Why, here we are...
A: what are you looking at bubb?
M & M: let's rock out!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Pope revises 'limbo' for babies
VATICAN CITY - Pope Bendict XVI has revised traditional Roman Catholic teaching on so-called "limbo," approving a church report released Friday that said there was reason to hope that babies who die without baptism can go to heaven.
Benedict approved the findings of the International Theological Commission, which issued its long-awaited document on limbo on Origins, the documentary service of Catholic News Service, the news agency of the American Bishop's Conference.
"We can say we have many reasons to hope that there is salvation for these babies," the Rev. Luis Ladaria, a Jesuit who is the commission's secretary-general, told The Associated Press.
Although Catholics have long believed that children who die without being baptized are with original sin and thus excluded from heaven, the church has no formal doctrine on the matter. Theologians have long taught, however, that such children enjoy an eternal state of perfect natural happiness, a state commonly called limbo, but without being in communion with God.
Pope John Paul II and Benedict had urged further study on limbo, in part because of "the pressing pastoral needs" sparked by the increase in abortion and the growing number of children who die without being baptized, the report said.In the document, the commission said there were "serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and brought into eternal happiness."
It stressed, however, that "these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge."
Thursday, April 19, 2007
reflections on the economy and values
Can humanity steer the economy according to some guiding values?
Yes. The economy is a collection of choices that are inter-related because each choice can have an effect on other choices, and entire collections of choices make collective movements of choices. That's why the economy depends a lot on mood.
But mood also depends a lot on the economy. If our choices are seen as limited by the economy then the economy has begun to structure individual and collective units of people. So if the economy is a collective of choices and these choices create moods and moods affect the perception of choice, then humanity has to struggle to change the economy's structure by changing its choices and thereby changing humanity's mood. That's why there should be a "positive" relationship between "work" and "mood", a struggle leads to positive change.
In other words, some might say that the economy ultimately depends on the natural world (see for example Worster's Nature's Economy) and while this is true in a biological sense (our ability to stay alive) what we mean by "the natural world" changes, in fact its meanings are nearly limitless. So, yes, we have to eat; but there are a range of choices that shape and impact on how we eat:
- what we eat varies cross-culturally
- depends on the economy
- depends on how we manage the economy
- depends on how our management affects other factors
You can see that finding a balance between the choice/constraint experience of being alive is itself part of a choice/constraint reality in which each of us struggles to make the "right" choices.
And we choose to struggle to convince others to make certain choices too. That is how I'm seeing the world now.
We've got everything, but we do nothing? What qualifies as doing something? Do I believe that putting together assumptions qualifies as work? What is work? Do you have to get paid? Could I get paid? What would happen if I didnt'?
These questions help us understand the psychological impact of the economy on the choices we perceive and the choices we make. The above questions are ones I've asked myself as I sit here at home planning my time, juggling an 18hr/week contract at Ryerson U and thinking about career options. What "careers" do I perceive and how "successful" will I be trying to achieve these? The answers to these questions depend a lot on my mood, the choices I perceive, the actions I take and the reactions of others.
But I'm not just talking about getting a job; I'm talking about what kind of work needs to be done and the possibilities of doing it.
Technology
Technology is an issue that affects the economy (mood and choices). It is an example of an issue caught within a tension between creating positive change and steering change without any positive impact on mood (besides short term financial gain). Technology always has its foot in the door: whether its the laptop you work with, the recording equipment, the desk, chair, or plasma TV --- all of these things have been created and improved by technology. But is making better computers, desks, chairs, music, TVs etc. the most important work that humanity has to do? Its importance is, however, evidence of how the economy, the work-mood-choice complex, is structuring our lives and our economies in particular ways that do not match our priorities, or at least what I would argue should be our priorities. Here are some contrasts:
$military spending vs. $Health care
$education vs. $Hollywood cinema
And technology is part of all of these budgets. So it is not that technology is not needed, but that the direction of technological research and its application must fit with the kind of work that needs to happen, not just the kind of work that creates profit.
So is the economy necessarily profit seeking or can it play a role in supporting our values? What counts as profit? Commodification means that anything can be turned into money, and if money is all we consider profit then we either commodify in ways that support our values or we commodify in ways that don't. If we choose the latter option our mood will likely suffer (even if there are some short term gains). If we choose the former, then we believe there is a possibility that the economy can shift in a positive way--a way that supports our values and can make our moods better over time. We can reinvent the economy.
Values
Values are a big part of this thinking about the economy. It would seem that we need a consensus on what is valued, indeed, on who "we" are. This is at first a daunting necessity, so much so that I ask myself: is it a necessity? What would be the implication of considering consensus a necessity for changing the work-mood-choice complex? Consensus can take different forms that range from "complete agreement" (rarely feasible) to "willing to play along." And consensus is not final: it can change over time. But it is the possibility of change that keeps a consensus on values worth pursuing: so long as the changes "we" accept are the ones that support our values.
Education
What I have described so far has some parallels with higher education. According to the educational developers George Kuh and associates, universities require a mission, operating philosophy, a common culture, measures of success and accountability. In other words, there are principles that can guide how universities see themselves and steer themselves. Can governments play a similar role steering the economy?
Music and popular culture
I'd like to talk a bit about indie rock music, some of the themes I see, and their ties to changing the economy's mood-work-choice complex in positive ways. Take Belle & Sebastian and the song "Century of Fakers"....
Yes. The economy is a collection of choices that are inter-related because each choice can have an effect on other choices, and entire collections of choices make collective movements of choices. That's why the economy depends a lot on mood.
But mood also depends a lot on the economy. If our choices are seen as limited by the economy then the economy has begun to structure individual and collective units of people. So if the economy is a collective of choices and these choices create moods and moods affect the perception of choice, then humanity has to struggle to change the economy's structure by changing its choices and thereby changing humanity's mood. That's why there should be a "positive" relationship between "work" and "mood", a struggle leads to positive change.
