Heresy In my experience the decorous things to say are that teaching is fun, writing is work, publishing is difficult, service is boring, and administration is oppressive. I was always warned to say I was not interested in teaching, because women who taught would never be taken seriously as researchers. In my actual experience it … More A Second Heretical Post, a Story, and a Question
1. Here is one Norman Savage’s comment, written today, on a recent post here: Since Google cannot discern the wheat from the chaff, one of your pieces landed in my email alerts. I’m an old fuck, been around writing, reading and publishing for a very long time, but your piece, your writing, your bullshit, is … More All My Detractors
Have you seen all my glorious recent posts? Today I have been derailed and I feel as I often do after a day on campus — except that I have not been on campus. It had to do with arguing about whether or not I should negotiate. WHITEMAN TWO I said, I have realized that … More A Drinking Whiteman
See what a ham Jerry Lee Lewis was when he was young! I was not yet born when this video was made, but he reminds me of certain students from Baton Rouge and points north. And I think that radio announcer keeps saying “cotton pickin’” so as not to say “fuckin’.” Then again, my mother … More More Jerry Lee!
The ocean is large and full of currents. You wade in slowly and then strike out swimming as the sea floor falls beyond your depth. You tread water, breaking through waves to open water where you can steer your course. The first island stands on the horizon, partly shielded from view by spray and rocking … More Starting to Write is Like Swimming
One The most interesting e-mail I received today said: “Dear Professor Zero, Thank you so much for sharing your manuscript. I have read exhaustively on this subject and yours is one of the very most useful pieces. It is so surprising you have not yet been able to place it.” On this issue see paragraph … More Further Advice to New Faculty
I think I finally see what it is to be a professor. It means you have a project that is yours. You see where it extends and begins to take shape through mist. It is all outside you but it flows to and from you. I always said this was the project I must undertake … More The Contours
Writing is fun and publishing is easy. I know it is heresy to say that, so I will repeat it throughout this post. I am really tired of hearing how much I should be suffering and how hard it should all be. I have just never had a hard time writing or publishing, even though … More A Heretical Post
I have had strong reactions recently to various posts on how to be an academic, and to one on leaving the “fast track” and finding fulfillment. I reacted to the latter post because it reflected the trajectory Reeducation thought appropriate for me, when my own nature is research oriented even though I was told throughout … More Reverberating Whitemen
Student I Insisted Go To A Larger Graduate Program Than Ours: Dear Professor Zero, This is just to say my new university is not as scary as I thought it would be. My students listen to me! My professors know you! I find I am already familiar with the books and reading lists! I guess … More From the File
coldhearted scientist وداد 