first, a correction: the national hurricane center has an arbirtrary list of names to assign the hurricanes, and Gustav's number was up when the hurricane formed.
Now, the better stuff:
tonight went to see the swifts. They looked like this:
This took place during sunset, it reminded me of Prague. The people I was with were nice and brought picnic food, some had attended the event for years.
As they were finally flying into the chimney, what the audubon society (who had a table set up) said was a peregrine (it was truly hard to tell) flew in twice to get an unsuspecting swift as it was trying to go to bed. There were still some swifts lingering outside of the chimney when all the others were safely esconced, and my theory is that they had experienced some sort of chimney trauma at some point... I can't imagine how so many can fit in that space without anyone getting hurt somehow. Miraculous.
Montag, 8. September 2008
Montag, 1. September 2008
current events
First of all, what's with naming a hurricane "Gustav"? Is that supposed to evoke Mahler's music? I think it's just another thing used to scare U.S.A. people of those destructive, stormy, foreign, complicated, educated influences. The connotation is almost, "those degenerate hurricanes and forces of nature will be our downfall as a nation."
Second of all. Palin. She doesn't even care about the endangered polar bears, she wants to drill oil and destroy national park/forest/refuge to do so, and the whole snowmobile and mooseburger thing. I find her completely and totally problematic, for any number of reasons and from pretty much every angle. A friend wondered why she gave all her kids dog names. Okay, sex education was in some ways useless to me, as it pretty much excluded the dental dam, so I may be biased about its usefulness or applicability. If she's elected after I vote, I'll have a good reason to leave the U.S. again.
Second of all. Palin. She doesn't even care about the endangered polar bears, she wants to drill oil and destroy national park/forest/refuge to do so, and the whole snowmobile and mooseburger thing. I find her completely and totally problematic, for any number of reasons and from pretty much every angle. A friend wondered why she gave all her kids dog names. Okay, sex education was in some ways useless to me, as it pretty much excluded the dental dam, so I may be biased about its usefulness or applicability. If she's elected after I vote, I'll have a good reason to leave the U.S. again.
Sonntag, 24. August 2008
blog renovation underway
I've gotten bored with my blog.
I feel it's time for a change of thema.
Perhaps that will also involve a change of color.
Maybe some entries will disappear.
Maybe I'll make a new one and link to it here, or perhaps not.
In any event, some of my moods have changed from when I first created it. So I'm doing another blog reconaissance to find out more of what I like and dislike in blogs, and rethinking theme. I am hoping to be able to use the renovaton as an opportunity to coalesce a few main themes and to prune it of some others, so that it feels more alive to me.
I feel it's time for a change of thema.
Perhaps that will also involve a change of color.
Maybe some entries will disappear.
Maybe I'll make a new one and link to it here, or perhaps not.
In any event, some of my moods have changed from when I first created it. So I'm doing another blog reconaissance to find out more of what I like and dislike in blogs, and rethinking theme. I am hoping to be able to use the renovaton as an opportunity to coalesce a few main themes and to prune it of some others, so that it feels more alive to me.
Sonntag, 13. Juli 2008
on professional incest
This document spells out the unwritten contract between at least one former professor of mine at Bryn Mawr and students, and professors at my former graduate school and their graduate and undergraduate students. I think they need to include it with admissions material and all the other things one signs at the beginning of enrollment in the endeavour of pursuing a degree. This is because, in my experience, sexual openness to professors who want to use one is often a prerequisite for an advanced degree. Whether at Bryn Mawr, or large Universities such as UW, if you aren't sexually open to the professors who invite you to their cars at night, or the male ones who want only to stare at your breasts when you meet about projects, then you aren't allowed to get through the system.
STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AND A STUDENT
I, __________________, hereby consent to a sexual relationship with _____________________ (Professor), a licensed _________________, whose student I am or have been for the purpose of _________________.
