Alert! The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee is on Friday, ABC, 7 central.
Mr. Me and and I were channel-flipping a few years ago and happened on to it… 6 hours later and we were still watching. We’ve watched it every year since. The first year and every year thereafter, I found it gripping (not unlike [...]
Archive for May, 2008
Yeah! It’s Spelling Bee Time…
Posted in Uncategorized on May 26, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Ratatouille
Posted in pop culture on May 25, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Since I spend so much time complaining about children’s movies, I thought I’d take a moment to praise Ratatouille. It’s pretty good, has a nice underlying message about stratification, and a minimum of gender bs.* I’m probably missing some things but the first pass survived the horrified parents test.
*One scene is weird though. The rat [...]
And… burnout.
Posted in on the tenure track on May 20, 2008 | 4 Comments »
I am officially burnt out. Problem is, I’ve got a few weeks to go until teaching duties cease for a few months. Expect nothing interesting on the blog until the academic year ends. I will be counting the days. Then I will be going to Vegas.
Note to all the killjoys — this post does not reflect your [...]
Color me shocked…
Posted in Uncategorized on May 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The California Supreme Court has struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage on equal protection grounds. I am pleased. On to the Supremes, I suspect.
After weeks of lecturing to students on court decisions with regard to inmates and criminal defendants, my faith in the big court these days is a bit shaken (e.g., it’s fine [...]
The first step is: Matching your music to your work
Posted in music on May 13, 2008 | 4 Comments »
If my love of Johnny Cash does my father proud and Apple commercials are my go-to background music for late-night STATA coding (e.g., Sara Bareilles and Yael Naim), then Leonard Cohen* is the man for late-night writing on inequality. That said, realizing that he looks the opposite of what I expected coupled with the distinct Vegas lounge [...]
Happy Mother’s Day!
Posted in Uncategorized on May 11, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I called Mom this morning — she’s in NYC with my brother, he’s taking her to fancy dinners and brunches. She asked what I was doing — Mr. Me left with Junior shortly after I woke up and they’ll be gone for the day. I just returned from getting a spa pedicure. They’ll return to cook me [...]
Exactly the degradation ceremony I expected…
Posted in undergrads on May 10, 2008 | 5 Comments »
I went to the honor dorm knowledge bowl and it was just as embarrassing as I expected it to be — the only reason our team wasn’t killed is because of a younger staff member who played with us (we still lost though). Without him, the score would have been: Students – 160, Professors – [...]
What would happen if undergrads found out…
Posted in teaching, undergrads on May 7, 2008 | 3 Comments »
that the average professor knows A LOT about a VERY LITTLE? The breadth of knowledge the students credit me with is truly astounding.*
One of my students invited me to participate in a knowledge bowl at the undergraduate honors dorm. Thinking this meant I was somehow ‘cool,’ I quickly accepted without thinking about it. It works like this: [...]
The plot thickens…
Posted in adventures with child on May 6, 2008 | 4 Comments »
A quick update for those of you following this: I took Junior to the pediatrician today just to make sure she was okay physically and developmentally. The doc examined her for over an hour and said she wasn’t delayed on anything.
Unprompted, the doc also suggested that I file an ethics complaint against Dr. Charlatan and confirmed my suspicion that finding developmental delays in a kid with [...]
An obvious observation…
Posted in conferences on May 6, 2008 | 7 Comments »
I went to a conference-like gathering a few weeks ago. The lunch reminded me of those ASA receptions where you wander around, not quite sure who to talk to, and wander out a bit later to go drinking with your buddies (wondering why you spent $1000 on the airfare and hotel when you could have [...]
