11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Anniversary
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Today I get to celebrate that I'm two years done with my three year stint as "Area Dean for Computer Science" (chair). Whoever the new person is, they're supposed to start July 1, 2013. I've already starting encouraging the possible successors to step up. (Indeed, I've already started to become a bit more ambitious. I'm hoping to line up the next 3 or 4 people for the position; no tag backs for a decade...)
It's not that I'm unhappy with the job. (I realize that statement is a no-op; I have to say that. I'm trying to get others to take over.) I'm pleased with what I've been able to do. We tenured two faculty last year (Hanspeter Pfister and Radhika Nagpal); we promoted another (Yiling Chen); we hired a new faculty member (Yaron Singer); and we've just had a junior faculty search for next year approved. We're (still) a relatively small department with a lot of demands on us, and I came in with a clear goal for us for faculty growth. I feel we've been successful in this regard. There have been some other nice successes, such as the new SEAS Design Fair I helped manage and organize, which I expect will be an annual event. And I'm able to act as the faculty interface with the administration in various ways, helping, I hope, keep things running smoothly.
But I'll also be happy to step down. I'm overdue for a sabbatical already (the price of agreeing to a 3-year job). I'll enjoy getting the time back for other things. (Though I expect I'm being unrealistic, and that some other committee or administrative task will try to absorb the time.) I like the "serve 3 years and out" model (though I see weaknesses in it too, in terms of setting up longer term infrastructures). I enjoy taking on new experiences and challenges, so trying out "management" (if that's what this job is) has been interesting and educational. But in one more year, another change will be good.
It's not that I'm unhappy with the job. (I realize that statement is a no-op; I have to say that. I'm trying to get others to take over.) I'm pleased with what I've been able to do. We tenured two faculty last year (Hanspeter Pfister and Radhika Nagpal); we promoted another (Yiling Chen); we hired a new faculty member (Yaron Singer); and we've just had a junior faculty search for next year approved. We're (still) a relatively small department with a lot of demands on us, and I came in with a clear goal for us for faculty growth. I feel we've been successful in this regard. There have been some other nice successes, such as the new SEAS Design Fair I helped manage and organize, which I expect will be an annual event. And I'm able to act as the faculty interface with the administration in various ways, helping, I hope, keep things running smoothly.
But I'll also be happy to step down. I'm overdue for a sabbatical already (the price of agreeing to a 3-year job). I'll enjoy getting the time back for other things. (Though I expect I'm being unrealistic, and that some other committee or administrative task will try to absorb the time.) I like the "serve 3 years and out" model (though I see weaknesses in it too, in terms of setting up longer term infrastructures). I enjoy taking on new experiences and challenges, so trying out "management" (if that's what this job is) has been interesting and educational. But in one more year, another change will be good.
Confucious Say:
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"If you can't be content with what you have received,
Be thankful for what you have escaped."
A wise man buys his wife fine China, so she won't trust him to wash it.
Religious woman with hole in pocket, feel holy all day.
Constipated People Don't Give A Crap.
If You Don't Believe In Oral Sex, Keep Your Mouth Shut.
Man who throw a cat out car window, makes kitty litter.
Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.
Asking a stupid question is better than repairing a stupid mistake.
Be thankful for what you have escaped."
A wise man buys his wife fine China, so she won't trust him to wash it.
Religious woman with hole in pocket, feel holy all day.
Constipated People Don't Give A Crap.
If You Don't Believe In Oral Sex, Keep Your Mouth Shut.
Man who throw a cat out car window, makes kitty litter.
Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.
Asking a stupid question is better than repairing a stupid mistake.
Work out exercise program.
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The Doctor told me I should start an exercise programme.
Not wanting to harm this old body, I've devised the following:
Beat around the bush
Jump to conclusions
Climb the walls
Wade through the morning paper.
Drag my heels
Push my luck
Make mountains out of mole hills
Hit the nail on the head.
Bend over backwards
Jump on the band wagon
Run around in circles.
Toot my own horn
Pull out all the stops
Add fuel to the fire
Open a can of worms
Put my foot in my mouth
Start the ball rolling
Go over the edge.
