my thesis advisor on what I've done thus far on that much ballyhoed document, and, as always, it appears that I'll be working on Ms. Thetis until the last possible minute - she's gonna fill the time and then some. I was a bit complacent before, thinking that I had a pretty solid document, when in fact there are some sizeable holes in it. I feel like I've been climbing a mountain for some time now, feeling good about the progress of it and thinking that I'm not too far from the summit. All of the sudden, the clouds clear and there's a lot farther to go than I had anticipated. Meanwhile, I look over my shoulder and the sun's beginning to set (i.e. I defend Thetis in 9 short days!). As Eminem once said, "you better MOVE!"
Monday, April 11, 2005
The Days of April
Ahhhh, the days of April. How grand they have been. Quick summary of the past few days - Wednesday, thanks to my cheerful roommate Keli and my professor and thesis committee member Leila Harris giving me loads of useful suggestions on Thetis (my nickname for my thesis), I feel really good about where that document is. It's pretty well cleaned up and feels just about ready to go.
Put in the dock today in our backyard, with the help of our friendly and enterprising neighbors upstairs. So the backyard is that much nicer now. We also went to see the play called "Cementville," which was really funny, and had a drink at Le Tigre lounge, a bar that is decorated completely in tiger stuff where we overheard a conversation between two middle aged women and learned about California's auto insurance laws. Interesting...
Bought my plane ticket to get me to Chicago for the flight to Bangkok as well. But this is complicated, so read carefully - I saved $30 by flying FAR (Fargo) - ORD (Ohare) - MDD (Madison) rather than flying only FAR - ORD. Same flights and everything. I don't get it. I just don't. But it works well for me, as I have a place to stay in the MAD and can easily take the VanGalder bus down there. Good times are ahead. Hail progress!
Put in the dock today in our backyard, with the help of our friendly and enterprising neighbors upstairs. So the backyard is that much nicer now. We also went to see the play called "Cementville," which was really funny, and had a drink at Le Tigre lounge, a bar that is decorated completely in tiger stuff where we overheard a conversation between two middle aged women and learned about California's auto insurance laws. Interesting...
Bought my plane ticket to get me to Chicago for the flight to Bangkok as well. But this is complicated, so read carefully - I saved $30 by flying FAR (Fargo) - ORD (Ohare) - MDD (Madison) rather than flying only FAR - ORD. Same flights and everything. I don't get it. I just don't. But it works well for me, as I have a place to stay in the MAD and can easily take the VanGalder bus down there. Good times are ahead. Hail progress!
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Haru has arrived...
Yeah, it's spring in Mad town. Hung out at the terrace today and watched the ice's final stand on Lake Mendota (It's been gone from Lake Monona for a few days now), the high was 77 degrees farenheit or about 24 degrees Celcius, the girls were wearing shorts, and baseball has started - the Twins are 1-1. Bought a couple of books today for my reading pleasure during the 20 hours of flight that is coming far sooner than I realize - Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond (Geographer that he is...) and some sort of novel about Mexican people crossing the border without documentation (or as the right wing media would say, illegally.) I also saw in the Cap. Times (our Madison newspaper) today that viglante groups are running their own border patrols in Arizona and really causing trouble for the real Border Patrol by setting off all of their motion sensors. Plus, they're all strappin' pistols on their sides to bust any 'terrorists' whom they encounter. Like I say about Arizona, redneck ranchers abound...
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Good Food and Good conversation
Yesterday, attended a really good lecture given by William Ruddiman, an expert on Climatology at the U of Virginia. Very interesting talk, showing how human influence on global climate did NOT begin with the Industrial Revolution, which is the going belief in the field of climatology, but rather began with the Agricultural Revolution, as massive deforestation really began then. He went on to say that were it not for human influence on climate change way back then, we'd likely be at the beginning of another ice age at the moment, with glaciers covering northern Siberia, Alaska and Canada and the antarctic ice sheet extending out much further than it does now. He also made it clear that the human influence on the climate since the Industrial Revolution has skyrocketed. His book, called Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum: How Humans Took Control of the Climate comes out in August, and I'm really eager to get my hands on it once it comes out.
