Proposal for 8-page, 10-minute colloquium presentation=400 words. Rational.
Accompanying bibliography=38 sources. IRRATIONAL.
Some day I am going to have to learn how to focus my research. However, that day is obviously not today.
Also, at this point I'm not saying anything that hasn't already been said. Said by one of the profs in my department, to be exact. Dear me.
However I can take solace in the fact that the prof marking this ridiculousness specializes in Victorian Women's Lit. So I'm fairly confident in my ability to say anything about rural Canadian theatre and get away with it.
THIS JUST IN: Rural theatre in Canada started with a travelling troupe of NARWHALES under the direction LOUIS RIEL.
Yep. Academia and I are going to get along fine.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Back from Chicago after the perfect amount of time spent there. We still had some stuff left on the list but I was at my limit of pavement-pounding, museum-ogling, L-train riding urban American goodness. Highlights include: riding the flying raccoon (an airline Zara and I can agree on), various encounters with gruff Chicagoans (man are they gruff), cafe/bar-hopping through North Chicago whilst waiting for Second City to start, argument about Combos over delicious Cajun dinner, winding up in the middle of a kazillion little cheerleaders at Navy Pier (which really ignited my feminist ire). Etc etc.
Now I'm back and ready to work like a fiend for the rest of this break. Getting back to Toronto/Guelph I felt no sense of happiness/relief/home. I am trying to love this place but just can't make a connection to it. I feel the same way towards Vancouver. Maybe I'm just a very black-and-white person, I don't like something at all until I'm head-over-heels for it. Maybe I'm built for rural lands. Maybe living the grad-student life is not conducive to connecting to the community. Maybe maybe maybe. I will continue to ponder this.
Now I'm back and ready to work like a fiend for the rest of this break. Getting back to Toronto/Guelph I felt no sense of happiness/relief/home. I am trying to love this place but just can't make a connection to it. I feel the same way towards Vancouver. Maybe I'm just a very black-and-white person, I don't like something at all until I'm head-over-heels for it. Maybe I'm built for rural lands. Maybe living the grad-student life is not conducive to connecting to the community. Maybe maybe maybe. I will continue to ponder this.
Monday, February 2, 2009
For shame Ontario!
One of my profs today started describing a liberal arts college to us, stating, "these don't exist in Canada, only in America."
And I was all, like, "ummmmm, if they don't exist in Canada, then how did I go to one?"
This led to a rather long (and completely off-topic for the course) exchange where he explained to me what exactly a liberal arts college was, and I explained to him that yes, Mount A and St FX and Acadia were indeed that.
But seriously folks. I don't expect a layman off the streets of Ontario to know of these schools, but somebody in academia should know. There aren't that many Canadian universities to keep track of, dudes!
I'm also discovering that nobody in Ontario knows what an Acadian is. Seriously? I learned about them in high school and that was way the hell over in BC. A province as close to the Maritimes as Ontario should definitely be teaching this stuff to their youth.
Okay, enough bitterness. I think I am just run down today and when that happens, I take out my anger on the province. Like railing against whitey, it calms me down.
And I was all, like, "ummmmm, if they don't exist in Canada, then how did I go to one?"
This led to a rather long (and completely off-topic for the course) exchange where he explained to me what exactly a liberal arts college was, and I explained to him that yes, Mount A and St FX and Acadia were indeed that.
But seriously folks. I don't expect a layman off the streets of Ontario to know of these schools, but somebody in academia should know. There aren't that many Canadian universities to keep track of, dudes!
I'm also discovering that nobody in Ontario knows what an Acadian is. Seriously? I learned about them in high school and that was way the hell over in BC. A province as close to the Maritimes as Ontario should definitely be teaching this stuff to their youth.
Okay, enough bitterness. I think I am just run down today and when that happens, I take out my anger on the province. Like railing against whitey, it calms me down.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
From Late Nights on Air:
"It was north of sixtieth parallel and shared in the romance of the North, emanating not mystery but uniqueness and not right away. It had no breathtaking scenery. No mountains, no glaciers, in the winter not even that much snow. But after a while it grew on them, on some of them at least, on the ones who would never forget, who would think back on their lives and say, My time there was the most vivid time of my life"
Monday, January 26, 2009
Lectured for the first time today. About 15 minutes short of material. How on earth do profs do it? I literally gave the ENTIRE history of theatre and labour (and inserted some jabs at Stephen Harper in the process). And still. 15 minutes short. Obviously the key to academic success lies in slow talking.
In my media studies seminar today the discussion of the intersection between class and race turned into a discussion of the Cosby Show. I think the prof brought it up as an alternative to using Obama as an example. At any rate, everybody was so damn knowledgeable about that show that it was quite amusing. Behold the power of (80's sitcom) television over our lives. . .
In my media studies seminar today the discussion of the intersection between class and race turned into a discussion of the Cosby Show. I think the prof brought it up as an alternative to using Obama as an example. At any rate, everybody was so damn knowledgeable about that show that it was quite amusing. Behold the power of (80's sitcom) television over our lives. . .
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tumblr posts
Recently got a tumblr blog, but have deemed it inadequate due to inability of fellow people to comment upon. Here at the entries I made in it though. A retrospective of sorts before we move on to better things. I will also try to import my sloopy sets sail blog.
Fri
Fri
Undergrad question of the day
(On a feminist theatre group offering day-care to audience members during the performance):
“If they’re so feminist, why do they encourage mothers to abandon their children in daycare?”
Understanding of feminism FAIL.
Thoughts on the inauguration:
The Americans want a (totally symbolic) monarchy so bad they can taste it. They might not be much for the bonds of British imperialism, but they love their pomp and ceremony so. hard.
Why do they even bother with the separation of church and state? Who do they think they’re fooling? More references to God than you can shake a stick at. The shout-out to the non-believers (and the Muslims!) was a nice touch though.
Seriously, I misted repeatedly throughout. But perhaps that’s just because America’s bright shiny new president makes Stephen Harper an even bitterer pill to swallow. We need to find that guy who pied Chretien and bring him back on the job.
I will leave you with this conversation, betwixt myself and one of my classmates (who shall remain nameless), which occurred on Monday.
Me: I’m so glad we don’t have classes tomorrow, so I can watch the inauguration.
Classmate: What? Who’s getting inaugurated?
Me: *stare of disbelief*
I thought it was a momentary memory lapse, but no. S/he honestly had no idea. I know we’re not polisci students but seriously? SERIOUSLY?
Jan
12th
Mon 12th
Let's get this blog started
Major paper due today got its deadline pushed back a week. Prof decides that today, the day it is due, which is kind of strange but I haven’t finished yet so I win! Celebratory trip to the grocery store to follow. It’s time I reunited with the blue menu chicken strips.
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