In granting this consent, I understand that, although some such relationships are successful, all relationships between professors and students carry great risk. Such involvement may be accompanied by personal degradation by the professor, criticism of my relationship with-my current partner, and encouragement to isolate myself from other personal involvements. I understand also that the professor may not be in a monogamous relationship with me and that he/she is likely to suddenly terminate the relationship.
I understand that my entering this relationship may involve the forsaking of moral and intellectual values to which I have previously adhered with strong conviction. I understand that my feelings toward this professor may be based on a symbolic attraction, also known as transference, in that these feelings may be less related to my knowledge and understanding of him/her as a person than to his/her representation to me as a powerful, trustworthy, dependable, knowlegable figure who can provide for my intellectual and/or emotional needs. I understand also that the professor's feelings toward me may be based on a similar symbolic attraction, also known as countertransference. I understand that my dependence on this professor may compromise my ability to fully understand the basis of my feelings toward him/her or my ability to terminate the relationship even after I am no longer comfortable with it.
I understand that by engaging in this sexual relationship with me, this professor may be violating his/her code of professional and university ethics as well as certain laws of the state.
I understand that a sexual relationship with this professor may ultimately have extremely damaging consequences for me including, but not necessarily limited to, disruption and abandonment of degree plans, extreme discomfort and experience of a hostile environment in my degree program, feelings of betrayal, helplessness, anger, confusion, guilt, and depression, that these feelings could result in a need for psychiatric care, and that these feelings could possibly result in my suicide.
I understand that the anger and distrust that I may develop toward this professor may generalize to other academics or even to all people of the same gender or field as this professor.
In expressing these feelings to others, I may find that I derive little understanding or sympathy from present or future partners, members of my family, my friends, co-workers, other professors, or even helping professionals. I understand further that disclosure of my sexual involvement with this may result in my estrangement from some or all of these people, further increasing my feelings of loneliness, confusion, and guilt.
I understand that all of the aforementioned risks have been documented in previous sexual relationships between professors and their students.
I assert that these risks have been fully explained to me by a knowledgeable health or other professional other than the professor, that I am willing to accept these risks, and I freely and willfully give my informed consent to said sexual relationship.
Signed this _____ day of _____________, ____.
__________________________
(adapted from M. Plaut)
That's what the real price is for a degree.
STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AND A STUDENT
I, __________________, hereby consent to a sexual relationship with _____________________ (Professor), a licensed _________________, whose student I am or have been for the purpose of _________________.
In granting this consent, I understand that, although some such relationships are successful, all relationships between professors and students carry great risk. Such involvement may be accompanied by personal degradation by the professor, criticism of my relationship with-my current partner, and encouragement to isolate myself from other personal involvements. I understand also that the professor may not be in a monogamous relationship with me and that he/she is likely to suddenly terminate the relationship.
I understand that my entering this relationship may involve the forsaking of moral and intellectual values to which I have previously adhered with strong conviction. I understand that my feelings toward this professor may be based on a symbolic attraction, also known as transference, in that these feelings may be less related to my knowledge and understanding of him/her as a person than to his/her representation to me as a powerful, trustworthy, dependable, knowlegable figure who can provide for my intellectual and/or emotional needs. I understand also that the professor's feelings toward me may be based on a similar symbolic attraction, also known as countertransference. I understand that my dependence on this professor may compromise my ability to fully understand the basis of my feelings toward him/her or my ability to terminate the relationship even after I am no longer comfortable with it.
I understand that by engaging in this sexual relationship with me, this professor may be violating his/her code of professional and university ethics as well as certain laws of the state.
I understand that a sexual relationship with this professor may ultimately have extremely damaging consequences for me including, but not necessarily limited to, disruption and abandonment of degree plans, extreme discomfort and experience of a hostile environment in my degree program, feelings of betrayal, helplessness, anger, confusion, guilt, and depression, that these feelings could result in a need for psychiatric care, and that these feelings could possibly result in my suicide.
I understand that the anger and distrust that I may develop toward this professor may generalize to other academics or even to all people of the same gender or field as this professor.
