Scholarly Stuff

Grad school assignments, required readings, etc.

Writing Wednesday: Grades

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I got my knickers in a wad the other day when a prof gave me a tentative “C” on an assignment because he “didn’t see” my attached document. I even explained in the memo section of the submission page that it was an Excel document with three tabs. I even turned in the assignment early!

I fumed over it for a few minutes, resent the document as an email attachment instead of via the assignment screen (since I’d already submitted it, I couldn’t resend it that way, anyway). Then, I had an epiphany.

It.

Doesn’t.

Matter.

Seriously — in five, 10, 15 years (or hopefully only 2-1/2) after I earn my doctorate, will anyone but me care? Will they announce my GPA as I walk across the stage at graduation? Will a prospective employer scour my transcript for anything other than to verify that yes, indeed, I did earn a bonafide degree? The answer is NO.

Cs get degrees. The Honors Student in me involuntarily shivers as I read that, but it’s true. Don’t get me wrong — GPA matters a lot in high school. It can make or break college acceptance, scholarships, etc. However, once you get into college (and especially graduate school), who cares? That would be NO ONE. Unless you are applying to med school or law school, I really think that we (read: *I*) stress out much too much about grades.

Not any more. I will still do my best, but I’m not going to bend over backwards, stand on my head and gargle peanut butter just to earn an A. I have a life outside of school, and I would like to keep my sanity to enjoy it.

So, when I start stressing out over papers due, etc., feel free to thump me in the head and remind me of this little sermonette. It’s really going to be ok, Ang. You will survive if you get a C!

Writing Wednesday: Taking a chance

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I was at a loss about what to post for Writing Wednesday this week, since I haven’t had much time to do anything except work on my term paper. Then, I received some exciting news: I came in 3rd place in a short story contest that I entered back in the summer!

The contest was hosted by Bo’s Cafe Life, which is one of my favorite web comics. Wayne Pollard‘s humor really hits home, even if you aren’t a writer. The main character, Bo and his friends are full of witty quips as they chat over coffee every day. The winner of the contest will have their submission published in The Storyteller Magazine.

I was a little hesitant to enter (that darn fear factor creeping up again) but decided to take the leap, anyway. I’m so glad I did! Even though I didn’t win the contest, I feel validated for even trying.

The stories had to relate to Bo’s Cafe Life, and I already had a romance/chick lit novel work-in-progress that just so happened to involve a coffee shop, so I tweaked the tale and made it into a short story.

Once I get these term papers out of the way, I feel encouraged to write some more and turn my work-in-progress into a real novel!

 

What if I did run for President?

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I have half-joked for years … gosh, since high school, at least … about running for President of the United States in 2012. (Truth be told, I think I would rather be Vice President, because they seem to actually get to go places and talk to people other than at press conferences, photo ops and meetings.)

But, let’s just say that I did run for the high office. Then what?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is an idealistic tale that we want to believe because we’re raised to understand that “for the people” and “by the people” actually refers to we, the people … as in, you and me. I try to look at all sides of an issue and not get too mired in pessimism, but honestly, here’s what I think would really happen if I threw my hat in the ring:

  1. I may be a so-called “professional fundraiser,” but I don’t have the personal connections to raise the tens of millions of dollars necessary to run a presidential campaign. Plus, since most folks start raising money a year before the primaries, I’d already be way behind.
  2. Money aside, let’s talk about appearance. Oh, sure, we can pretend like it doesn’t matter, but we all know that it does. There are enough old “fat” pictures of me floating around cyberspace to provide cruel fodder for tabloids and pundit talk shows concerning my appearance. Even my current shape, which isn’t my goal but certainly represents an accomplishment, would probably be berated for not being “fit” enough. Someone would critique my hair cut/color. Someone would find out that I have a tattoo and call me a Satan worshiper without bothering to find out what the symbol means to me. Someone would be appalled that I shop resale. Someone would be aghast about the cartilage piercing in my left ear. Someone would take notice that I don’t care much for manicures and seldom paint my nails.
  3. Then there’s the family situation. As if I haven’t heard it all already. “Wow, five kids — Are you Catholic?” No, but if I was, I’d be even more offended than I am right now. “Kept trying for that girl, eh?” Shut your pie hole before I shut it for you. Without knowing squat about me, people would critique my ability to juggle the high demands of the office with the [no duh] high demands of raising a large family. Yeah, like I haven’t heard that one before in my own workplace. On the flip side, others would criticize my career, entirely, claiming that I must not really love my children because I didn’t drop everything to stay home to raise them. Again, tell me something I haven’t heard already. I can’t win for losing when people convince themselves of my abilities based on their assumptions of what they could (or couldn’t) handle. If it’s too much for them to fathom, then surely it must be too much for me.