Someone asked him if he thought that goofballs like Tom Delay and GW Shrub (our "president",) who claim that Humans don't influence climate, would latch on to his theory, and responded that if they do, they've conceded their entire argument about humans not influencing climate, which would show indeed how feeble their analytical skills are. Which is a good point.
After the show was over, we all went to the Union and drank beer. I sat across from the table from him and had a really nice conversation with him about my academic interests, his work, and the Shenendoah Valley in Virginia, where he lives. Very nice guy - avuncular-like. The best part is that he thought I was a junior faculty, something that I've yet to be mistaken for. That was a nice boost for the ego.
Other than that, India's lab mates came over for a potluck tonight, which had some increadible food and really interesting and friendly people. We had Indian, Thai, African, and Italian food, and I think that I ate waay too much. But it was nice.
Other than that, it's gonna be two weeks of heavy typing ahead. And I'm going to Nick's class to talk about Political Geography on Monday, so that should be fun. Hail Progress!
Someone asked him if he thought that goofballs like Tom Delay and GW Shrub (our "president",) who claim that Humans don't influence climate, would latch on to his theory, and responded that if they do, they've conceded their entire argument about humans not influencing climate, which would show indeed how feeble their analytical skills are. Which is a good point.
After the show was over, we all went to the Union and drank beer. I sat across from the table from him and had a really nice conversation with him about my academic interests, his work, and the Shenendoah Valley in Virginia, where he lives. Very nice guy - avuncular-like. The best part is that he thought I was a junior faculty, something that I've yet to be mistaken for. That was a nice boost for the ego.
Other than that, India's lab mates came over for a potluck tonight, which had some increadible food and really interesting and friendly people. We had Indian, Thai, African, and Italian food, and I think that I ate waay too much. But it was nice.
Other than that, it's gonna be two weeks of heavy typing ahead. And I'm going to Nick's class to talk about Political Geography on Monday, so that should be fun. Hail Progress!
Friday, April 01, 2005
The East is Red
What to say today - ate pizza with my good friend, K. Max Grinnell, author of the noted book Hyde Park, Illinois. Since it was at Gino's I can now say that I only have four restaurants on State Street that I haven't eaten at yet. One is Subway, but I'm not gonna worry about getting to that one. Another is Potbelly's which is a chain. Himalchuli is the one with the most priority, as it is supposedly one of the best Nepali restaurants in the USA. And the final is the Orpheum, which is supposed to be pretty good as well.
I finished the body of the thesis this morning, which is a pretty important step in things - all I have yet to do is the appendix on methods, and I've a complete first draft! So that feels good. I'm sure it won't feel too good when my advisor and committee rip it apart, but progress is being made. And the defense is only three weeks away.
RD Sack spoke about the how time influences place, and it is agreed that the question of when is a place is just as important as where is a place. And I've begun reading Yi Fu Tuan's book Cosmos and Hearth. Dr. Wong has had some back problems this week, so tuesday's class was cancelled. Hopefully, she'll be better soon.
As the Thesis will likely be demanding less of my time and other things are being settled, am beginning to think more about the move to Asia, the Far Side of the World. Had a really nice chat with Dan Doeppers the other day, who is an emeritus faculty in our department and an expert on the historical geography of the Phillipine islands. He pointed out something that I had never considered before - since I'm working for a Jesuit university, and since the Karen, one of the more prominent refugee groups from Burma in Thailand, are mostly Christian (mostly baptist, but some Catholics,) I may be on to some great contacts for future research already. This is an invigorating find indeed. Progress is on the way!
I finished the body of the thesis this morning, which is a pretty important step in things - all I have yet to do is the appendix on methods, and I've a complete first draft! So that feels good. I'm sure it won't feel too good when my advisor and committee rip it apart, but progress is being made. And the defense is only three weeks away.