In other words, some might say that the economy ultimately depends on the natural world (see for example Worster's Nature's Economy) and while this is true in a biological sense (our ability to stay alive) what we mean by "the natural world" changes, in fact its meanings are nearly limitless. So, yes, we have to eat; but there are a range of choices that shape and impact on how we eat:
- what we eat varies cross-culturally
- depends on the economy
- depends on how we manage the economy
- depends on how our management affects other factors
You can see that finding a balance between the choice/constraint experience of being alive is itself part of a choice/constraint reality in which each of us struggles to make the "right" choices.
And we choose to struggle to convince others to make certain choices too. That is how I'm seeing the world now.
We've got everything, but we do nothing? What qualifies as doing something? Do I believe that putting together assumptions qualifies as work? What is work? Do you have to get paid? Could I get paid? What would happen if I didnt'?
These questions help us understand the psychological impact of the economy on the choices we perceive and the choices we make. The above questions are ones I've asked myself as I sit here at home planning my time, juggling an 18hr/week contract at Ryerson U and thinking about career options. What "careers" do I perceive and how "successful" will I be trying to achieve these? The answers to these questions depend a lot on my mood, the choices I perceive, the actions I take and the reactions of others.
But I'm not just talking about getting a job; I'm talking about what kind of work needs to be done and the possibilities of doing it.
Technology
Technology is an issue that affects the economy (mood and choices). It is an example of an issue caught within a tension between creating positive change and steering change without any positive impact on mood (besides short term financial gain). Technology always has its foot in the door: whether its the laptop you work with, the recording equipment, the desk, chair, or plasma TV --- all of these things have been created and improved by technology. But is making better computers, desks, chairs, music, TVs etc. the most important work that humanity has to do? Its importance is, however, evidence of how the economy, the work-mood-choice complex, is structuring our lives and our economies in particular ways that do not match our priorities, or at least what I would argue should be our priorities. Here are some contrasts:
$military spending vs. $Health care
$education vs. $Hollywood cinema
And technology is part of all of these budgets. So it is not that technology is not needed, but that the direction of technological research and its application must fit with the kind of work that needs to happen, not just the kind of work that creates profit.
So is the economy necessarily profit seeking or can it play a role in supporting our values? What counts as profit? Commodification means that anything can be turned into money, and if money is all we consider profit then we either commodify in ways that support our values or we commodify in ways that don't. If we choose the latter option our mood will likely suffer (even if there are some short term gains). If we choose the former, then we believe there is a possibility that the economy can shift in a positive way--a way that supports our values and can make our moods better over time. We can reinvent the economy.
Values
Values are a big part of this thinking about the economy. It would seem that we need a consensus on what is valued, indeed, on who "we" are. This is at first a daunting necessity, so much so that I ask myself: is it a necessity? What would be the implication of considering consensus a necessity for changing the work-mood-choice complex? Consensus can take different forms that range from "complete agreement" (rarely feasible) to "willing to play along." And consensus is not final: it can change over time. But it is the possibility of change that keeps a consensus on values worth pursuing: so long as the changes "we" accept are the ones that support our values.
Education
What I have described so far has some parallels with higher education. According to the educational developers George Kuh and associates, universities require a mission, operating philosophy, a common culture, measures of success and accountability. In other words, there are principles that can guide how universities see themselves and steer themselves. Can governments play a similar role steering the economy?
Music and popular culture
I'd like to talk a bit about indie rock music, some of the themes I see, and their ties to changing the economy's mood-work-choice complex in positive ways. Take Belle & Sebastian and the song "Century of Fakers"....
Friday, April 13, 2007
Sondre Lerche and the Faces Down
On April second I walked a few kilometres to the show, but when I got there all the tables were already taken. So instead of watching Sondre and the Faces Down from the comfort of table and chairs (as Marta and I did in Montreal a few years back), we jumped around in front of the stage and watched a show that seemed too good to be true.
When I saw that all the tables were taken, I went outside to find some food. Walking out of the Mod Club doors there was Sondre next to his tour bus chatting with a couple fans. I wished I had a pen and paper, but I didnt' and I moved on to a pastry store for a bite to eat. Then I went back for the openers, who were terrific, one of them was also Norwegian, both just single acts, a guy and a guitar. This, along with the Chicago mix playing in between acts, was the perfect set-up for what came next.
Marta joined me at this point, coming from her flamenco class. I was expecting a jazzy, bluesy show; the mood was mellow, but very captivated from the awesome opening performances. The roadies spent what seemed ages to get all the mics set-up right.
Sondre and the band came on and raised the mood from mellow to "motorized" in about 3 seconds flat. They were so tight, a break after every third song or so for some quick retuning and smooth talk, and then right into the next number with full-on intensity.
All band members played with virtuoso skill as individuals and as a group - the drummer put on a solo that was like twelve rounds of boxing viewed on fastforward with instant replays of the right and left jabs, body-blows, ending with the knockout punch.
They played a great repertoire of songs - all luck ran out, modern nature, two way monologue, and more! Even their slow songs sounded fast that night~~!! And after all that, Sondre and the band came out to sell T-shirts and give autographs--quite the all-round performance.
When I saw that all the tables were taken, I went outside to find some food. Walking out of the Mod Club doors there was Sondre next to his tour bus chatting with a couple fans. I wished I had a pen and paper, but I didnt' and I moved on to a pastry store for a bite to eat. Then I went back for the openers, who were terrific, one of them was also Norwegian, both just single acts, a guy and a guitar. This, along with the Chicago mix playing in between acts, was the perfect set-up for what came next.
Marta joined me at this point, coming from her flamenco class. I was expecting a jazzy, bluesy show; the mood was mellow, but very captivated from the awesome opening performances. The roadies spent what seemed ages to get all the mics set-up right.
Sondre and the band came on and raised the mood from mellow to "motorized" in about 3 seconds flat. They were so tight, a break after every third song or so for some quick retuning and smooth talk, and then right into the next number with full-on intensity.
