I'm going anonymous...at least for a little while. One of my class projects is going to involve a blog, and I don't necessarily want people that I know to stumble across this yet. My professor asked in class last night if anyone blogged, and I did not fess up. It's less embarrassment (I don't use this for passive/aggressive venting purposes) and more just the fact that I am a private person at heart, and don't know if I want acquaintances reading this yet. My ultimate purpose in keeping a blog is to hopefully be able to flesh out ideas as I write (I know, there's been very little of that so far...)
Also, there's the issue of intellectual property. I've already had the problem crop up a couple of times with people close to me, and I don't want to have to deal with it at this formative stage of my research.
If I end up using this blog as I really want to, my identity will be public at some point in the future.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
changes
I found out yesterday that my university has changed their policy on tuition waivers for graduate teaching assistants. Our tuition is now only covered for a portion of the number of credits that we need to take each semester to stay on a 3-year graduation track.
My options are (a) take 9 free credit hours per semester (2 classes and 1 directed study) and propose my thesis a year from now (the beginning of my third year, turning this into a 4 year program), or (b) pay the ~$800 per semester (thank jebus for in-state tuition) to stay on track and take 12 credit hours (3 classes) and propose in the spring.
I will more than likely do option (b), but it just means that now I can't take any classes outside the department, unless I really want to start shelling out lots of money. Languages are out of the question, at least until I propose my thesis.
The pressing question for this semester is, do I exchange one of my classes for a directed study? Admittedly, I'm not terribly passionate about any of my prospective classes for the fall. My adviser had told me that it is possible to take the thesis writing course the semester before you propose, meaning that I could have a 4-credit directed study, giving me 3 classes, and then propose in the spring.
The visiting professor who is teaching critical thought/contemporary art is very knowledgeable about communes, the 60s, etc. I'm thinking that my thesis will take the direction of situating contemporary interactive art as a descendant of both happenings and the situationists, so he's definitely my guy. If I went through thesis writing now, it would help me solidify my ideas, then I'd just need to do 12 more credits in the spring and propose. In the end, the possibility of doing two massive directed studies might help me to write my thesis more quickly. But of course, since he's not permanent faculty, I'm left without a committee chair until next year when the permanent 20th century professor returns from his fellowship, at which time everything may change.
I meet with my (other) adviser tomorrow...so far the number one thing that grad school has taught me is not to plan too far in advance for anything...professors leave, universities change policies, nothing is writ in stone.
My options are (a) take 9 free credit hours per semester (2 classes and 1 directed study) and propose my thesis a year from now (the beginning of my third year, turning this into a 4 year program), or (b) pay the ~$800 per semester (thank jebus for in-state tuition) to stay on track and take 12 credit hours (3 classes) and propose in the spring.
I will more than likely do option (b), but it just means that now I can't take any classes outside the department, unless I really want to start shelling out lots of money. Languages are out of the question, at least until I propose my thesis.
The pressing question for this semester is, do I exchange one of my classes for a directed study? Admittedly, I'm not terribly passionate about any of my prospective classes for the fall. My adviser had told me that it is possible to take the thesis writing course the semester before you propose, meaning that I could have a 4-credit directed study, giving me 3 classes, and then propose in the spring.
The visiting professor who is teaching critical thought/contemporary art is very knowledgeable about communes, the 60s, etc. I'm thinking that my thesis will take the direction of situating contemporary interactive art as a descendant of both happenings and the situationists, so he's definitely my guy. If I went through thesis writing now, it would help me solidify my ideas, then I'd just need to do 12 more credits in the spring and propose. In the end, the possibility of doing two massive directed studies might help me to write my thesis more quickly. But of course, since he's not permanent faculty, I'm left without a committee chair until next year when the permanent 20th century professor returns from his fellowship, at which time everything may change.
I meet with my (other) adviser tomorrow...so far the number one thing that grad school has taught me is not to plan too far in advance for anything...professors leave, universities change policies, nothing is writ in stone.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
snapshot
nice widget from bookmooch, but too obnoxious for the sidebar. i really like seeing all the cover art together.
as of this moment, these are the items on my wishlist:
Get free books from BookMooch.com
funny, i thought there would be more...
as of this moment, these are the items on my wishlist:
Get free books from BookMooch.com
funny, i thought there would be more...
books
I was just updating my list of books on LibraryThing and I reached my free-account limit of 200 books. Now the dilemma: do I pay the $25 for a lifetime account? Is this a service I need?
Sometimes it seems like a valuable tool (especially since I have an associative memory and can often remember what a book looked like before I remember the title), and I do like updating it not only with books that I own, but also with books that I've read (borrowed from friends or the library).
I suppose it could come in handy if I can keep it updated with what books I've loaned out to whom, books that I've lost over the years that I'd like to acquire again. Or if the unthinkable happened and I lost them all in a fire or hurricane, I'd at least know what I'd lost.