RD Sack spoke about the how time influences place, and it is agreed that the question of when is a place is just as important as where is a place. And I've begun reading Yi Fu Tuan's book Cosmos and Hearth. Dr. Wong has had some back problems this week, so tuesday's class was cancelled. Hopefully, she'll be better soon.
As the Thesis will likely be demanding less of my time and other things are being settled, am beginning to think more about the move to Asia, the Far Side of the World. Had a really nice chat with Dan Doeppers the other day, who is an emeritus faculty in our department and an expert on the historical geography of the Phillipine islands. He pointed out something that I had never considered before - since I'm working for a Jesuit university, and since the Karen, one of the more prominent refugee groups from Burma in Thailand, are mostly Christian (mostly baptist, but some Catholics,) I may be on to some great contacts for future research already. This is an invigorating find indeed. Progress is on the way!
Monday, March 28, 2005
The run is over...
The Badgers lost to North Carolina today, 88-82. I'm gutted - I thought we had them for a while. But I'm rather proud of them all and all - the experts said that the Badgers could never run with Carolina, they couldn't keep up in a high scoring game. Well, they almost did. Two teams from the Big Ten - Mich. State and Illinois - made the final four, so the conference is looking pretty good right now. Which is a good thing indeed, as everyone thought it was a down year or couple of years for the Big Ten.
Other than that, not too much to say. The Right wing continues their righteous indignation about Teri Schiavo's feeding tube being removed, while when an Iraqi hospital is bombed they don't even care. I guess that nice, white Christian suburbanites are worth "saving," while "others" don't make the cut. Hypocracy at its finest.
Other than that, not too much to say. The Right wing continues their righteous indignation about Teri Schiavo's feeding tube being removed, while when an Iraqi hospital is bombed they don't even care. I guess that nice, white Christian suburbanites are worth "saving," while "others" don't make the cut. Hypocracy at its finest.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
The eve of Easter
Not too much to report today - India's mother has returned to Beantown, the Badgers are still alive in the NCAA basketball tournament, and my momma sent yummy baked goods to me for Easter. This morning, we ate breakfast at a little place called "Sophia's" in the E. Johnson neighborhood of Madison. Great place - best croissants I've ever had. The place is tiny - our living room is bigger than the dining area. The staff was very interesting - the woman taking the orders and delivering the food was very pretty, and had tattoos covering most of the skin that could be seen, and presumably a great deal of it that couldn't be seen. She also had these rather interesting piercings in her ears, much like one particular tribe in Ethiopia which I've seen in National Geographic in the past. Holes are cut in the earlobes, and wooden plates are inserted. Her's were probably not quite as big around as tennis balls, but just larger than a golfball. She had this adorable three year old daughter that was running around the place and talking to everybody. And there was one guy there who appeared to be her significant other or partner or what have you. He had a black eye, was limping a bit, and appeared to be inebriated or under the influence of something. All the while, some rather interesting, most likely South American/Andean music was playing in the background. All in all, interesting breakfast, to be sure.
More typing to be done tonight. I'm dreading the return to normalcy that will come with monday, as switching from a nocturnal to a diurnal schedule is never pleasant and will require loads of caffein. And so it goes. Go Badgers!
More typing to be done tonight. I'm dreading the return to normalcy that will come with monday, as switching from a nocturnal to a diurnal schedule is never pleasant and will require loads of caffein. And so it goes. Go Badgers!
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Survivor (and not that horrible reality show nor the horrible '80s band)
Well, it's now about 20 minutes shy of 8 am, and I can say that I've spent a night in Haunted Science Hall and I can live to tell about it! Not too much to tell - just an old, creeky building. But I did manage to bulk the thesis up to 31 pages (40 if you include photos, maps, and bibliography.) So progress is being made. And you all know how I feel about progress...