All band members played with virtuoso skill as individuals and as a group - the drummer put on a solo that was like twelve rounds of boxing viewed on fastforward with instant replays of the right and left jabs, body-blows, ending with the knockout punch.
They played a great repertoire of songs - all luck ran out, modern nature, two way monologue, and more! Even their slow songs sounded fast that night~~!! And after all that, Sondre and the band came out to sell T-shirts and give autographs--quite the all-round performance.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Epistemological aphasia
Yesterday I had a writing sprint where I sat down in front of the computer for longer than I'm willing to admit. But the chapter is reaching closure. You may wonder how come it has taken me so long? Well, epistemological aphasia of course.
I made a comic out of it:
I'm wondering if I should share this with my supervisor?
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Lying in bed can be motivating
I lay in bed this morning trying to figure out why I wasn't doing some of the things on my "to do" list. Beds in the morning can be great places to do this kind of thinking because there's no pressure and no distractions. There is the possibility of falling asleep in mid thought, but when that happens I figure it's just because I really needed some more sleep.
Usually, I won't fall asleep because I'm actually interested in finding the answer to my question. I find that in bed I'm able to think very clearly and to ask myself questions that really help me learn something new or at least point me in the right direction. So this morning, I thought of the "to do" list in my last post and I wondered why I did everything except finish the focus-group analysis. Why didn't I do that, the one work-related thing on the list?
Some time in the summer, after I had been working for a month or two, I tried to identify what my motivation was for doing this work. Pay was one of the more obvious things that came to mind. But I also thought of the idea of professionalism. I wanted to be able to match my own identity with some idea I had about what a young professional ought to be. Maybe I wanted to prove that after having been a student for so long I could make the adjustment to the working world or I wanted to show to my new colleagues (and myself) that I was successful.
So if being a successful young professional was so important why wasn't I doing this focus-group analysis work? Perhaps I thought that not doing this work right away wouldn't affect my professional image. Or maybe being professional wasn't sufficient motivation. Maybe my idea of professionalism was based on images of successful young hot shots on TV--an image that deep down inside I didn't really care about anyway. I decided that the most rewarding feelings of fulfilment should come from accomplishing goals that I set for myself, not TV images.
I got dressed, moved to the couch, and got out my notepad. Funny how there are different levels of comfort: the bed, the couch, and now I'm at my desk. I don't mean the comfort level of the physical place (e.g. the bed or the desk chair) I mean more the feeling of safety. It was only in bed that I felt safe enough to ask questions about my motivation (or lack thereof). Once I had a few thoughts I was interested in moving out to the living room.
I started thinking about the focus-group work and reminding myself that I liked the process: interacting with people to evaluate a project, transcribing the interactions to then analyze the emerging themes, and finally writing a report that sheds light on why people liked or disliked the project and what new directions might be worth pursuing. So there was something about the process of the work that I valued.
I'm going to leave it there for now. I guess what I'm getting out of this morning's thoughts is that I still have to define my objective and my motivation more clearly. But I think lying in bed can be a good place to feel comfortable asking these kinds of questions.
Usually, I won't fall asleep because I'm actually interested in finding the answer to my question. I find that in bed I'm able to think very clearly and to ask myself questions that really help me learn something new or at least point me in the right direction. So this morning, I thought of the "to do" list in my last post and I wondered why I did everything except finish the focus-group analysis. Why didn't I do that, the one work-related thing on the list?
Some time in the summer, after I had been working for a month or two, I tried to identify what my motivation was for doing this work. Pay was one of the more obvious things that came to mind. But I also thought of the idea of professionalism. I wanted to be able to match my own identity with some idea I had about what a young professional ought to be. Maybe I wanted to prove that after having been a student for so long I could make the adjustment to the working world or I wanted to show to my new colleagues (and myself) that I was successful.
So if being a successful young professional was so important why wasn't I doing this focus-group analysis work? Perhaps I thought that not doing this work right away wouldn't affect my professional image. Or maybe being professional wasn't sufficient motivation. Maybe my idea of professionalism was based on images of successful young hot shots on TV--an image that deep down inside I didn't really care about anyway. I decided that the most rewarding feelings of fulfilment should come from accomplishing goals that I set for myself, not TV images.
I got dressed, moved to the couch, and got out my notepad. Funny how there are different levels of comfort: the bed, the couch, and now I'm at my desk. I don't mean the comfort level of the physical place (e.g. the bed or the desk chair) I mean more the feeling of safety. It was only in bed that I felt safe enough to ask questions about my motivation (or lack thereof). Once I had a few thoughts I was interested in moving out to the living room.
I started thinking about the focus-group work and reminding myself that I liked the process: interacting with people to evaluate a project, transcribing the interactions to then analyze the emerging themes, and finally writing a report that sheds light on why people liked or disliked the project and what new directions might be worth pursuing. So there was something about the process of the work that I valued.
I'm going to leave it there for now. I guess what I'm getting out of this morning's thoughts is that I still have to define my objective and my motivation more clearly. But I think lying in bed can be a good place to feel comfortable asking these kinds of questions.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Nail Maintenance
I've been clipping my nails, as opposed to filing them, mostly cause it's faster and seems easier. But I've noticed that my nails look a bit thin and stunted, instead of thick, healthy, and strong. Should I switch to filing? What kind of file is best? How often do you file (I tend to bite my nails if they get long)? At this moment I'm soaking my feet in a basin of warm water with lots of salt. I recommend doing this once a week for about 45mins. I don't know if it's good for nails but it's good for cleaning your toes.
But back to my "to do" list: laundry, return library books, write focus-group analysis, and make whole white fish (it's a monster size, please come over for dinner to help!!)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Howdy! So I was looking at the blog today and I got a bit jealous. The jealousy was just enough to push me out of my laziness and post. I'm at home right now. I'm supposed to be playing basketball but I hurt my back last weekend luging (if you know what I mean...) and I have to stay home. Of course, I started surfing the ole net, instead of doing something useful, like darning socks.
