6.21.2012

And Meanwhile, on the Application Front

We're in that funny transition period between active school life and "what teachers do in the summer." And guys, it's not what you may have imagined, watching my middle and high school teachers pack up the classroom at the end of the year. We Are Not On Vacation.

Which is fine and all, but does require a sliiight adjustment.

Oh well.

No way man! 'Slight adjustments' means that I get to make new and improved schedules! To-Do lists! Guys, this is MY FAVORITE.

We've implemented bi-weekly "boot camps" (to ensure regular attention is paid to our personal projects) and among those projects is pinpointing departments to which we'd like to apply, and possible sources of funding. We've given ourselves until June 30th to research departments, professors we're interested in working with, and those elusive individuals and groups interested in sponsoring our endeavors.

This ought to leave plenty of time for department-specific research, getting in touch with relevant faculty, and writing stunningly crafted statements of purpose before the Fall Term whisks us back into the fray.


Go get 'em!


6.12.2012

Webly Roundup

Husbee and I had a lovely week with Ms. Finn Senseney and her Mister, exploring the various architectural and culinary wonders of Istanbul (pictured here: the aptly named "wet burger" and the external east-facing wall of the crown prince's apartments in the Topkapı harem). While we recover from their visit, you all can glory in some of the webly things that have been making me joyous.

Want to make or break a habit? Like charts? Have I got a present for you!

A classically trained opera singer and her orchestra: Srsly Cannot Go Wrong. They're My Brightest Diamond, and Husbee hasn't yet complained that they're playing 24/7. If you're going to be in Amsterdam, they're performing on the 17th.

Are you a writer in need of a organization system for all your sundry submissions? Try Duotrope: a free submission-managing service complete with easily searchable listings for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. And just when you thought there wasn't enough type-A in your life!

If the summer's superhero blockbusters have re-lit a fire they just can't quench, check out my suggested reading list, in which complex principles of math and physics are explored through the always engaging Marvel Universe.

My friend Wendy's excellent article "The Islam in Islamic Art History" can be found here, along with what looks like a great selection of other art historiography research. Mayhaps in that group y'all will come across another academic writer who has learned how to get a point across!

In honor of my new obsession with Amazon's Mechanical Turk program (I'm hoping I can make enough to cover application fees!), here is an article on the program's name-sake: the chess-playing automaton!

Have a great rest of your week.
-E

6.03.2012

Birthdays and Beacons

First of all, a great big Happy 60th Birthday to my father, kicking off Birthday Season in grand tradition. Diamond Jubilee got nuthin' on us!

And to celebrate both my father's retirement and the long-awaited end of the Spring semester, I want to share our summer anthem, courtesy of They Might Be Giants. Fair warning: it does actually get stuck in your head a bit.


Now let's see: I promised some beacons of excellence in academic writing, didn't I? Let it never be said that I don't deliver the goods! But no suggestions from you all? My faithful and most delightful readers? Have you really not once read something well-written and enjoyable for a class or research? Sounds like someone ought to go have a little chat with your professors, for this simply will not stand.

Well, I suppose that means you'll be all the more pleased with me for rounding these up for you.

In no particular order:
  • Douglas Robinson, on translation practice and theory. His work can mostly be found on his academia.edu profile. Bless him and whoever taught him how to share.
  • Donna Haraway, on feminist theory and the history of science. You can download a PDF of her article "Situated Knowledges" here.
  • Borges, though perhaps better known for his fiction, nevertheless is an excellent writer of non-fiction. His 'Selected Non-Fiction' used to be available on library.nu (sadly shut down), but perhaps the more industrious of you have found an alternative. Any news on the book-sharing front would be much appreciated.
  • Anne Fadiman, while not strictly an "academic writer," is the reigning queen of creative non-fiction. Her personal essays are clear, engaging, beautifully written, and incredibly informative. Makes for a great palate cleanser. You can listen to her reading an excerpt from one of her essays here.
I hope that will hold you for now, and if anyone has anyone to add to our list of Those Deserving of Praise and Admiration, please do share the wealth!

Happy Sunday, y'all.
Tune in next week for some tips and suggestions as we start the search for our perfect graduate program. Who said summer was for beaches? I'll be courting myopia, not melanoma...

If you just can't wait, here is an article by yours truly on how to get and stay in the academic loop (and thereby never miss yet another freaking deadline).

Toodle-oo!