Embracing the Insomnia
Tonight, after having dinner at the Taj (considered Madison's top Indian restaurant) with Keli, India, India's mother, our old friend and geographer Cindy and Cindy's very interesting parents (her father, a retired doctor who bought us all dinner, told us all of these great stories about doing medical missions in Central America), I've decided to make a radical change in sleeping policy for the remainder of spring break. As it seems that I accomplish more in the wee hours of the morning and little during the day and I don't have to be anywhere during the day, I'm going nocturnal! So, tonight, I'm doing something that few people would dare do: staying up all night in Science Hall, where I am almost certainly the only person. For those of you not familiar with the campus here at UW - Madison, Science Hall, home to the Geography Department and my office, is about 113 years old and considered to be HAUNTED. So I may have to change my underwear before the night's over...
Other things are falling into place that will facilitate my escape to Bangkok, as it appears I have a sublettor for the apartment and a buyer for my car. The weather's getting better, so things seem to be going swimmingly. Hail progress!
Other things are falling into place that will facilitate my escape to Bangkok, as it appears I have a sublettor for the apartment and a buyer for my car. The weather's getting better, so things seem to be going swimmingly. Hail progress!
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Insomnia - riding again
In the midst of Spring Break 2005, Insomnia seems to have returned. Thesis typing is coming along, but it's gonna take a pretty big effort to crank out a draft by Monday. But we'll get there - a caffein-fueled all-nighter during Spring Break seems to be on the cusp of insanity to most sane human beings, but it may be what I need to get me to where I need to be, as I attempt to incorporate the works of Sociologist Rogers Brubaker and Discourse Analyst Norman Fairclough in my writings. That's not an easy task, mind you, as I have yet to read either of them. Hail adventure!
The other interesting story is that last night, while my fellow Geographer Chris Limburg and I were taking a study break and watching Star Wars (the most recent one,) I looked out the back window to see how rapidly the ice was melting on the lake in our backyard. While I was looking out, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the green canvas lawnchair that my father gave me was set up, and on top of it was an opossum! It seems he/she was building a nest on it. I flipped it over after the possum had left to dispense the marsupial's nest. Kind of crazy.
India's mother comes to town tomorrow. Should be fun. Time to make an attempt at sleep.
The other interesting story is that last night, while my fellow Geographer Chris Limburg and I were taking a study break and watching Star Wars (the most recent one,) I looked out the back window to see how rapidly the ice was melting on the lake in our backyard. While I was looking out, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the green canvas lawnchair that my father gave me was set up, and on top of it was an opossum! It seems he/she was building a nest on it. I flipped it over after the possum had left to dispense the marsupial's nest. Kind of crazy.
India's mother comes to town tomorrow. Should be fun. Time to make an attempt at sleep.
Monday, March 21, 2005
On! Wisconsin!
Much to report in this posting of the web log. Following a Thursday night at my favorite bar in the world, the Karaoke Kid (where several high school basketball coaches were getting’ their sing on and where I met this really drunk guy who looked like a sleazy Republican and yet had a very friendly and attractive Japanese wife with whom I practiced my Japanese), Keli, India, and I took a quick yet successful trip to northeast Wisconsin, including Oshkosh, Green Bay, Door County, and Sheboygan. Highlights included hanging out with the parents of my ever-cheerful roommate, Keli, in Oshkosh, running on to Lambeau Field, staying in a very quaint and cozy cabin overlooking Green Bay (the body of water, not the city) and watching basketball and Japanese Animation until very late in the night, driving around in Door County and enjoying the great scenery, stopping off to watch the Badger basketball game at a bar in Sheboygan known as “Burps” and eating dinner at a Supper club just down the street known as Rupp’s, which served good food but had the look and was playing music much like one might expect to hear in a funeral home (an instrumental version of “Memories” was playing as we walked in) and a quick drive through the bizarre fordist company town, Kohler, where Kohler faucets are