Pick up the pieces.
Kneel in prayer
Bow my head in thanksgiving
Uplift my hands in praise
Hug someone and encourage them.
What a Workout!
Rest At Last!
Not wanting to harm this old body, I've devised the following:
Beat around the bush
Jump to conclusions
Climb the walls
Wade through the morning paper.
Drag my heels
Push my luck
Make mountains out of mole hills
Hit the nail on the head.
Bend over backwards
Jump on the band wagon
Run around in circles.
Toot my own horn
Pull out all the stops
Add fuel to the fire
Open a can of worms
Put my foot in my mouth
Start the ball rolling
Go over the edge.
Pick up the pieces.
Kneel in prayer
Bow my head in thanksgiving
Uplift my hands in praise
Hug someone and encourage them.
What a Workout!
Rest At Last!
Week Weak.
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A young girl started work in the village chemist shop. She was very shy
about having to sell condoms to the public. The owner was going on holiday
for a couple of days and asked if she would be willing to run the shop on
her own. She had to confide in him her worries about selling the
contraceptives.
"Look," he said. "My regular customers don't ask for condoms, they'll ask
for a 310 [small] a 320[medium] or a 330[large]. The word condom won't even
be used.
The first day was fine but on the second day a black guy came in to the
shop, put out his hand and said "350".
The girl panicked. She phoned the owner on his mobile and told him of her
predicament.
"Go back in and check if he has a yellow bucket hanging between his legs"
her boss told her.
She peeped through the door and saw the yellow bucket hanging between his
legs. "Yes!" she said " He's got one hanging there!"
The boss said "Go back in and give him $3.50, he's the window cleaner!"
about having to sell condoms to the public. The owner was going on holiday
for a couple of days and asked if she would be willing to run the shop on
her own. She had to confide in him her worries about selling the
contraceptives.
"Look," he said. "My regular customers don't ask for condoms, they'll ask
for a 310 [small] a 320[medium] or a 330[large]. The word condom won't even
be used.
The first day was fine but on the second day a black guy came in to the
shop, put out his hand and said "350".
The girl panicked. She phoned the owner on his mobile and told him of her
predicament.
"Go back in and check if he has a yellow bucket hanging between his legs"
her boss told her.
She peeped through the door and saw the yellow bucket hanging between his
legs. "Yes!" she said " He's got one hanging there!"
The boss said "Go back in and give him $3.50, he's the window cleaner!"
Politically Incorrect - VERY
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Such an unfair world. When a man talks dirty to a woman its considered
sexual harassment. When a woman talks dirty to a man its £2.50/min
(charges may vary).
Got stopped in the street outside Boots today by a woman with a
clipboard asking "What products do I use for grooming?" She was a bit
taken aback when I replied, "Facebook".
Just booked a table for Valentine's Day for me and the wife. Bound to
end in tears though - she's crap at snooker.
Met a beautiful girl down at the park today. Sparks flew, she fell at
my feet and we ended up having sex there and then. God, I love my new
Taser!
Got a new Jack Russell pup today, he's mainly black and brown with
just a small white area so I've called him Bradford
If you get an email telling you that you can catch Swine Flu from tins
of ham then delete it. It's Spam.
They say that sex is the best form of exercise. Now correct me if I'm
wrong but I don't think 2 minutes and 15 seconds every 3 months is
going to shift this beer belly.
I've just watched a documentary about children being beaten and abused
in Indian sweatshops. Looking at the quality of stitching on my new
trainers the little bastards deserved it!
When I was a kid people used to cover me in chocolate and cream and
put a cherry on my head. Yeah, life was tough in the gateau.
The local deli ran out of milk again due to the freezing weather,
fortunately, my elderly neighbour Doreen has plenty stacked up on her
doorstep.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
News flashes:
1. Now on sale at IKEA - beds for lesbians: no nuts or screwing
involved, it's all tongue and groove.
2. A Muslim has been shot with a starting pistol; police say it's
definitely race related.
3. Due to a water shortage in Ireland, Dublin swimming baths have
announced they are closing lanes 7 and 8.
