Historical Archives
Tim Burke writes about his personal experience of growing up as an intellectual, interested in reading and knowledge over other “mainstream” interests. I’ve been thinking about this a lot myself, and writing about it elsewhere. My life took a kind of weird turn late in middle school into high school where I abandoned much of…
So I jumped in and volunteered to make phone calls for the Obama Campaign. For three hours last night, I called people in order to get volunteers. I didn’t do too badly. I put my former telemarketing skills to work and signed up 8 volunteers. Considering I only actually talked to 22 people, that’s not…
Thomas Benton once again writes about issues in teaching the digital natives. I’m going to leave aside the argument about whether we’re getting more stupid. I’m not entirely sure we are. I want to comment on two things. One, he mentions the problem of college students not being exposed to different generations (more true for…
I had every intention of watching McCain’s speech. I watched all the lead-up speeches, beginning around 8:30. Geeky Boy was watching with me. His first comment was, “Oh I see what this is all about: 9/11.” And that was when that Senator from Oklahoma was talking about the OK City bombing–something done to us by…
Email was definitely on the rise, but not dramatically so. Why, why do people wait until the very. last. minute. to ask for something. I’m here all summer. Why don’t people talk to each other. So many problems caused by lack of communication. Many fewer basic questions this year. They’re either getting stopped at the…
I’m hoping to find time this week to work on a presentation I’m giving next month. I’ve been working on my presentation skilz since I first gave one to apply for my job. That was perhaps the worst experience of my life. I had been used to reading papers at conferences. I had no idea…
This is the first year that classes at my institution haven’t begun (or been held when we start earlier) on Labor Day. I say it’s about time. It’s always frustrated me that a school whose founding was all about helping the underrepresented (women) would ignore a holiday that benefits mostly the underrepresented. It was actually…
I decided I could not miss a historic moment like watching the first African-American presidential nominee give an acceptance speech. He said everything I’ve wanted Democrats to say for years. He hit some key issues head on that previous candidates have pussyfooted around–oil, abortion, gay marriage. He pointed out that Republicans have basically been trying…
A meme. For some reason, there was no sleep to be had last night. Maybe back-to-school jitters. I really should keep a notebook beside the bed. I came up with some interesting things and now, of course, can’t remember them. Anyway, as seen at many places, most recently at New Kid’s, the finish the sentence…
I have been mostly lost in my own little world the last few months. Last election, I watched the Sunday shows, read blogs, read the paper, kept up with every little thing. I really, really wanted to get Bush out of office. But then I got burned. Like I got burned the time before. I…
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