People do not understand why I turned down both of the full scholarships I was offered to law schools in the 1990s. Judith explains: [A] law full scholarship means tuition only, and an obligation on top of that to do a part time research appointment (you do get a stipend but it’s minimum wage). The … More Validation and Invalidation
I used to have a recurring dream in which I called my mother from my office at Yale University, holding the phone in my right hand and the hand of my three year old in my left, to say I had been granted tenure and promotion and therefore, now having achieved at last the equivalent … More The Legal History Blog
While I remain on strike there will be occasional guest posts from a shaman. He is speaking now. He reminds us that it is well justifiable to enslave Africans because they are not of the same species as us. They are less intelligent and better suited to physical labor. They are insensitive to poor conditions, … More The Shaman Says
There is a new assistant professor to whom I would like to send the following memo. People who would like to do well as assistant professors should not say things at meetings and parties that inspire their older colleagues to write fantasy memos like this. 1. I disagree with Colleague A on many things. I … More Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackguard
I dreamed last night that I had been scheduled for three surgical operations which were unnecessary. At the very last minute — I was already seeing attendants in surgical uniforms — it was revealed that the diagnoses had been someone else’s dream, and that I could opt out if I so chose. I opted out. … More Siegfried Kills Fafner. Sangre de Cristo Range.
Qui potest capere, capiat: this post is a bagatelle and footnote to various earlier posts, and I am on strike and will therefore not explain context. You will understand it if you have been in that conversation, or if you go through earlier posts to look for it. Those ladies who resembled my Reeducator kept … More Postscript on Those Ladies. Excursus on Vampires Who Seek Blood, or on Cannibals Who Seek Fresh Meat.
One of the ideas I found most disturbing in Reeducation was that one necessarily had a problematic situation and was a problematic person. The best one could do was creep along in life, try to improve in small ways, and show forbearance. It was hard to understand since I had an interesting job and a … More On Drudgery — A Prophylactic Post
1. It took me about 24 hours to recover from a comment from a certain “Nice” White Lady [hereafter NWL]. I am irritated at this and also embarrassed about it. It is not how I want to spend my time. But that is how long it took to bounce back from the blow because this … More White Postscript, or, Toda Tu Rechingada Madre
A band has moved in across the street and their music is pretty. I am taking a page from Momo and declaring that this has been a brain chemistry day, and it’s all right. But I do not wish to be a flyswatter. This weblog exists to grind certain ideas to a fine subatomic powder … More On Flyswatters
“I am still on strike. If negotiations deteriorate further, I shall do nothing but play classical music,” says an upcoming post. Negotiations, however, have taken a turn for the better. I have heard from my advertiser’s agent who says it is hir understanding that a check has been mailed to me. I will remain on … More Return of the Nice White Lady. White Rabbit Band. Posts White People Write. Things White People Tell Each Other.
