On Slacking

Now everyone knows why I am bored with advice to graduate students and junior faculty: I was born knowing some of it, and I got more information on how to work from crack Asian graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty on sabbatical, all in scientific and technical fields, freshman year. I also learned important slacking … More On Slacking

On Working Out

The other thing about working is that if you have the luxury of considering not working out, then you do not have a hard job and you cannot complain, or ask me to devote not only part of my research time but also part of my recreational blog to proving that what you do is … More On Working Out

Trilce LXXVII

Graniza tánto, como para que yo recuerde y acreciente las perlas que he recogido del hocico mismo de cada tempestad. No se vaya a secar esta lluvia. A menos que me fuese dado caer ahora para ella, o que me enterrasen mojado en el agua que surtiera de todos los fuegos. ¿Hasta dónde me alcanzará … More Trilce LXXVII

An Idea

When was the idea that research was so hard for people with Ph.D.s invented? (I do note that in the mythology, it appears that research is only hard after you get the degree — before that, it is expected. This is symptomatic of the mythical nature of the idea that research is hard, I think.) … More An Idea

Dalila Machado

My old school friend’s latest book is out and the work is beautiful. Axé, Dalila! I came home from the office at two in the morning and there it was, entirely shiny. Axé.

Examen parcial

Actividad: identificar en el poema siguiente los versos, la estrofa, la rima, el ritmo, los tropos; elaborar una explicación del texto a partir de ahí. Sí, se puede usar diccionarios. No, no se permite el uso del libro de texto; el punto es haber trabajado lo suficiente con la terminología que venimos usando y poder … More Examen parcial

And Furthermore

This is why I do not feel the need to prove that what I do is work. I am still livid to have been linked to, the day I finally decided I did not care if it was sinful to enjoy at least a small part of what one does, with a correction: I should … More And Furthermore