4. I got a letter from Screw Fix Direct thanking me for my
interest, but explaining they were not a dating agency.
5. The lead actor in the local pantomime production of Aladdin
was anally raped by the gay genie on stage last night - to be fair the
audience did try to warn him.
sexual harassment. When a woman talks dirty to a man its £2.50/min
(charges may vary).
Got stopped in the street outside Boots today by a woman with a
clipboard asking "What products do I use for grooming?" She was a bit
taken aback when I replied, "Facebook".
Just booked a table for Valentine's Day for me and the wife. Bound to
end in tears though - she's crap at snooker.
Met a beautiful girl down at the park today. Sparks flew, she fell at
my feet and we ended up having sex there and then. God, I love my new
Taser!
Got a new Jack Russell pup today, he's mainly black and brown with
just a small white area so I've called him Bradford
If you get an email telling you that you can catch Swine Flu from tins
of ham then delete it. It's Spam.
They say that sex is the best form of exercise. Now correct me if I'm
wrong but I don't think 2 minutes and 15 seconds every 3 months is
going to shift this beer belly.
I've just watched a documentary about children being beaten and abused
in Indian sweatshops. Looking at the quality of stitching on my new
trainers the little bastards deserved it!
When I was a kid people used to cover me in chocolate and cream and
put a cherry on my head. Yeah, life was tough in the gateau.
The local deli ran out of milk again due to the freezing weather,
fortunately, my elderly neighbour Doreen has plenty stacked up on her
doorstep.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
News flashes:
1. Now on sale at IKEA - beds for lesbians: no nuts or screwing
involved, it's all tongue and groove.
2. A Muslim has been shot with a starting pistol; police say it's
definitely race related.
3. Due to a water shortage in Ireland, Dublin swimming baths have
announced they are closing lanes 7 and 8.
4. I got a letter from Screw Fix Direct thanking me for my
interest, but explaining they were not a dating agency.
5. The lead actor in the local pantomime production of Aladdin
was anally raped by the gay genie on stage last night - to be fair the
audience did try to warn him.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Click!
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A couple of days ago, I went to the big city with a friend, and we stopped at a big sporting goods store. I got a new daypack, to replace the one that's been repaired twice and went to Japan and the UK with me. I also looked at new biking shoes because since I've been biking as an adult, I get numb feet after a while and it makes biking longer less and less fun. (I currently have mountain bike sort of shoes that make it possible to walk because the cleat's recessed a bit, but supposedly, they aren't quite as stiff as road shoes.) It's a pretty common thing, and I've read that having really stiff soles helps. They didn't sell me new biking shoes, but suggested some inserts, so I got those and changed out the inserts in my shoes.
Then I was looking at web stuff, and noticed that in addition to the changing shoe advice, some advice said to move the cleats back.
So I figured out how to move the cleats back (there are three possible positions on my shoes to screw the cleats in), and moved the cleat on my right foot back. Then I put the bike on the trainer, and got on and rode a bit.
Typically, my foot goes numb somewhere between mile 8 and mile 12 if I'm just riding. On a trainer, I tend not to ride for a long while, but ride in 5 mile chunks because, well, because. (If you've ridden a trainer, you understand, I bet, even if you have more self discipline about it.) But sure enough, my left foot started going numb. And neither of my feet was particularly happy about the inserts.
So then after about mile 10, I moved the cleat on the left foot. The foot was already sort of numbing, so it never did feel quite right, but the right foot didn't get numb!
And yesterday I rode outside, did 22 miles, and my right foot didn't get numb at all. My left foot started to a bit, but not nearly as bad as usual. I think riding may get even more fun now!
(I love the way bikers talk about "clipping in" to "clipless pedals." It's a weird holdover, I gather, from when bikers used toe clips and used to have to reach down and either engage or disengage them to hold or let loose the foot/shoe.)
Then I was looking at web stuff, and noticed that in addition to the changing shoe advice, some advice said to move the cleats back.
So I figured out how to move the cleats back (there are three possible positions on my shoes to screw the cleats in), and moved the cleat on my right foot back. Then I put the bike on the trainer, and got on and rode a bit.
