Wow. I haven't posted at all this year. School and the book have kept me quite busy.
Some updates:
1. I was invited to blog at Library Garden (Librarians Blogging in the Garden State!). My first post is available here: http://librarygarden.blogspot.com/.
2. The book is going to production. Yay! I will be soooo happy when I have the proof in my hand. It really took a lot of tears and butt time in front of the computer.
3. My brain is tired and I still have to write two papers. I cannot wait for my first year to be finished. As I have told many, many people, I am looking forward to being bored this May. My brain needs to rest.
4. I'm going to Amsterdam and Oxford this summer. I'll be sure to blog those trips.
That's about it. I'm almost finished my first year of the Ph.D. and I know it's a cliche but it's hard to believe how fast the two semesters flew by. September feels like it was years ago.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Complaints
If you're not interested in reading complaints don't read this.
< rant >
1. New Brunswick
I hate it. I like Rutgers, my classmates, and my apartment but I hate this "city." The one coffee shop just closed. The only bookstore is the college bookstore. The restaurants are overpriced. It's just an incredibly boring town.
2. Classes
My classes are ok but at the same time are totally pointless. I read boring articles and write boring response papers. I sometimes make up shit just so I'll have something to say. I have to read the following articles for tomorrow:
A Flexible Interface Design for Web Directories to Accommodate Different Cognitive and Investigating the Roles of Knowledge and Cognitive Abilities in Older Adult Information
Note that these have nothing to do with my project.
I have written 9 papers for one of my professors and have not received an response. Now I have to write a seminar paper for him. This is very annoying.
3. Haters
I'm on (yet another) dating website and someone sent me this lovely note:
Your cute and all and no offense but bald women remind me of men. If you had cancer or something then i could understand. You should let your hair grow. I know that's your style and what not. But try to think about it like this. If i was a neurotic person and i now that the majority of women don't like neurotic men, for the sake of finding someone i would either mask that part of my behavior or just wait until i find someone who would except me for me. the latter sounds wonderful and almost magical. but have you ever seen and old single lady with no kids who's miserable and works at a library. i have
update omg i just read your profile in order to see if you where Afrocentric in an effort to pass your question filter and noticed you where a librarian.
There are so many things wrong with this:
a. I'm not bald
b. I won't date you even if I grow my hair
c. I won't be a different person for you
d. There are many happily married librarians
e. Is having a short natural not "Afrocentric?"
f. You wrote me BEFORE reading my profile
Actually my main beef with this is that he bothered to write it in the first place. I know he's an idiot and a tool but jeez. Do other people get this kind of stuff? I love how men always think they are the first person to ever give you advice. I could say more but it's pointless. If you don't like my hair, I can't help you.
4. The Book
I'm just...stuck. I'm now on the most important chapter and it's freaking me out.
5. Pundits
Just shut up about the Obama team. The man's not even sworn in yet. We'll see what happens. And you guys keep being wrong about The Clintons (TM) so why don't you just wait and see what happens.
6. Men in General
Last summer my friend S.P. told me the following: "You know, Emily, men are human beings too." I still have to remind myself of this. Over and over again. (See number 3 and I'm sure many other posts).
7. The Entertainment Industry
My friend N. is one of the most talented people I know but her industry sucks. She gets rave reviews in everything she does but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I don't understand this. Yes, I know life isn't fair, etc.
< /rant >
Other than that my Thanksgiving was excellent. And you should go to Co Co. Sala in DC. Delicious.
< rant >
1. New Brunswick
I hate it. I like Rutgers, my classmates, and my apartment but I hate this "city." The one coffee shop just closed. The only bookstore is the college bookstore. The restaurants are overpriced. It's just an incredibly boring town.
2. Classes
My classes are ok but at the same time are totally pointless. I read boring articles and write boring response papers. I sometimes make up shit just so I'll have something to say. I have to read the following articles for tomorrow:
A Flexible Interface Design for Web Directories to Accommodate Different Cognitive and Investigating the Roles of Knowledge and Cognitive Abilities in Older Adult Information
Note that these have nothing to do with my project.
I have written 9 papers for one of my professors and have not received an response. Now I have to write a seminar paper for him. This is very annoying.
3. Haters
I'm on (yet another) dating website and someone sent me this lovely note:
Your cute and all and no offense but bald women remind me of men. If you had cancer or something then i could understand. You should let your hair grow. I know that's your style and what not. But try to think about it like this. If i was a neurotic person and i now that the majority of women don't like neurotic men, for the sake of finding someone i would either mask that part of my behavior or just wait until i find someone who would except me for me. the latter sounds wonderful and almost magical. but have you ever seen and old single lady with no kids who's miserable and works at a library. i have
update omg i just read your profile in order to see if you where Afrocentric in an effort to pass your question filter and noticed you where a librarian.