made. A few notes: While touring Lambeau, our tour guide pointed out that the Vikings (my favorite football team) had never won a championship. I wanted to raise my hand and ask the man “who won the first ever game in the newly-renovated Lambeau Field and the first ever playoff meeting between the teams?” However, in Packer country, it’s best to just grin and nod, grin and nod. So I didn’t. Secondly, while at Burp’s (which felt and looked like the quintessential small-town Midwestern bar) and watching the game, we were fortunate enough to meet the owner and namesake of the place, Burp himself. I could understand why Burp earned his name, as he had a voice that had clearly only been achieved through decades of chain smoking, sounding only a notch or two above a tracheotomy. Anyhow, he was standing in front of the television and telling off-color jokes to these three thrity-something, heavily Midwestern accented women during the tensest part of the Badger’s victory over Bucknell which put UW into the Sweet 16. (Go Red!) Well, Burp felt bad, and then the bartender bought us all another round of Spotted Cow. I wish I could repeat some quotes I heard from Burp, but they wouldn’t be very funny without hearing them in Burp’s voice. So I won’t. At the same time, some young man at the other end of the bar was trying to hit on my roommate, India, commenting that she “looked nicer in dreads than any woman he’d ever seen.” (India does have very nice dreadlocks, by the way.) So she got a free Spotted Cow out of the deal, which is nice. But she had to make it known to the guy that she was very much taken, and the very friendly bartender made sure this was known without crushing the poor sap’s soul.
Now we’re home, and tomorrow begins the great writing marathon that will be the remainder of Spring Break ’05. In one week, I will have a full draft of my thesis. So there’s lots of work to be done, and I’m gonna get some sleep to help me do it. Hail Progress, and Go Badgers!
Now we’re home, and tomorrow begins the great writing marathon that will be the remainder of Spring Break ’05. In one week, I will have a full draft of my thesis. So there’s lots of work to be done, and I’m gonna get some sleep to help me do it. Hail Progress, and Go Badgers!
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The Scent of Heavenly Jasmine
Not too much to report in this blog, other than extreme fatigue and two obsessions - filling my apartment for the summer (anxiety over which is a major contributor to the aforementioned fatigue) and the scent of jasmine. I bought some Jasmine Green tea at the Willy Street Coop the other day, and I can't get enough of the aroma. At this point in time, if a woman walked up to me and she smelled of jasmine, I'd likely ask her to marry me. I have these fantasies about going to Bangkok and smelling the scent of fresh jasmine floating through the air everywhere I go. I know better than this - I know what Bangkok smells like, and it's far from the scent of fresh jasmine. But it's still a nice thought, and I know that I'll be able to buy it from markets and such all the time.
Anyhow, this is what I'm rambling about in my sleep-deprived state, so I should probably just shut up now. Hail Sleep!
Anyhow, this is what I'm rambling about in my sleep-deprived state, so I should probably just shut up now. Hail Sleep!
Monday, March 14, 2005
April 22 - T-Day
After a rather relaxing weekend (likely one of the last to which I'll be able to apply that adjective in quite some time) I feel as if I really should've done more, as deadlines are looming big.
Saturday consisted of, well, relaxing and dinner with my roommate India, DeBauchery, Nate ( another Geog. grad student, a man with the best temperment anyone could ever hope for) and Erica (Nate's fiance.) India made a nice stew with some sort of name I forget. Sunday had me watching the Badgers lose to Illinois (d'oh!) , and doing a massive load of laundry.
However, the real big news is that Thesis defense date is now official - 22 April. Scary! Lots of work to do before then. However, good to have a date set. Much to do between now and then, and I really hope that I can find a sublettor soon to get that worry out of my head to allow me to just focus on April 22 and that which goes with it. And so it goes. I anticipate high amounts of caffein consumption in the days and weeks to come. God help me! Hail progress!
Saturday consisted of, well, relaxing and dinner with my roommate India, DeBauchery, Nate ( another Geog. grad student, a man with the best temperment anyone could ever hope for) and Erica (Nate's fiance.) India made a nice stew with some sort of name I forget. Sunday had me watching the Badgers lose to Illinois (d'oh!) , and doing a massive load of laundry.