I also really like the way that it, combined with BookMooch, can help me find books that I want and add newly mooched books to my library...but ultimately it becomes another social network, and another profile/set of data to keep up with.
This requires some consideration...
Sometimes it seems like a valuable tool (especially since I have an associative memory and can often remember what a book looked like before I remember the title), and I do like updating it not only with books that I own, but also with books that I've read (borrowed from friends or the library).
I suppose it could come in handy if I can keep it updated with what books I've loaned out to whom, books that I've lost over the years that I'd like to acquire again. Or if the unthinkable happened and I lost them all in a fire or hurricane, I'd at least know what I'd lost.
I also really like the way that it, combined with BookMooch, can help me find books that I want and add newly mooched books to my library...but ultimately it becomes another social network, and another profile/set of data to keep up with.
This requires some consideration...
Thursday, August 9, 2007
notes
I came to the realization last night that I cannot write without my notecard system.* I had hopes that I could get through a short paper without them, but I have had a very hard time organizing my thoughts.
It's a great system, but I've been hoping that I will find a better way. I just don't see this being practical for writing an 80-page thesis paper.
I've also come to realize how kinetic my learning/recall processes are. I seem to have to turn note-taking and paper-writing into a physical activity, with elements that can be physically rearranged, moved, thrown out, in order to produce and support an abstract idea. Maybe I am a frustrated artist, like some believe all art historians to be.
*Notecard System
1. Read sources with an open mind and without taking notes. Mark passages that seem important with post-its and pencil. Discard irrelevant sources.
2. At some point during the reading process, come up with an idea for the paper.
3. Skim the important passages from sources that have been pre-screened.
4. Make a numbered notecard with bibliographic information for each source that has any possibility of making it into the paper.
5. Make a notecard for each important passage, numbered in the top right corner to correspond with the bibliography card, and with page number at the bottom of the notecard.
6. Re-read notecards often during the writing process, arranging them into some sort of organized train of thought, and write directly from the passages/notes on the cards, using the numbers in the corner to keep track of which source to cite.
It's a great system, but I've been hoping that I will find a better way. I just don't see this being practical for writing an 80-page thesis paper.
I've also come to realize how kinetic my learning/recall processes are. I seem to have to turn note-taking and paper-writing into a physical activity, with elements that can be physically rearranged, moved, thrown out, in order to produce and support an abstract idea. Maybe I am a frustrated artist, like some believe all art historians to be.
*Notecard System
1. Read sources with an open mind and without taking notes. Mark passages that seem important with post-its and pencil. Discard irrelevant sources.
2. At some point during the reading process, come up with an idea for the paper.
3. Skim the important passages from sources that have been pre-screened.
4. Make a numbered notecard with bibliographic information for each source that has any possibility of making it into the paper.
5. Make a notecard for each important passage, numbered in the top right corner to correspond with the bibliography card, and with page number at the bottom of the notecard.
6. Re-read notecards often during the writing process, arranging them into some sort of organized train of thought, and write directly from the passages/notes on the cards, using the numbers in the corner to keep track of which source to cite.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
this is the 21st century, right?
I got my notice from Netflix in the mail today that my plan is now $1 cheaper, and I can watch up to 9 hours of movies on my PC. Unexpected bonus!
When I logged in to my account, though, I find out that not only is it not compatible with macs, it uses the new DRM-ed Windows Media Player or something (I can't be sure because I can play with the new toy).
Mac incompatibility seems like a major oversight/snafu to me.
Update: Now I'm using my PC at work - I wanted to see what the player looks like just out of curiosity. It's also not Firefox compatible - needs IE 6 or higher.
When I logged in to my account, though, I find out that not only is it not compatible with macs, it uses the new DRM-ed Windows Media Player or something (I can't be sure because I can play with the new toy).
Mac incompatibility seems like a major oversight/snafu to me.
Update: Now I'm using my PC at work - I wanted to see what the player looks like just out of curiosity. It's also not Firefox compatible - needs IE 6 or higher.
starry night
Second Life is a strange thing, and I'm not yet sure how I feel about it, but this is really beautiful.
According to the creator, the location no longer exists in Second Life, so you can't go and walk your avatar around a digital, Van Gogh-ized Saint-Remy (which I think is unfortunate). The finished product was always meant to be the film.
According to the creator, the location no longer exists in Second Life, so you can't go and walk your avatar around a digital, Van Gogh-ized Saint-Remy (which I think is unfortunate). The finished product was always meant to be the film.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
swampy
When I was getting coffee this morning, one of the women in the office went to the sink to dump out a big bucket of water. I asked her what it was from, and she said it's from the dehumidifier in her office. It has a 2-gallon capacity, and she empties it out twice a day. That's four gallons of water! From the air in one office! Ah, Florida.