There are so many things wrong with this:
a. I'm not bald
b. I won't date you even if I grow my hair
c. I won't be a different person for you
d. There are many happily married librarians
e. Is having a short natural not "Afrocentric?"
f. You wrote me BEFORE reading my profile
Actually my main beef with this is that he bothered to write it in the first place. I know he's an idiot and a tool but jeez. Do other people get this kind of stuff? I love how men always think they are the first person to ever give you advice. I could say more but it's pointless. If you don't like my hair, I can't help you.
4. The Book
I'm just...stuck. I'm now on the most important chapter and it's freaking me out.
5. Pundits
Just shut up about the Obama team. The man's not even sworn in yet. We'll see what happens. And you guys keep being wrong about The Clintons (TM) so why don't you just wait and see what happens.
6. Men in General
Last summer my friend S.P. told me the following: "You know, Emily, men are human beings too." I still have to remind myself of this. Over and over again. (See number 3 and I'm sure many other posts).
7. The Entertainment Industry
My friend N. is one of the most talented people I know but her industry sucks. She gets rave reviews in everything she does but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I don't understand this. Yes, I know life isn't fair, etc.
< /rant >
Other than that my Thanksgiving was excellent. And you should go to Co Co. Sala in DC. Delicious.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sameness
In his column today George F. Will informed us that "Still, McConnell believes that although Hispanics, the nation's largest minority, gave Obama two-thirds of their votes, they are entrepreneurial and culturally conservative, and therefore are not beyond the reach of Republicans."
This kind of stuff annoys me to no end. Why is it that white people are allowed to have all sorts of opinions (Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian, etc.) but "Hispanics" are entrepreneurial and culturally conservative. All Hispanics. Everywhere. All those millions of people are "entrepreneurial." Yeah sure.
What Will doesn't seem to understand is that talking this way about entire groups of people denies them their humanity. Yes, that's highfalutin language but what else can you call it.
Please stop doing this. If you want to get the Blacks and Hispanics in your party, you'll have to learn to address us actual people. Not as some sort of desirable demographic that will simply allow you to win elections.
This kind of stuff annoys me to no end. Why is it that white people are allowed to have all sorts of opinions (Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian, etc.) but "Hispanics" are entrepreneurial and culturally conservative. All Hispanics. Everywhere. All those millions of people are "entrepreneurial." Yeah sure.
What Will doesn't seem to understand is that talking this way about entire groups of people denies them their humanity. Yes, that's highfalutin language but what else can you call it.
Please stop doing this. If you want to get the Blacks and Hispanics in your party, you'll have to learn to address us actual people. Not as some sort of desirable demographic that will simply allow you to win elections.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
The Path to the Dark Side
"But beware of the dark side. Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."
Is this what the Republican party has become? We are finally seeing the outcome of the Southern Strategy: the sea of white people at the convention, the lack of any people of color in the entire Congressional delegation, and pure hatred at political rallies.
This is the party of Lincoln? Eisenhower?
Is this what the Republican party has become? We are finally seeing the outcome of the Southern Strategy: the sea of white people at the convention, the lack of any people of color in the entire Congressional delegation, and pure hatred at political rallies.
This is the party of Lincoln? Eisenhower?
Monday, October 06, 2008
Pain
"I've never been prejudiced in my life," said Sharon Fleming, 69, the wife of a retired coal miner, who spends hours at the union hall calling voters on behalf of Obama. "My niece married a black, and I don't have a problem with it. Now, I wouldn't want a mixed marriage for my daughter, but I'm voting for Obama."
Reading this article is incredibly painful. So, painful that I'm not really sure what to write. Those people are talking about me and my family. And what the hell is "a black"?
I don't think about racism a lot. If you don't like me because I'm black that is your problem. But the Obama campaign has brought bunch of issues up to the surface. There are a lot of white people who just don't like us. We make them uncomfortable. They think Obama will enslave them. (Why would Obama enslave his own family?) What the quote above shows is the total irrationality of racial prejudice. This poor woman can't even figure out what she believes.
I have always thought that you don't know people true racial prejudice until you ask them whether or not they would want their children to marry someone of another race.
When I was in 7th grade or so, a friend of mine told me that his parents would disown him if he ever married a black person. I had been to this family's house and they were perfectly nice to me but, clearly, I was not worthy solely on the basis of my skin color. Black meant "not good enough for my son."
It seems to me that white America is frightened. American means white and having a black guy with the Muslim middle name just doesn't feel right. His wife is even worse. Her blackness freaks them out even more. If you don't want your kids marrying one of those people you certainly don't want them stomping around one of the prettiest houses in the nation.
Reading this article is incredibly painful. So, painful that I'm not really sure what to write. Those people are talking about me and my family. And what the hell is "a black"?