There you have it: plain ol’ @ang4prez, aspiring to be Mr. Smith. The pathetic thing is, I’m not even running for public office, yet I slam into brick walls just trying to be taken seriously as a professional-who-can-do-other-things-besides-write-grants and a scholar-whose-suffix-acronym-is-something-other-than-PhD.

Some people juggle rubber balls. Some people juggle plates. Some people juggle flaming swords. Vastly more people sit in the audience without ever trying juggling at all and wait with anticipation for the performer to drop something, just so they can say, “I knew she couldn’t do it.” To those people, I say …

Watch me.

 

Writing Wednesday: Anarchism

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As part of our discussion on political ideologies, we’ve been talking about anarchism in one of my classes. In a nutshell, anarchy is reactionary; it opposes the influence of capitalism and power of government. It considers institutional government a hindrance to human progress.

The Industrial Revolution gave rise to the ideology of anarchism, as human labor became replaced by assembly lines; individual skills were overshadowed by machines, and a feeling of hopelessness led some to abhor the authority of governmental institutions.

At the core of anarchism is the belief that people — when left to their own devices without the influence of government — will naturally seek a harmonious society of benefit to all. (Call it human nature, sin, or whatever floats your boat, but I don’t think that humankind is inherently peaceable; I believe that we veer toward entropy and need some semblance of law-enforcing structure to keep us from “killing in the name” of a struggle for power.)

Ironically, anarchism is the purest form of “democracy” (rule of the people), though it is often associated with disorder and chaos stemming from the absence of government. Private property is seen as a tool of oppression that inhibits human liberty. I find it doubly ironic that bands like Rage Against the Machine, which has an image of The Anarchist Cookbook and the symbolic fist in the air on its website, must rely on capitalism to promote their music, fill the arenas and buy their merchandise. If capitalism is so evil, then why bother trying to sell anything? (For the record, I happen to like much of RATM’s music, particularly the less-rappy songs.)

Another thing I find interesting is that in Europe, the term libertarian is associated with socialism; whereas, here in the U.S. it refers to an ultra-conservative perspective. I wonder how many of the more extreme outliers in the Tea Party would appreciate knowing that their no-taxes-whatsoever stance mirrors the tenets of anarchism?

Writing Wednesday: More dissertation thoughts

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The difference between my degree program (DPA – Doctor of Public Administration) and a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science) is that the DPA is practitioner-oriented. That’s a fancy way of saying that what I’m learning is supposed to be applicable in real life. It’s not just about theory and history; it’s about putting what we’re learning into practice.

Many people who earn a DPA work in the public sector (ie, government jobs) or in a private sector role that relates to the public sector (ie, nonprofit organizations, thinktanks, higher education administration, policy analysis, etc.). Some go into academia as faculty members, although the Ph.D. is still preferred over the DPA in some circles. (Don’t get me started on the cliques in academia!) The policy analysis function is something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, particularly as it relates to my dissertation topic.

I’m waiting for feedback from my adviser, because this is new territory for me, and I want to be sure that I trek forward in the right direction. I’m wondering if I can write my dissertation as a policy recommendation to the Joint Economic Committee. Instead of just exploring the potential ramifications of virtual economies (taxation, in particular), I’m thinking of writing it as a plan of action–something they might actually use in developing a formal position on the topic.

Writing Wednesday: Am I a feminist?

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There are a few words and phrases in the American vernacular of which I am immediately skeptical, and feminism is one of them. I am a working mother who used to feel like the odd-[wo]man-out at my old church, surrounded by SAHMs — most of whom also home-schooled. I felt like my life was under a microscope. They never came right out and challenged me about my choice (obligation, need, whatev) to work outside the home, and to their credit, they were delightful ladies, so perhaps the pressure was self-imposed. At any rate, I never really felt like I fit in.

I took the minimum 6 weeks off with each of my childbirths, for the sole reason that I did not have enough vacation time accumulated to take more. In two of the three cases, I took leave without pay just to make it 6 weeks. So, other than brief maternity leave, I’ve never known what it is like to be a SAHM.

Am I a feminist because I work outside the home? I’m not sure about the answer to that. Actually, I’ve always assumed that I was not a feminist because of two main reasons: a) I am opposed to abortion, and b) I support women who elect not to work outside the home (provided it is their choice to do so and not imposed upon them). Regardless of whether the woman works a regular job or not, however, I do believe that men should be household helpers and know how to (and be actively willing to) change a diaper and cook a meal. Am I a feminist because I believe that men should pull their weight around the house? Perhaps, but I don’t know.

