I could do a series of interesting, mostly modernist paintings on this. One about being invaded, run over, chased across a field, cut down with a shovel (although in some dreams I make it across the border). A Cézanne, perhaps. Another about being in the Reeducation camp, perhaps by Klee (I would like to go … More On physical space
This is my last illumination for the night, from Wogglebug who has led us to a new consideration of verbal violence. From a certain point on (Reeducation, to be exact, which disallowed one from drawing a boundary around the violent world and putting it in its place, which is the best way to clear one’s … More On writing and verbal violence
Because they are terrified preachers: fire and brimstone, how bad the world is; because they are grand inquisitors. Because they are unrelenting torture victims; because they are lying in vats of burning oil, and stretching out their hands to pull us in. Because they will not be satisfied until we join them in death and … More I dislike professors…
Goal: find files, put things in order, really start to write. Actually: I put in the time but the way I used it is, I found one file so rich I just read it and am rereading book it is based on, which is kind of a motherlode book as I now understand. In the … More El writing group
This is the sign of progress: I am reading and enjoying the Goldberg book. As I have said before: people keep insisting reading is a way to avoid writing; you cannot, however, write without it. It is a sign of progress because in my worst period I could not read. I would think: this resembles … More Cuba y la noche
I get to clock in another hour of work today, making five, because I have been experimenting with Lyx and that is what I am going to use. I will not have Scrivener, I will write in Lyx and put everything in well hierchized and well labeled files, old school style, and that is it. … More As e goes to infinity: further counter-advice on time
Of the posts on why academic life is stressful this is the one I like the best besides Dr. Crazy’s, but I would modify virtually every point. 1. Cranking it down. Having to crank down the level of your work so people do not feel threatened or because the latest news has not arrived yet and it … More Cranking it down
“You cannot control what happens, but you can control your reaction to it.” I woke up this morning realizing that this was another of the ideologemes created to keep us from analyzing structures or thinking politically. You can develop strategies and learn what are now called “social skills,” and over time you can even change … More Further false truisms
There used to be a website on which I used to comment all the time. It was for escapees from Reeducation and it, along with comments from Jennifer who has also escaped from some cult-like atmospheres, is how I removed the gris-gris from myself. Now someone else from that site has very kindly sent me … More In fact, I am very intelligent.
“I wonder if the academic world is unusual in the extent to which the things for which people go into the field cease to be the things they most have to do.” That is Professor Susan in the comments on this post, which is the best post of all the posts on this matter. Her … More Are academic jobs stressful?
coldhearted scientist وداد 