Typically, my foot goes numb somewhere between mile 8 and mile 12 if I'm just riding. On a trainer, I tend not to ride for a long while, but ride in 5 mile chunks because, well, because. (If you've ridden a trainer, you understand, I bet, even if you have more self discipline about it.) But sure enough, my left foot started going numb. And neither of my feet was particularly happy about the inserts.
So then after about mile 10, I moved the cleat on the left foot. The foot was already sort of numbing, so it never did feel quite right, but the right foot didn't get numb!
And yesterday I rode outside, did 22 miles, and my right foot didn't get numb at all. My left foot started to a bit, but not nearly as bad as usual. I think riding may get even more fun now!
(I love the way bikers talk about "clipping in" to "clipless pedals." It's a weird holdover, I gather, from when bikers used toe clips and used to have to reach down and either engage or disengage them to hold or let loose the foot/shoe.)
Second Lunch
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Do you remember the part in the LotR films (the first one, maybe?) where the halflings are with Aragorn out in the wilderness, and he's trying to get them moving, but they want to stop to eat breakfast. Aragorn says they've already eaten, and one of them asks what about second breakfast, and then has names for three extra meals?
Today, I had breakfast, then went for a bike ride with a friend. She invited me to stay for lunch, and fixed this incredible lunch, a really full plate full, and I ate every bit, and it was really, really good. We chatted a bit, and I went home. And within an hour, I was hungry for second lunch. So I had a peanut butter sandwich. And that was good, too!
I did finish my 100 miles for the week, though, and I still have an extra day to ride tomorrow. I also went on a short walk/run with another friend in the late afternoon. (She's trying to get into a habit of exercising, and I'm trying to be an encouraging friend, and also getting some exercise.)
Today, I had breakfast, then went for a bike ride with a friend. She invited me to stay for lunch, and fixed this incredible lunch, a really full plate full, and I ate every bit, and it was really, really good. We chatted a bit, and I went home. And within an hour, I was hungry for second lunch. So I had a peanut butter sandwich. And that was good, too!
I did finish my 100 miles for the week, though, and I still have an extra day to ride tomorrow. I also went on a short walk/run with another friend in the late afternoon. (She's trying to get into a habit of exercising, and I'm trying to be an encouraging friend, and also getting some exercise.)
Reassurance
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What with the news lately, I thought I should take time to reassure you that I ride clean. Well, not really clean, because I get chain tatoos (or "noob marks") just looking at my bike. How does that even happen?
What I can claim, is that I don't blood dope. That's assuming that hormonal birth control doesn't count as blood doping. I don't think a little regular hormones counts, right?
I do drink a fair bit of coffee. Please dog that never gets outlawed!
And while my blood has never actually been tested for doping stuff that I know of, the Red Cross tests it regularly (when I donate) for whatever it is they look for, and I either have it (red blood cells, yay) or don't (a variety of testable diseases, boo!), and they keep calling me every eight weeks for more.
Further, my performance on the bike (and elsewhere) demonstrates that I haven't suddenly become a super biker with great endurance or incredible acceleration on hills to drop whomever I'm riding with. I can't accelerate convincingly away from mailboxes.
I've also never won a race. I think it's obvious that I haven't won because I've never actually entered a race, but there may be other factors in play. The closest I get to "pro" on a bike is putting my sunglass earpieces on the outside of my helmet straps. (I still have my lawyer tabs and dork discs in place, though I did lose one of the wheel reflectors a while back.)
So for those of you who follow my biking, you can be reassured! You will have to ride slowly, or you won't be following for long, though.
This message brought to you by the letters E, P, and O, and the dollar sign.
What I can claim, is that I don't blood dope. That's assuming that hormonal birth control doesn't count as blood doping. I don't think a little regular hormones counts, right?
I do drink a fair bit of coffee. Please dog that never gets outlawed!
And while my blood has never actually been tested for doping stuff that I know of, the Red Cross tests it regularly (when I donate) for whatever it is they look for, and I either have it (red blood cells, yay) or don't (a variety of testable diseases, boo!), and they keep calling me every eight weeks for more.