I don't think about racism a lot. If you don't like me because I'm black that is your problem. But the Obama campaign has brought bunch of issues up to the surface. There are a lot of white people who just don't like us. We make them uncomfortable. They think Obama will enslave them. (Why would Obama enslave his own family?) What the quote above shows is the total irrationality of racial prejudice. This poor woman can't even figure out what she believes.
I have always thought that you don't know people true racial prejudice until you ask them whether or not they would want their children to marry someone of another race.
When I was in 7th grade or so, a friend of mine told me that his parents would disown him if he ever married a black person. I had been to this family's house and they were perfectly nice to me but, clearly, I was not worthy solely on the basis of my skin color. Black meant "not good enough for my son."
It seems to me that white America is frightened. American means white and having a black guy with the Muslim middle name just doesn't feel right. His wife is even worse. Her blackness freaks them out even more. If you don't want your kids marrying one of those people you certainly don't want them stomping around one of the prettiest houses in the nation.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Honors
Last weekend I traveled from New Jersey to Maryland to South Carolina and back in the space of about 72 hours. Kind of crazy but totally worth it.
My uncle, Rudolph Gordon, worked for Greenville County Public Schools (SC) for 40 years moving from teacher to assistant principal to principal to various district-wide offices until finally becoming superintendent of schools in 1996. He retired in 2000 to spend more time with his family.
In 2005, the school board voted to honor my uncle by naming a new elementary school in his honor. On Monday, my family and I gathered in South Carolina for the dedication of the Rudolph G. Gordon Elementary School (Home of the Gordon Gators).
It was a wonderful event and such an honor for my uncle who had to fight back tears when he found out they named the media center for his recently deceased wife, a former librarian. Totally worth the 24 hours in the car.
P.S.
The kindergartners wanted the mascot to be a reindeer but they were overruled.
My uncle, Rudolph Gordon, worked for Greenville County Public Schools (SC) for 40 years moving from teacher to assistant principal to principal to various district-wide offices until finally becoming superintendent of schools in 1996. He retired in 2000 to spend more time with his family.
In 2005, the school board voted to honor my uncle by naming a new elementary school in his honor. On Monday, my family and I gathered in South Carolina for the dedication of the Rudolph G. Gordon Elementary School (Home of the Gordon Gators).
It was a wonderful event and such an honor for my uncle who had to fight back tears when he found out they named the media center for his recently deceased wife, a former librarian. Totally worth the 24 hours in the car.
P.S.
The kindergartners wanted the mascot to be a reindeer but they were overruled.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Grad School
What is grad school like? I read this sentence today:
Inspection of eigenvalues and the scree plot revealed that a five-factor solution was the most adequate and parsimonious factor structure.
Eventually this sentence came along:
The solution was subjected to a orthogonal varimax rotation as none of the correlations between factors were greater than .4.
SCREE!!!!!! That's so varimax.
Honestly, I don't know what those sentences mean and that is what grad school is like. A lot of reading of things of thing I read in the past but have forgotten or things I haven't read and sometimes don't understand. Then writing a paper about it that's supposed to show that I understood what I read.
I am either reading or typing. Reading. Typing. That is what I do. My whole schedule is off. I somehow started going to sleep at 2 and waking up at 10.
Honestly, I haven't had this much work to do in a very long time. My legs hurt from sitting. My arms hurt from typing. I make myself go to the gym but I have to wear my timer so I don't spend more than an hour working out.
I just wrote the crappiest paper ever about culture, thick description, and the purpose of ethnographic research.
The best news I received this year is that I can use the book as the basis for my Lib. and Info Science seminar paper. I almost cried when the professor said it was okay.
At least someone has taken the time to write a comic about this crazy life.
Inspection of eigenvalues and the scree plot revealed that a five-factor solution was the most adequate and parsimonious factor structure.
Eventually this sentence came along:
The solution was subjected to a orthogonal varimax rotation as none of the correlations between factors were greater than .4.
SCREE!!!!!! That's so varimax.
Honestly, I don't know what those sentences mean and that is what grad school is like. A lot of reading of things of thing I read in the past but have forgotten or things I haven't read and sometimes don't understand. Then writing a paper about it that's supposed to show that I understood what I read.
I am either reading or typing. Reading. Typing. That is what I do. My whole schedule is off. I somehow started going to sleep at 2 and waking up at 10.
Honestly, I haven't had this much work to do in a very long time. My legs hurt from sitting. My arms hurt from typing. I make myself go to the gym but I have to wear my timer so I don't spend more than an hour working out.
I just wrote the crappiest paper ever about culture, thick description, and the purpose of ethnographic research.
The best news I received this year is that I can use the book as the basis for my Lib. and Info Science seminar paper. I almost cried when the professor said it was okay.
At least someone has taken the time to write a comic about this crazy life.
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