Today's been a bit of a waste. I was supposed to meet my two roommates from last year in little India. But I couldn't find the restaurant and I hadn't written the name down anywhere. Eventually I gave up and went for Indian food on my own. I'm sad I couldn't meet up with my roommates, but at least I had some good Indian food.
Well, this about ends my first post. Please tell me what you think. Questions? Comments?
Today's been a bit of a waste. I was supposed to meet my two roommates from last year in little India. But I couldn't find the restaurant and I hadn't written the name down anywhere. Eventually I gave up and went for Indian food on my own. I'm sad I couldn't meet up with my roommates, but at least I had some good Indian food.
Well, this about ends my first post. Please tell me what you think. Questions? Comments?
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentines day take and more
1. I received a bear claw danish and a cookie with "I got you babe" written in icing. And I gave big chocolate lips to all the girls in the office.
2. On the other hand, I locked myself out of my apartment building twice today. Twice! The first time was in the morning and I had to call the landlord to come and let me in. And they I went and did it again this evening. What an idiot!
3. My boss is having 8 of his buddies over on Friday night to play poker, apparently with serious money, catering. etc. He wanted to hire me to wear a tux and be the dealer, for $10 an hour. First, I'm going to Vancouver this weekend so I can't. Second, anyone who has played cards with me knows I am pretty much the worst person, I can't remember anything and I would probably screw up the dealing. Third, I don't get out of bed for $10 an hour. So he ended up hiring a receptionist at another firm who is blond and has big boobs for $30 an hour!
4. Has anyone noticed that Dean Wareham formerly of Luna has been featured in Men's Vogue and Esquire this month wearing expensive suits? Apparently he's a style icon now. In one of the pictures he is making out with Britta Phillips.
2. On the other hand, I locked myself out of my apartment building twice today. Twice! The first time was in the morning and I had to call the landlord to come and let me in. And they I went and did it again this evening. What an idiot!
3. My boss is having 8 of his buddies over on Friday night to play poker, apparently with serious money, catering. etc. He wanted to hire me to wear a tux and be the dealer, for $10 an hour. First, I'm going to Vancouver this weekend so I can't. Second, anyone who has played cards with me knows I am pretty much the worst person, I can't remember anything and I would probably screw up the dealing. Third, I don't get out of bed for $10 an hour. So he ended up hiring a receptionist at another firm who is blond and has big boobs for $30 an hour!
4. Has anyone noticed that Dean Wareham formerly of Luna has been featured in Men's Vogue and Esquire this month wearing expensive suits? Apparently he's a style icon now. In one of the pictures he is making out with Britta Phillips.
Nothing sacred
Yesterday I posted a list of grad student disorders, but I have since discovered that there are many more syndromes affecting grads. Furthermore, my faculty seems to be particularly fertile ground for new disorders to pop up. Let see if we can communally figure out the disease that affects this girl whom I have to consider a colleague.
Here is the latest Brita ad. Pretty aggressive, huh? Well, this girl in my faculty found it appalling. So much so, that she decided to email the entire listserv to communicate us her despair. That’s normal. Lots of people do that in this faculty. It makes you look concerned. She also suggested that we boycott Brita from now on. Again, that’s acceptable, it makes you feel like you are holier than thou.
(Aside: See, my faculty has an unwritten rule about militancy; I refer to it as the "monthly activist quota". Basically, you must continuously identify sources of oppression (real or otherwise), display contempt for all forms of lucrative opportunities, sign petitions to save fuzzy charismatic mega-fauna, and the like).
But the girl writes us all half an hour later to share with us the letter that she personally sent to Brita. Preach it sister! And it's so sad, she tells Brita that we are “entering unprecedented times” and signs off with "Shame on you". Yeah, I can see the director of marketing at Brita being real ashamed. More like, s/he is wondering why are 5-year olds boycotting their product. And again, if you must boycott someone, why not boycott the municipal utility that's obviously wasting resources in providing potable water to flush a toilet?
So that was amusing, but then 10 minutes later, another person joined her to tell us that she doesn’t “support paranoia-and-stereotype-provoking and extraneous consumer industries” either. I had to read this sentence three times before I sorted out the combination of adjectives and adverbs. But I finally got it. Except that I was unaware that there was a stereotype created around “Brita filter haves” and “Brita filter have-nots”. Live and learn.
So the good news is that you can safely drink your toilet water, although house dogs had figured that much eons ago. The bad news is that you may need to through away your $20 Brita filter if you want to fulfill your activist quota for this month.
Is there nothing sacred anymore?
Here is the latest Brita ad. Pretty aggressive, huh? Well, this girl in my faculty found it appalling. So much so, that she decided to email the entire listserv to communicate us her despair. That’s normal. Lots of people do that in this faculty. It makes you look concerned. She also suggested that we boycott Brita from now on. Again, that’s acceptable, it makes you feel like you are holier than thou.
(Aside: See, my faculty has an unwritten rule about militancy; I refer to it as the "monthly activist quota". Basically, you must continuously identify sources of oppression (real or otherwise), display contempt for all forms of lucrative opportunities, sign petitions to save fuzzy charismatic mega-fauna, and the like).
But the girl writes us all half an hour later to share with us the letter that she personally sent to Brita. Preach it sister! And it's so sad, she tells Brita that we are “entering unprecedented times” and signs off with "Shame on you". Yeah, I can see the director of marketing at Brita being real ashamed. More like, s/he is wondering why are 5-year olds boycotting their product. And again, if you must boycott someone, why not boycott the municipal utility that's obviously wasting resources in providing potable water to flush a toilet?
So that was amusing, but then 10 minutes later, another person joined her to tell us that she doesn’t “support paranoia-and-stereotype-provoking and extraneous consumer industries” either. I had to read this sentence three times before I sorted out the combination of adjectives and adverbs. But I finally got it. Except that I was unaware that there was a stereotype created around “Brita filter haves” and “Brita filter have-nots”. Live and learn.
So the good news is that you can safely drink your toilet water, although house dogs had figured that much eons ago. The bad news is that you may need to through away your $20 Brita filter if you want to fulfill your activist quota for this month.
