I have very uneven “self esteem” or as I call it, confidence. In high school, I didn’t think the local dime store would hire me. By the end of college, I knew I could work in a dime store or a factory or as a substitute teacher. But I did not think I could be … More On Confidence
I do not want yet more discipline, I want to fall apart and sleep for a long time. Then, I want to work on my new life, not grind away at the old one on the theory that if I just motivate myself in the right way everything will be all right. Unfortunately I really … More On Advice
So it seems that what people are eternally learning is that you do not need large blocs of time in which to do work, you just need to actually use the time you have. The claim of needing large blocs of time is a delaying technique. I agree, but with one caveat: they do not … More Postscript on Time
Years ago I took a class from this interesting professor, on Mário de Andrade and music. Before Reeducation I did a lot of things like that. Reeducation was not able to believe we could have had any kind of rich experience in our past, and yet we did. Axé.
It is out of fashion to lecture and not to have audiovisual equipment, but I have no media enabled classrooms this semester. I am teaching four different classes, two of which I have never taught before, and I have many other responsibilities. So I take questions, I ask questions designed to foment discussion, I assign … More Old School
I keep seeing professors advise each other on the wise use of time. One must not spend too much time on anything, because one must progress, I know. But I protest. I am not recommending that people assign too much time to anything in particular. I have just always found that realistic estimates, for time … More El sur
It is one thing to say that universities have problems. It is another to argue, as Taylor is effectively arguing, that the universities are the problem—that the system that allegedly began with Kant (in fact it began much earlier) has reached the end of its intellectual and social usefulness, and needs to be swept away … More David A. Bell
I have heard that during the two years Thoreau spent at Walden, he sent his laundry back to town for doing. This is funny but I actually think it is all right given the nature of his project. “To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts,” said Thoreau in Walden, … More Walden
The curious do not understand my interest in Mexico, so uncultured and so dangerous. To those fearful I suggest the cultural excursions of the National Institute of Anthropology and History. I am sure they will put you at ease. There is one within the city almost every day, and out of town most weekends. The … More Mexico
I have always been told I was surely taking too much time with things, must have spent too much time, or must be planning to spend too much time. This is particularly true of teaching activities. If I created the handout I created, it must have taken too much time. If I read a new … More On Pacing
coldhearted scientist وداد 