However, the real big news is that Thesis defense date is now official - 22 April. Scary! Lots of work to do before then. However, good to have a date set. Much to do between now and then, and I really hope that I can find a sublettor soon to get that worry out of my head to allow me to just focus on April 22 and that which goes with it. And so it goes. I anticipate high amounts of caffein consumption in the days and weeks to come. God help me! Hail progress!
Friday, March 11, 2005
Just Like Honey...
Just finished watching Lost in Translation with my roommates, Keli and India, and my India's partner and one of my good friends, Nick "DeBauchery" Bauch. Now this is the first time that I've actually sat down and watched the entire movie since I saw it in the Theatre more than one year ago at the Westgate Art Cinema here in Madison, and I was curious how I would respond to it. You see, when I watched it the first time shortly after it was released in October of 2003, my relationship with Atsuko, my last significant other whom I was with in Japan, was on the rocks and nearly done, so it was quite emotional for me to see that movie. At that time, I was feeling very nostalgic for my time in Japan, as I was struggling a bit with the adjustment to graduate school and questioning my decision to come back and wishing that my relationship with her was going better, and seeing this movie didn't really help that. That's my big problem (or one of them, anyway) I think - I tend to remember only the good about the past and forget the struggles and the difficult parts, such as having my feet stepped on constantly at the supermarket, the huge prices on everything, and the impossibility of being comfortable anywhere that was Tokyo life.
Anyway, to get back on task, watching it again was cool because I gave running commentary about the different neighborhoods it was filmed in, what they were doing, what was being said, and so on. And while I did feel nostalgic for Tokyo and missed things like strolling through Ginza and eating Shabu Shabu, it was far easier for me to watch this time. And I still enjoyed the movie - well done!
Anyway, to get back on task, watching it again was cool because I gave running commentary about the different neighborhoods it was filmed in, what they were doing, what was being said, and so on. And while I did feel nostalgic for Tokyo and missed things like strolling through Ginza and eating Shabu Shabu, it was far easier for me to watch this time. And I still enjoyed the movie - well done!
Thesis, Mother of Achilles
Or is it Thetis? Whatever - either way, it's a mother! The night before last, woke up at 2 am to make the paper (or what I had of it) a little bit less embarrasing for when I handed it to Dr. Robert J. Kaiser, my advisor, yesterday. After handing him the 25 pages (not including a two page index and five page bibliography) that I've written thus far, we discussed dates for making things happen, and 22 April has been tenatively tagged as a date when I'll be defending the mother. So pretty exciting - light at the end of the tunnel is in plain view.
In other news, but also around academic lines, the seminar on Tuesday on Migration and Citizenship, lead by Madeline Wong, was a good one. We discussed Geographical Scale and the politics of it, which is what the above mentioned Thesis is all about. I was naturally asked to expound on the subject a fair bit, which I did. It was heartening that the people in the class, most of whom were non-geographers, found the concept useful and interesting. I also got some names of theorists in Sociology who work on something that they call "framing," which is very similar. So it's good to know that people in other disciplines find this stuff useful, which means I'm not completely wasting my time on this stuff. Hail progress!
In other news, but also around academic lines, the seminar on Tuesday on Migration and Citizenship, lead by Madeline Wong, was a good one. We discussed Geographical Scale and the politics of it, which is what the above mentioned Thesis is all about. I was naturally asked to expound on the subject a fair bit, which I did. It was heartening that the people in the class, most of whom were non-geographers, found the concept useful and interesting. I also got some names of theorists in Sociology who work on something that they call "framing," which is very similar. So it's good to know that people in other disciplines find this stuff useful, which means I'm not completely wasting my time on this stuff. Hail progress!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
The Reverend Preaches
Electrifying night - saw the Rev. Al Sharpton speak in the memorial union to a packed house. One of the best speakers I've ever heard. Some quotes:
"Pres. Bush pushed through his 'no child left behind' program, but then left all the funding behind."