Is there nothing sacred anymore?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Grad student humour
I have kept this joke in my email account for at least two or three years, and I laugh with it every time... Also, I use it for self-diagnosis.
By LAWRENCE DOUGLAS and ALEXANDER GEORGE:
It is hardly news that graduate students are often not the happiest of campers. Only recently, however, have scientists, psychologists, and discourse pathologists come to appreciate and diagnose the full range of maladies afflicting the graduate-student population. Now the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Graduate Students (DSMGS-1), the first book ever dedicated specifically to disorders of those pursuing advanced degrees, promises relief to this long-suffering population. An excerpt follows:
Global Irony Syndrome (GIS)
Indications: GIS is an affective disorder most commonly characterized by the following symptoms: an erosion of belief in Enlightenment values; snide ness toward the concepts of truth, objectivity, and universal ethical codes; cynicism about the two-party system and the wealth-levelling effects of global capitalism; an ironic stance toward all physical laws and reality itself. The onset of GIS is often signalled in the sufferer by the replacement of easy going laughter with sarcastic smirks, and by the refusal to debate any issue except through indirection, punning, and sneering banter.
Prevalence: GIS has been largely concentrated in humanities departments, with occasional outbreaks in the "softer" social sciences, such as sociology, anthropology, government, and politics.
Treatment: Intensive viewing of It's a Wonderful Life has proved salutary. Failing that, a semester's leave spent in a hard-labour camp of a despotic regime is effective in more than 75 percent of reported cases.
Hyper-Theory Disorder (HTD)
Indications: HTD is a cognitive disorder distinguished by an increasingly abstract frame of mind. Sufferers gradually lose the ability to speak in a manner unmediated by poststructuralist theory. In extreme cases, sufferers come to view all aspects of popular culture (e.g., Sponge Bob reruns, Oprah, the National Football League) through the filter of Heideggerian metaphysics or Lacanian psychoanalysis. HTD is often misdiagnosed as Tunnel Visionitis (TV), a similar, though etiologically distinct, malady marked by a gradually escalating inability to communicate with anyone -- including friends, family, spouses, and domestic pets -- who does not share all of one's theoretical presuppositions.
Prevalence: HTD is endemic to literature departments. TV, by contrast, is rampant throughout all disciplines, often hitting the natural sciences hardest.
Treatment: Complete abstinence from all French and German texts remains a controversial treatment for HTD. Until further therapeutic remedies have been discovered, a travel advisory for Continental Europe has been issued to all humanities students.
Sycophancy-Authority Malady (SAM)
Indications: SAM is considered a speech pathology increasingly common among advanced graduate students. It is marked by a tendency to speak in flattering, fawning, ingratiating, and even idolatrous terms to persons in positions of authority such as full professors, conference organizers, and powerful department secretaries. Oddly, sufferers of SAM, when conversing privately, tend to speak of these authorities in only the most derisive, disdainful, and even violent terms. (This syndrome is not to be confused with Manic Mentor Mimesis; see below.)
Prevalence: Cases of SAM have been reported in most graduate centers, though serious outbreaks tend to be concentrated in the lobbies, conference rooms, and bars of hotels hosting annual meetings of professional associations at which job interviewing is taking place.
Treatment: Tenure-track appointments were once considered effective in curing SAM, but recent studies challenge that conclusion. Those studies also suggest that tenure itself provides less relief than previously assumed. Researchers now believe that retirement constitutes the only fully effective treatment for this complex and poorly understood malady.
Manic Mentor Mimesis (MMM)
Indications: The disease, difficult to diagnose in its earliest stages, first manifests itself in the sufferer's subtle mimicry of an adviser's hand gestures. Gradually, the mimetic tendencies deepen and spread to include head movements and distinctive eye rolls of the adviser, as well as slouches, gaits, and even, if opportunity presents itself, dancing styles. As MMM becomes more systemic, tones of voice, sighs, vocal tics, and even idiosyncratic expectorations come to be included within the ambit of imitation. In its final and most humiliating stages, sufferers find themselves mimicking the dress of their advisers and adopting their hair styles. Typically, Acute Adornment Ataxia then sets in as the sufferer finds movement restricted by all the laser pens, cell phones, soda cans, backpacks, and assorted pedagogical props used by the adviser.
Prevalence: MMM is especially prevalent in departments, such as philosophy and mathematics, with high concentrations of eccentric faculty members.
Treatment: Extreme ridicule from peers outside academe, such as siblings and attractive baristas, has been known to abate the condition.
Terminal Graduate Paralysis (TGP)
Indications: This chronic, debilitating, and sometimes fatal condition represents the most serious and widespread of the many behavioural disorders facing the graduate-student population. Symptoms often appear in the fourth year of graduate study, though this can vary from discipline to discipline. Early signs are typically mild and therefore easily overlooked or ignored. These often include a subtle shift in media-consumption habits, from National Public Radio to South Park, and from professional journals to extreme-makeover television. More serious symptoms include compulsive retiling of the dissertation; a pathological overinvestment of time in TA-ing; a tendency to misplace routinely or otherwise lose or obliterate thousands of hours of work as a result of alleged computer failures (clinicians investigating these mishaps frequently find suspiciously mutilated hard drives). Advanced symptoms include substantially impaired performance on all cognitive tasks; hyperanxiety and night sweats; bibliophobia; comma-shifting mania; and a marked adviser-avoidance response. At its most extreme, sufferers display a deer-in-the-headlights appearance; epistemological aphasia (the conviction that one no longer knows anything); morbid feelings of lack of self-worth often accompanied by paranoiac delusions of victimization; a deepening of syntactic torpidity (the loss of the ability to write clearly, simply, and, ultimately, at all); a resurgence of teenage acne; even renewed thumb-sucking and bed-wetting. Failure to File (F2F) represents a particularly heartbreaking, and dimly understood, form of TGP, in which the sufferer mysteriously disappears on the eve of filing the completed dissertation, or otherwise inexplicably decides to "tighten" the argument.