It's too bad she just dumps it down the drain. It could help some thirsty plants or birds.
It's too bad she just dumps it down the drain. It could help some thirsty plants or birds.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
job search hell
When I started graduate school last fall, I was still working full time, about 30 hours/week. I was also doing a 10 hour/week assistantship for the department and taking two classes. It was hard. When I was at work, all I could think about was what class work I hadn’t finished, and when I was at school, I only thought about how much was going on at work. So I quit my job and did not look for another one.
Paying for my study abroad program was a strain on my spring financial aid (read: living expenses), more so than I expected. Luckily, I was awarded two scholarships, each for $1,000. One award was applied directly to my program fee, reducing the amount I needed to pay by $1k, the other was supposed to be a cash award that I expected to receive before leaving the country.
Around the middle of the semester I was also contacted by a former co-worker who now works in the development department at my university. She needed some help in her office and was going to create me a position, if I was interested. Even though at the time I didn’t necessarily want to begin working again (I had three seminar classes in the spring), I didn’t want to turn it down, so I agreed. Right after spring break, I also visited my old temp agency to get back on the books with them so I could work during the month between school ending and leaving for Paris.
Before I know it, the semester ends and funds are quickly dwindling. No calls from the temp agency, so I started looking around for other jobs: Starbucks, Borders, Barnes & Noble, a few shops at the mall. No takers. I did a little administrative work for one of my professors, but ultimately I had to ask my parents for a loan, and thankfully they were able to help me. So at least I had a little money for my 6-week trip.
About halfway through the trip, I received the devastating news that I wasn’t going to get the cash scholarship that I was promised – administrative errors or some such. My program director fought back, and the awarding organization agreed to pay, but with no anticipated date given.
I got home from Europe about 3 weeks ago and found myself in the same dire financial situation as before we left. None of the 15-20 jobs I had applied for called me back while I was away. A bill that was not supposed to charge me for the month of July did, and my rent check bounced. Luckily I had one credit card with a cash advance that helped me buy food for the last few weeks.
After suffering from severe anxiety all summer over lack of a job, I now find myself in the opposite situation: too many jobs. I got a call from a friend that her restaurant was hiring hostesses and she recommended me for the job. I went in and was hired, and started working that weekend. The former co-worker that I had been in contact with got approval for my position for 20 hours per week and I started yesterday. My 10 hour assistantship starts next week. Now I have slight anxiety about how I’m going to work 40 hours a week and still get my coursework done (and try to think about my thesis proposal next spring!). After the worry and catastrophic thinking that I went through this summer, though, I just couldn’t turn down any possible source for money.
I’ll just sleep less, I suppose.
Paying for my study abroad program was a strain on my spring financial aid (read: living expenses), more so than I expected. Luckily, I was awarded two scholarships, each for $1,000. One award was applied directly to my program fee, reducing the amount I needed to pay by $1k, the other was supposed to be a cash award that I expected to receive before leaving the country.
Around the middle of the semester I was also contacted by a former co-worker who now works in the development department at my university. She needed some help in her office and was going to create me a position, if I was interested. Even though at the time I didn’t necessarily want to begin working again (I had three seminar classes in the spring), I didn’t want to turn it down, so I agreed. Right after spring break, I also visited my old temp agency to get back on the books with them so I could work during the month between school ending and leaving for Paris.
Before I know it, the semester ends and funds are quickly dwindling. No calls from the temp agency, so I started looking around for other jobs: Starbucks, Borders, Barnes & Noble, a few shops at the mall. No takers. I did a little administrative work for one of my professors, but ultimately I had to ask my parents for a loan, and thankfully they were able to help me. So at least I had a little money for my 6-week trip.
About halfway through the trip, I received the devastating news that I wasn’t going to get the cash scholarship that I was promised – administrative errors or some such. My program director fought back, and the awarding organization agreed to pay, but with no anticipated date given.
I got home from Europe about 3 weeks ago and found myself in the same dire financial situation as before we left. None of the 15-20 jobs I had applied for called me back while I was away. A bill that was not supposed to charge me for the month of July did, and my rent check bounced. Luckily I had one credit card with a cash advance that helped me buy food for the last few weeks.
After suffering from severe anxiety all summer over lack of a job, I now find myself in the opposite situation: too many jobs. I got a call from a friend that her restaurant was hiring hostesses and she recommended me for the job. I went in and was hired, and started working that weekend. The former co-worker that I had been in contact with got approval for my position for 20 hours per week and I started yesterday. My 10 hour assistantship starts next week. Now I have slight anxiety about how I’m going to work 40 hours a week and still get my coursework done (and try to think about my thesis proposal next spring!). After the worry and catastrophic thinking that I went through this summer, though, I just couldn’t turn down any possible source for money.
I’ll just sleep less, I suppose.
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