So, in an effort to challenge myself and broaden my perspective, I’m planning to write one of my term papers on the feminist ideology. There are no shortages of articles on the topic, so I’m going to look at feminism from the lens of Thomas L. Friedman’s “flat world” model. The World is Flat addresses the rapid technological changes that are “flattening” the globe, in a virtual sense.

I have only a vague outline right now, but I’m thinking of three sections:

  1. Women as breadwinners (how globalization is opening doors to women in poverty)
  2. Women as global leaders (exploring technology and political involvement)
  3. Women as change agents (looking at human rights, social justice, etc.)

We’ll see where it goes from there, but that’s my starting point. I’ll be sure to write another post when I figure out whether or not I’m a feminist. 😉

Writing Wednesday: Dissertation brainstorming

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I’ve been tossing around some ideas since the spring term about research adventures that might help me narrow down my dissertation topic. Unfortunately, academia moves at the speed of molasses sometimes, and delays that are out of my control have caused my side project to come to a halt. I am still hopeful that we’ll finish the paper eventually, but right now it’s on Pause.

I need to begin seriously paring down my ideas and formulating a dissertation topic. The problem is that I have too many interests! I am curious about the far-reaching impact of philanthropy, but my first foray into the subject didn’t provide the definitive results that I was hoping for. I was trying to see if private philanthropy played a role in driving public funding, but the example I used (Carnegie funding for U.S. libraries) was too disjointed to make a real connection. (Carnegie funding dried up, for the most part, in the early 1900s/teens, but federal funding didn’t begin until decades later, so it’s hard to say whether the former truly influenced the latter.)

I am interested in forecasting techniques and applying models from other disciplines (management, communication studies, etc.) to philanthropy — specifically, charitable giving in synthetic environments. I believe that we are on the cutting-edge of some really spectacular advances in social media types of technology, and philanthropy plays a role in that. It’s an under-researched area — which is challenging, on one hand, because there is little foundation, but it’s exciting, on the other hand, to think of playing a part in laying that foundation!

Foodie Friday: Spinach

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Spinach is like the nerd in high school who isn’t appreciated until years after graduation, when everyone else is struggling to make ends meet living paycheck-to-paycheck and the doesn’t-wear-Coke-bottle-glasses-anymore-because-they-can-afford-Lasik-and-you-can’t nerd is pulling six figures, filing patents and publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Then, everyone takes notice.

Spinach is one of my favorite foods now, though I must admit that I turned up my nose at it when I was younger. I love fresh spinach in salads, but my favorite way to eat spinach is with eggs. 

This morning, I made a spinach omelet, and I wish I could’ve shared a bite of it with you, because this picture doesn’t do it justice.

It was scrumptious, and such a healthy way to start my day!

For the record, some of my best friends were nerds. Heck, I was a nerd. I do prefer the more recently en vogue term “geek,” though. 😉

Writing Wednesday: Finding time

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I’m starting to feel the crunch of the semester this week. I have a mid-term exam next week that consists of nine essay questions with a 2.5-hr window in which to write/type. (The test is timed, and there is no grace to pause or restart.)

In fact, I’m using a vacation day to catch up on reading and prep for the exam. My evenings are ok for reading and brief assignments, but sometimes I have to carve out a few hours to really focus. If I can’t do that on a weekend, then I am thankful that I have vacation time to use. Some vacation, eh? Ha!

As soon as that exam is finished, I have two term papers to write. One of them is 20-30 pages, and from what I know of that prof, I should probably err on the 30 end. Oi vey. I have begun some preliminary research for the term papers, but my first priority is to knock out the exam. The prof gave some general topics that we need to be mindful of, so I am going to take that as a hint and write up some generic paragraph prompts to help the essays go more smoothly during crunch time.

Prayers for clarity of mind and time to focus are much appreciated!

Note-taking

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I’m not inebriated; I just have my own style of shorthand when it comes to note-taking.

My mom used to tease that I was bound to become a doctor or journalist. Well, I did kinda fit into one of those roles, at one point. 😉

I tend to take notes by hand as I read, then I transcribe (translate? LOL) them by typing them up in outline form in Word. That makes it easier to search for key terms later, when I’m working on essay questions, etc. Even though some of my exams are open-book/open-note, they are timed (ie, you log on to take the test, and the countdown begins), so you don’t have leeway to pause and thumb through the chapters to jog your memory; you have to have the answers at your fingertips and know the material well enough to find it in a jiffy. The write/type review works well for me as a study tool.