Prevalence: Cases of TGP have been reported in every state and in every graduate department. The Morningside Heights district of Manhattan has produced rates suggesting a veritable epidemic that is matched only by certain areas in Berkeley, Calif.
Treatment: In its advanced stages, TGP is considered untreatable. For early-stage sufferers, long walks in open farmland accompanied by a complete termination of parental financial support has proved effective. Application to law school has also been known to offer relief.
Lawrence Douglas is an associate professor of law, jurisprudence, and social thought, and Alexander George a professor of philosophy, at Amherst College. A book of their humorous essays, Sense and Nonsensibility: Lampoons of Learning and Literature, was recently published by Simon &Schuster.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Hockey slump
I think we lost 5-3. The last goal was an empty-netter. No goals for me. No assists even. That's like 5 games in a row with no points. Good defensive play, but who wants a defensive forward?
Playing shinny or just practicing by myself with a puck might help get my hands back. For now my new nickname will be "force of mediocrity," number "00". Maybe the lake will be frozen at the cottage this weekend. I'll practice handling the puck.
The Leafs are playing great, no doubt setting up for a playoff run. They'll get through round one and then lose 4 straight.
I bought Camera Obscura's latest today and listened to it three times, it sounds really good so far! Maybe that will help break this slump.
Playing shinny or just practicing by myself with a puck might help get my hands back. For now my new nickname will be "force of mediocrity," number "00". Maybe the lake will be frozen at the cottage this weekend. I'll practice handling the puck.
The Leafs are playing great, no doubt setting up for a playoff run. They'll get through round one and then lose 4 straight.
I bought Camera Obscura's latest today and listened to it three times, it sounds really good so far! Maybe that will help break this slump.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Writing...
I phone my family everyday to let them know how I’m doing and the recurring theme is that I’m always writing. They must be wondering how much can one person, even a grad student, write? Truth is that I only have 5-6 pages towards my thesis and I’ve been writing for three weeks. Let that be a warning to anybody who is considering grad school. But those are some damn good 5-6 pages. And I rewrote every single paragraph twice (at least).
But it’s not just being overzealous that makes me slow. There’s also all these preparations before the actual writing process that take all my time. I made a comic out of them:
But it’s not just being overzealous that makes me slow. There’s also all these preparations before the actual writing process that take all my time. I made a comic out of them:
OK, now that you have stopped rolling with laughter and regain composure I tell you that today it was different; I had a pretty productive morning. And now I’m taking a break. I’m thinking of cleaning. Writing a thesis also makes you develop a new appreciation for housework.
Oh, Matt is looking for substitutes to chemical cleaners. I have to say that I adopt a very monolithic approach to cleaning: I like bleach. Instead, Matt believes in baking soda and vinegar solutions. By the way, I looked up the Material Safety Data Sheet for baking soda and it’s being investigated as a mutagen. And vinegar is dilute acetic acid. Ha! All those undergraduate years smelling solvents in the Chemistry building are really paying off now when I get into discussions about household cleaners. Yeah, you can tell your life is exciting when you post about bleach.
But I’m willing to entertain the idea of a non-chlorinated cleansing product. So send me your ideas. Make sure though that you don’t make a claim for “natural” products a being less toxic. The origin of a product says nothing about its toxicity. You will sound like a moron if you try to argue the opposite. Or maybe you are in my faculty, in which case you can’t help to throw blanket statements like that one. Oh well.
Oh, Matt is looking for substitutes to chemical cleaners. I have to say that I adopt a very monolithic approach to cleaning: I like bleach. Instead, Matt believes in baking soda and vinegar solutions. By the way, I looked up the Material Safety Data Sheet for baking soda and it’s being investigated as a mutagen. And vinegar is dilute acetic acid. Ha! All those undergraduate years smelling solvents in the Chemistry building are really paying off now when I get into discussions about household cleaners. Yeah, you can tell your life is exciting when you post about bleach.
But I’m willing to entertain the idea of a non-chlorinated cleansing product. So send me your ideas. Make sure though that you don’t make a claim for “natural” products a being less toxic. The origin of a product says nothing about its toxicity. You will sound like a moron if you try to argue the opposite. Or maybe you are in my faculty, in which case you can’t help to throw blanket statements like that one. Oh well.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Ask for forgiveness, not permission
Here is my latest career adventure story, about moving from the world of academia (it's all about me) to the world of collaboration (we're a team!).
Well, I am under a deadline (like, getting on a plane type) and writing up our report of our findings to present to the world.
Writing this is reminding me of writing a final paper, I am alone in this pursuit, because my boss is away and our consultant's budget is used up. When I got to section 5, after painfully reworking sections 2 to 4 of a 25 pager, I have realized that I really don't like the direction section 5 is going in. And, I have sent my boss about 5 emails that he has not responded to, because he's busy at a conference. Should I send one more email to him criticizing section 5? Is it helpful since we can't have a dialogue unless he calls me?
I remember he told me that at one of his old jobs he learned to ask for forgiveness, not permission.
I think I will embark on this mode of work ethic, and send him a completely revised version of the report, and if he doesn't like it? Well, I'll say I'm sorry, and then get on the plane for Cuba.
Let you know how it goes.
Well, I am under a deadline (like, getting on a plane type) and writing up our report of our findings to present to the world.
Writing this is reminding me of writing a final paper, I am alone in this pursuit, because my boss is away and our consultant's budget is used up. When I got to section 5, after painfully reworking sections 2 to 4 of a 25 pager, I have realized that I really don't like the direction section 5 is going in. And, I have sent my boss about 5 emails that he has not responded to, because he's busy at a conference. Should I send one more email to him criticizing section 5? Is it helpful since we can't have a dialogue unless he calls me?
I remember he told me that at one of his old jobs he learned to ask for forgiveness, not permission.
I think I will embark on this mode of work ethic, and send him a completely revised version of the report, and if he doesn't like it? Well, I'll say I'm sorry, and then get on the plane for Cuba.
Let you know how it goes.