"The Right wing wants to privatize health care, privatize social security, privatize everything, except what you do in your bedroom, which they want to make public."
"God gave us free will, and we can go to heaven if we want to or go to hell if we want to. I might not agree with your activity, but it's not the government's place to stop you. If you want to go to hell, I'm gonna fight for your right to go there."
It was beautiful!
"Pres. Bush pushed through his 'no child left behind' program, but then left all the funding behind."
"The Right wing wants to privatize health care, privatize social security, privatize everything, except what you do in your bedroom, which they want to make public."
"God gave us free will, and we can go to heaven if we want to or go to hell if we want to. I might not agree with your activity, but it's not the government's place to stop you. If you want to go to hell, I'm gonna fight for your right to go there."
It was beautiful!
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Slappin' hands with Boone on the way down
Today was a day of rest and recovery following one wild wild night which included getting really drunk at one of my professor's homes, going to a bar with another professor afterwards, and having my coat - my favorite coat in the world, the famous Northwest Airlines jacket - burned when someone threw it over a candle sitting on one of the tables. It's still salvageable, but has a hole burnt through it. So I stormed off in my drunken anger, and on my walk home encountered my roommate's ill-tempered cat, who was busy urinating on one of the neighbor's houses. It was a surreal evening, and despite my anger and the hole in my beautiful coat, actually fun.
So other than nursing a hangover today, I've managed to make a bit of progress on the thesis and spent far too much time on friendster, my latest addiction that I just don't need right now but can't seem to put down. Other than that, just drivin' that train. Hail progress...
So other than nursing a hangover today, I've managed to make a bit of progress on the thesis and spent far too much time on friendster, my latest addiction that I just don't need right now but can't seem to put down. Other than that, just drivin' that train. Hail progress...
Friday, March 04, 2005
Only in Wisconsin...
Following work at the Arthur H. Robinson (may peace be upon him) Map Library today, I made a beeline for Madison's horrible yet interesting East Towne Mall. Why would a hater of ubiquity , suburbia, and yuppie commerce like me head for such a ubiquitos, suburban, and yuppie-commercial place such as the East Towne Mall, you ask? Two words: Colossal Colon! That's right - in an effort to raise awareness about colon cancer, some agency from the UW has made a mammoth plastic model of a colon, showing polyps, hemmoroids (sp?), and all sorts of unpleasant things in a three foot diameter and 50 foot long plastic colon that children can crawl through. I read about it last night on madison.com, and decided that it was too bizarre to not go and take a few photos. So I did. And now, perhaps finally, I can say that I've seen it all.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
incendere est
As I type, I sit in my living room chatting with my ever-cheerful roommate Keli while exchanging glances with my other roommate's (India) ill-tempered cat as the fire in our fireplace slowly burns to nothing. India sleeps silently on the couch. I'm taking a break from reading RD Sack again, and anticipating a cold day tomorrow. Other than that, not much to report. Happy March!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
The Bloodsport of Social Science
In class today we went further into the heated debate around the excellent book written by sociologist Mitch Duniere (sp?) entitled Sidewalk. Highly respected French sociologist Loic Wacquant thought it was a load of stercus (if you don't know the meaning of stercus, find a latin dictionary), while most everyone else, despite its weaknesses, thought it was very impressive. I agree with everyone else - well written, and while not perfect, it's readability and message that homeless people aren't all bad is an important one that needs to be read. Go out and find the book - an excellent read.
Other than that, guest lecturer Anna Secor of the University of Kentucky came to visit class, which was very interesting, as she does research in Turkey. The biggest news of the day, however, is that I have a ticket to see the Rev. Al Sharpton speak here in M-A-D one week from today. Now that's gonna be cool.
Other than that, guest lecturer Anna Secor of the University of Kentucky came to visit class, which was very interesting, as she does research in Turkey. The biggest news of the day, however, is that I have a ticket to see the Rev. Al Sharpton speak here in M-A-D one week from today. Now that's gonna be cool.
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