In expressing these feelings to others, I may find that I derive little understanding or sympathy from present or future partners, members of my family, my friends, co-workers, other professors, or even helping professionals. I understand further that disclosure of my sexual involvement with this may result in my estrangement from some or all of these people, further increasing my feelings of loneliness, confusion, and guilt.
I understand that all of the aforementioned risks have been documented in previous sexual relationships between professors and their students.
I assert that these risks have been fully explained to me by a knowledgeable health or other professional other than the professor, that I am willing to accept these risks, and I freely and willfully give my informed consent to said sexual relationship.
Signed this _____ day of _____________, ____.
__________________________
(adapted from M. Plaut)
That's what the real price is for a degree.
Sonntag, 29. Juni 2008
royal (pain) geography
Today I took a hike up King's Mountain:
http://www.cooltrails.com/kingsmtn.htm
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/519465/oregon_hiking_kings_mountain.html
It was steep... though very short. I realized how out of shape I am and how my feet have changed since I last wore my hiking boots, and am already a little sore, but it was in fact spectacular. On a day when an earlier start is desired (today was not one of those days, being hot and my having things to do) and the peak bagged early in the day, it is possible to then visit the ocean for the rest of the afternoon. It's only about 45 minutes away from PDX.
Most of the trail is hip-high ferns beneath a canopy of moss-covered trees, which is enchanting to trek within. Then as it usually does, the scenery changed into typical alpine-region terrain as one ascends. There were also a number of flowers in season, including indian paintbrush, harebells (which had a lovely blue tinge), strawberry flowers (but no berries to be found). I did take two pictures of the moss and ferns, but too exhausted to think about uploading them now. I saw 6 other hikers during this jaunt, and no animals. I had to begin to wonder what sorts of animals there are here, for example, if there are snakes. It was a carbon-rich experience given the ferns and moss and trees.
I wonder if there is a Queen's mountain as well.
I had sort of missed being in Seattle during pride day, or at least the opportunity to boycott it, but had a (Drag of a) King of my own with some pretty interesting contours and natural features to sweat over, and so am happy. And in an earlier part of the day, interesting thoughts to be had about statuary.
http://www.cooltrails.com/kingsmtn.htm
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/519465/oregon_hiking_kings_mountain.html
It was steep... though very short. I realized how out of shape I am and how my feet have changed since I last wore my hiking boots, and am already a little sore, but it was in fact spectacular. On a day when an earlier start is desired (today was not one of those days, being hot and my having things to do) and the peak bagged early in the day, it is possible to then visit the ocean for the rest of the afternoon. It's only about 45 minutes away from PDX.
Most of the trail is hip-high ferns beneath a canopy of moss-covered trees, which is enchanting to trek within. Then as it usually does, the scenery changed into typical alpine-region terrain as one ascends. There were also a number of flowers in season, including indian paintbrush, harebells (which had a lovely blue tinge), strawberry flowers (but no berries to be found). I did take two pictures of the moss and ferns, but too exhausted to think about uploading them now. I saw 6 other hikers during this jaunt, and no animals. I had to begin to wonder what sorts of animals there are here, for example, if there are snakes. It was a carbon-rich experience given the ferns and moss and trees.
I wonder if there is a Queen's mountain as well.
I had sort of missed being in Seattle during pride day, or at least the opportunity to boycott it, but had a (Drag of a) King of my own with some pretty interesting contours and natural features to sweat over, and so am happy. And in an earlier part of the day, interesting thoughts to be had about statuary.
Sonntag, 1. Juni 2008
Houston, TX
Houston is hot. I had not realized there was so much culture here. It's my first time in Texas at all, and it's ok so far, there don't seem to be any mountains in sight, however. Here for a conference, but I'm not presenting this time... or rather, a trade show, my job is to be mobbed by job applicants and to REpresent. If time, may try to see the Holocaust Museum or the big park or other things... shaping up into a fun experience so far, have learned a ton on the job so far, and I'm sure will learn more in the next days. In retrospect, had I gone further into the groves of academia, I think I would have supported the cause of providing work cell phones and laptops to the professoriate. That I feel so technologically provided for at my job has been yet another perk; I never knew life could be like this.