Fame
OK, I'll finally post something myself. For those of you, avid followers, that are er, you already posted two comics, well, I drew them but someone else posted them in my name. It's alright, he had permission to do it. It's just that at the time I didn't really care - nor I thought it necessary - to share my thougths with the world. Now, given that I spend the entire day in front of the computer trying to write my final paper, well, I find that blogging rocks and that I want to share my thoughts!
So much so, that I even started my OWN blog. I guess the secret is out: I'm not good at sharing. I'll do some self-promotion and tell you that the other blog is meant to be a way of communicating us students interested in tropical ecology and sustainability who took a field course in Costa Rica with the Costa Ricans that we met. We try to do fundraisers and things like that. See, I'm a good person. Even if I don't share the spotlight well.
The funny part is that I thought that my warholian 15 minutes of fame were up, so I googled "TICA" (the name of my blog) like an hour after having created it. Well, not surprisingly, my blog wasn't there. Worse yet, I found that TICA is an acronym for The International Cat Association which really sucks because not only I'm not a cat person, or a pet person, but having an international association of cats is about the dumbest idea that anybody could have come up with. No matter how badly you wanted to be famous.
So there you have it. Some people would do anything to be on the internet.Pizza and Basketball
On wednesday, I saw my first basketball game! It was the Toronto Raptors vs. the Washington Wizards. The original idea was for the b-girls to go see Mae Hem and her b-boy crew perform their breakdancing at the game, and Andrea was able to score us tickets for half price. It turned out that the b-boy team could not perform due to an emergency, but once Noel explained to us (a group of majority girls who had no clue about b-ball) that basketball is cool and if the Raptors score 100 points, everyone gets free pizza, we were all in for not scalping our tickets.
I was convinced I was gonna get the pizza.
The game was fun and riveting--the Raports were ahead of the Wizards the whole time and eventually won. The stand out parts:
Overall, I'm gonna be a basketball fan.
I was convinced I was gonna get the pizza.
The game was fun and riveting--the Raports were ahead of the Wizards the whole time and eventually won. The stand out parts:
- basket ball players are cute
- Chris Bosh threw the ball into the net from past the halfway line, and the ball went through exactly when the buzzer went to end the period. The crowd went nuts!
- The Raptors scored over 100 points, so free pizza. I was vindicated, because I held on to the hope while others made fun of me.
- The raptors dancers are pretty lame--break dancing would have been cooler.
Overall, I'm gonna be a basketball fan.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Recipe
Fruit Sorbet. Part of the reason it's so good is because the effort-->output ratio is so good. You can make something really nice but it might be a big production - you have to spend $30 and go buy a big fish or something and cook it. Or you can have something easy like instant noodles and be like "I'm eating garbage." But this sorbet only takes a few minutes and it tastes so good! And you can impress people when they come over - you can be like - I made this myself, and you can have some!
1. Put one cup of water and one cup of sugar in a bowl on stove. Cook and stir continuously until boiling, then turn off the stove and let it sit a couple minutes.
2. Cut up some fruit. Watermelon has worked best for me, but I've also tried mango, and green apple / pineapple combinations. Around 1/2 a watermelon, or 5 apples, should do it. Put the cut-up fruit and sugar-water in blender. Also squeeze in juice from one lime. Blend it (obviously).
3. Put in bowl in freezer. Take it out every hour to stir and mash-up. I've usually left it overnight.
Genius!
1. Put one cup of water and one cup of sugar in a bowl on stove. Cook and stir continuously until boiling, then turn off the stove and let it sit a couple minutes.
2. Cut up some fruit. Watermelon has worked best for me, but I've also tried mango, and green apple / pineapple combinations. Around 1/2 a watermelon, or 5 apples, should do it. Put the cut-up fruit and sugar-water in blender. Also squeeze in juice from one lime. Blend it (obviously).
3. Put in bowl in freezer. Take it out every hour to stir and mash-up. I've usually left it overnight.
Genius!
Friday, January 26, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
I have my first trial tomorrow (a small one). There's been a couple times where I was supposed to have my first trial but it settled at the last minute, but this one looks like everybody's ready to rumble. On cross-x I'll probably get to ask the question, "He didn't really call you a cocksucker like you claimed, did he?" which should be fun. I wish I had some kind of Popeye spinach or something I could down just beforehand to give me super-special powers.
I enjoy putting on a suit and tie before a big day in court. It's a ritual similar (I would guess) to putting on armour before a battle, or pads and jersey before the hockey game, or tuning your instrument before going on stage, that gets you ready to go out there.
Also, I got a thank-you card and a tie from a client that we helped today. I wouldn't be into a tie as a present for Xmas or B-day because it's too much of a "dad" present, but for a thank you gift it was really nice.
I enjoy putting on a suit and tie before a big day in court. It's a ritual similar (I would guess) to putting on armour before a battle, or pads and jersey before the hockey game, or tuning your instrument before going on stage, that gets you ready to go out there.
Also, I got a thank-you card and a tie from a client that we helped today. I wouldn't be into a tie as a present for Xmas or B-day because it's too much of a "dad" present, but for a thank you gift it was really nice.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
Any port in a storm
Tomorrow I have to leave the house at
Yesterday I hadda go to the courthouse in
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Blogs: a popularity contest?
First I thought I didn't have to go to work today. I wanted to cut back on my hours cause I've banked a bundle and I don't want to get in the habit of spending more time than what I'm paid for on a project. It's not professional. I want to be able to get everything done within the time allocated.
Then I remembered a workshop my boss asked all of us to sign-up for. The workshop was scheduled to run today from 8:30-4:30. So I spent the whole day at work. In fact I just finished sending a few emails from home now, at 9pm. I'm only supposed to work 18 hours a week!
Well at least I don't have to go in tomorrow.
Figuring out what I want to do and facilitating "communal" planning: that's what this blog was supposed to be about for me. So far I think it's helping: I have a place to post what I'm up to. And what's unique about it is that instead of just having scribbles in my own agenda or notebook, I'm sharing my thoughts with all of you. Public record. Maybe that forces me to think differently about myself.