Montag, 26. Mai 2008
the monday which was not a monday
My previous post now seems too harsh. I've begun to see more differences, the article below has been thought-provoking:
http://www.crosscurrents.org/miles.htm
Maybe some part also was the consistent feeling that like sand as one walks in the ocean, things kept eroding under my feet. The system is one way, I learned to understand, but when I return, it's completely different, and the entire structure of a degree has changed, so that it's a whole different experience for the new people, and I'm left feeling that what I did for it was no longer relevant, and that I needed to master other things retrospectively, but most of it I'd already mastered some in my free time, but the grist of it has changed too, and that's not something I had, either. Or maybe the feeling of always falling between the cracks of changes which were beyond my control, so something I felt I'd been led to believe was solid, continued to shift about and change hands, and I was told entirely different things about the very basics at different points, often, after I'd proceeded along a path which was in keeping with the earlier thing I'd been told. Transitions can often ultimately be good for people and organizations, but I think they also need to be discussed as such and not simply implemented without warning. Anyhow...
In other news, over the course of the weekend as my mom visited, we visited together 5 different wineries all over the place here, and now I have a more fine-tuned appreciation of wine components, though I have not picked a favorite. It was easy to imagine being in the Cinqueterra or Tuscany-- my memory of Grinzingen is far too clouded to evoke anything aside from a view over Vienna. This "wine tour" thing would be fun to do again at some point, I think; before, I had been a bit scared to venture too far afield, but now I think it looks more manageable. We also visited restaurants, which in my grad school days I would have not looked at as I walked down the street, given the unattainability of the prices. Now, however, I find I'm able to enjoy the food more, thinking that I might in fact now be able to engineer dinner for two there. The other worthwhile visit of the day was to the Japanese garden. My mom thinks I still have residual stress from academia and bought me a yearly pass to the Japanese garden, so that I can go and chill out among the zen artifacts and plants and tourists when I feel distraught.
Next week, back to the Oko-Haie, coffee, and reading resumes, with forseeably some new twists.
http://www.crosscurrents.org/miles.htm
Maybe some part also was the consistent feeling that like sand as one walks in the ocean, things kept eroding under my feet. The system is one way, I learned to understand, but when I return, it's completely different, and the entire structure of a degree has changed, so that it's a whole different experience for the new people, and I'm left feeling that what I did for it was no longer relevant, and that I needed to master other things retrospectively, but most of it I'd already mastered some in my free time, but the grist of it has changed too, and that's not something I had, either. Or maybe the feeling of always falling between the cracks of changes which were beyond my control, so something I felt I'd been led to believe was solid, continued to shift about and change hands, and I was told entirely different things about the very basics at different points, often, after I'd proceeded along a path which was in keeping with the earlier thing I'd been told. Transitions can often ultimately be good for people and organizations, but I think they also need to be discussed as such and not simply implemented without warning. Anyhow...
In other news, over the course of the weekend as my mom visited, we visited together 5 different wineries all over the place here, and now I have a more fine-tuned appreciation of wine components, though I have not picked a favorite. It was easy to imagine being in the Cinqueterra or Tuscany-- my memory of Grinzingen is far too clouded to evoke anything aside from a view over Vienna. This "wine tour" thing would be fun to do again at some point, I think; before, I had been a bit scared to venture too far afield, but now I think it looks more manageable. We also visited restaurants, which in my grad school days I would have not looked at as I walked down the street, given the unattainability of the prices. Now, however, I find I'm able to enjoy the food more, thinking that I might in fact now be able to engineer dinner for two there. The other worthwhile visit of the day was to the Japanese garden. My mom thinks I still have residual stress from academia and bought me a yearly pass to the Japanese garden, so that I can go and chill out among the zen artifacts and plants and tourists when I feel distraught.
Next week, back to the Oko-Haie, coffee, and reading resumes, with forseeably some new twists.
Abonnieren
Posts (Atom)