I'm working on an article for publication based on my thesis. At least that's what I'm telling everyone. So far all I've written is a page. I have done a bit of reading and quite a bit of notetaking - scribbles in my book - but I wonder how serious I am about this. Time will tell I suppose.
Anyhow, those are some of my plans. And now I'm going to read or watch tv. What are you up to? and I was wondering, do you think blogs are mostly a kind of popularity contest?
Then I remembered a workshop my boss asked all of us to sign-up for. The workshop was scheduled to run today from 8:30-4:30. So I spent the whole day at work. In fact I just finished sending a few emails from home now, at 9pm. I'm only supposed to work 18 hours a week!
Well at least I don't have to go in tomorrow.
Figuring out what I want to do and facilitating "communal" planning: that's what this blog was supposed to be about for me. So far I think it's helping: I have a place to post what I'm up to. And what's unique about it is that instead of just having scribbles in my own agenda or notebook, I'm sharing my thoughts with all of you. Public record. Maybe that forces me to think differently about myself.
I'm working on an article for publication based on my thesis. At least that's what I'm telling everyone. So far all I've written is a page. I have done a bit of reading and quite a bit of notetaking - scribbles in my book - but I wonder how serious I am about this. Time will tell I suppose.
Anyhow, those are some of my plans. And now I'm going to read or watch tv. What are you up to? and I was wondering, do you think blogs are mostly a kind of popularity contest?
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Dion the road again:
As a rule I can't stand all politicians but so far I’m a fan of Stephane Dion and I would vote for him. He said a few smart things today. One was that he wants emissions caps with tradeable credits. The second was that there should be fast trains in Canada Montreal -
Back to Dion, he at least understands that environment and the economy shouldn't have to be in opposition. Still I haven't heard anything really creative from him yet.
P.S. Also he looks like a muppet. I can imagine him giving a speech and those two grumpy old men muppets who sit in the balcony making fun of him.
Back to Dion, he at least understands that environment and the economy shouldn't have to be in opposition. Still I haven't heard anything really creative from him yet.
P.S. Also he looks like a muppet. I can imagine him giving a speech and those two grumpy old men muppets who sit in the balcony making fun of him.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
More pictures from spain
Did the dishes, went for a run, and fixed an excel graph...now to post more pictures from Spain.
First, this is an urban park in Madrid. Most urban greenspaces seemed very civic - fountains, uniform patterns, statues, and sculpted bushes - but this beautiful shot reminds me of a marsh in Ontario.
Next, this stained glass is in the Sagrada Familia Cathedral designed by Gaudi in Barcelona. The columns on the inside were a pure white and they split into several branches - like a tree - as they went up to the ceiling, which resembled foliage.
Here's Marta in Park Guell also designed by Gaudi. Lots of peices of colourful tile arranged in patterns that remind of Australian Aboriginal art. The park's built on the side of a mountain. From a distance, the scenery looks quite lush. Up close, the park has a lot of structures and pathways, some of which reminded me of an enchanted kingdom from Disney World.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Airplane laughs
Ideas for a comic strip (sketches to follow, for now use your imagination):
Opening scene: an airplane aisle; stewardess notices a group of idiotic passengers paying no attention while she explains safety regulations.
Progression of scenes: stewardess begins cracking a smile as she imagines these passengers in the emergency situations she's describing:
- as she says, "If an oxygen mask appears, secure your own mask before helping others," she imagines a child dying of asphyxiation as mother takes excessive time adjusting the mask to fit comfortably on her own face.
- as she says, "Please turn off your cellular telephones and other electronic devices during take off and landing," she imagines a man using some archaic S.O.S/walkie-talkie device.
- as she says, "Your seat can also be used as a floatation device," she pictures that group of passengers having a pillow fight with the seat cushions.
- as she says, "A life vest is located in a pouch underneath your seat; please inflate it after exiting the aircraft," she imagines the passengers bouncing off each other, having inflated the lifevests while still in the plane.
- finally she says, "the washrooms are equipped with smoke detectors; tampering with or destroying the smoke detectors is against the law."
By the end of her instructions she's having trouble containing her laughter. She goes to the washroom to recover. A man is stepping out of the washroom as she arrives. He smells of smoke and she notices a piece of saran wrap sealed over the smoke alarm. To be continued...
You can find other people's airline jokes here: http://www.airtoons.com/toons.php?toon=22
Opening scene: an airplane aisle; stewardess notices a group of idiotic passengers paying no attention while she explains safety regulations.
Progression of scenes: stewardess begins cracking a smile as she imagines these passengers in the emergency situations she's describing:
- as she says, "If an oxygen mask appears, secure your own mask before helping others," she imagines a child dying of asphyxiation as mother takes excessive time adjusting the mask to fit comfortably on her own face.
- as she says, "Please turn off your cellular telephones and other electronic devices during take off and landing," she imagines a man using some archaic S.O.S/walkie-talkie device.
- as she says, "Your seat can also be used as a floatation device," she pictures that group of passengers having a pillow fight with the seat cushions.
- as she says, "A life vest is located in a pouch underneath your seat; please inflate it after exiting the aircraft," she imagines the passengers bouncing off each other, having inflated the lifevests while still in the plane.
- finally she says, "the washrooms are equipped with smoke detectors; tampering with or destroying the smoke detectors is against the law."
By the end of her instructions she's having trouble containing her laughter. She goes to the washroom to recover. A man is stepping out of the washroom as she arrives. He smells of smoke and she notices a piece of saran wrap sealed over the smoke alarm. To be continued...
You can find other people's airline jokes here: http://www.airtoons.com/toons.php?toon=22
Saturday, January 13, 2007
What you up to?
Well it's Saturday just before noon. I've been putting off planning my day since 6 this morning when Marta and I woke up. Jet lagged I guess--we got back from Spain on Monday. Options: shopping, painting with my mom, music, working on this blog... I'll see if I can post some photos from our trip!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