Further, my performance on the bike (and elsewhere) demonstrates that I haven't suddenly become a super biker with great endurance or incredible acceleration on hills to drop whomever I'm riding with. I can't accelerate convincingly away from mailboxes.
I've also never won a race. I think it's obvious that I haven't won because I've never actually entered a race, but there may be other factors in play. The closest I get to "pro" on a bike is putting my sunglass earpieces on the outside of my helmet straps. (I still have my lawyer tabs and dork discs in place, though I did lose one of the wheel reflectors a while back.)
So for those of you who follow my biking, you can be reassured! You will have to ride slowly, or you won't be following for long, though.
This message brought to you by the letters E, P, and O, and the dollar sign.
Pain and Doubt
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I was reading a longish written piece today, and it was really hard, mostly because it wasn't well written. In some ways, it was painfully badly written, with sentence, paragraph, and organizational problems.
I procrastinated about reading it (not horribly, but enough to mess up most of the day), and kept getting frustrated as I was reading it. But I finished and responded. I hope my response was helpful.
It's so much harder to respond to a longish piece that's poorly written. Usually, say, in a writing class, you start students with fairly short papers, and while they are sometimes painfully badly written, it's three or four pages of pain. This was considerably longer.
And those three or four pages, as you're reading them, you think about the most important things to repond to, and the things you'll be teaching the class as a whole, and you try to focus on a couple things, starting with big picture stuff. But this piece needs to be right, and it's rushed, and it way harder to know what to respond to.
That's where my doubts come in. I've read papers before where I felt that maybe I just wasn't smart enough to understand, and wasn't sure that wasn't the problem more than bad writing. This paper wasn't like that. Instead, my doubts come in about whether I can help this writer to do a better job writing this argument. I have such doubts about how good I am at this part of life.
I did my best, focusing first on the bigger organizational stuff, and then including the lesser stuff to the extent that it absolutely has to be at least competent.
Now it's late enough that I'm going to put my bike on the indoor trainer, put food in my face, and then spin myself tired. (The new week starts today, so I need to do 20-25 miles to feel good about my chances for another 100 mile week. That also has to do with rain potential, and not just whether I can ride 100 miles.)
I procrastinated about reading it (not horribly, but enough to mess up most of the day), and kept getting frustrated as I was reading it. But I finished and responded. I hope my response was helpful.
It's so much harder to respond to a longish piece that's poorly written. Usually, say, in a writing class, you start students with fairly short papers, and while they are sometimes painfully badly written, it's three or four pages of pain. This was considerably longer.
And those three or four pages, as you're reading them, you think about the most important things to repond to, and the things you'll be teaching the class as a whole, and you try to focus on a couple things, starting with big picture stuff. But this piece needs to be right, and it's rushed, and it way harder to know what to respond to.
That's where my doubts come in. I've read papers before where I felt that maybe I just wasn't smart enough to understand, and wasn't sure that wasn't the problem more than bad writing. This paper wasn't like that. Instead, my doubts come in about whether I can help this writer to do a better job writing this argument. I have such doubts about how good I am at this part of life.
I did my best, focusing first on the bigger organizational stuff, and then including the lesser stuff to the extent that it absolutely has to be at least competent.
Now it's late enough that I'm going to put my bike on the indoor trainer, put food in my face, and then spin myself tired. (The new week starts today, so I need to do 20-25 miles to feel good about my chances for another 100 mile week. That also has to do with rain potential, and not just whether I can ride 100 miles.)
Bourgeois
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That's me.
The women's studies folks on campus put together a summer reading group to read and chat about bell hooks' Where We Stand: Class Matters. We're reading a couple chapters at a time, and then getting together mostly once a week to chat.
The argument in the first bit is that we (US dominant culture) don't talk enough about social class and its effects on people's experience. I think we talk more about social class than hooks thinks we do, but I see that we don't talk enough about it. hooks talks about her family background and her estrangement, and asks how much one can hold onto and how much one gives up in moving from growing up poor to getting to the middle class. That seems like a really good question. (She makes the point, since maybe you're wondering, that she's already written books with start their analysis from feminist and race-centered positions. She doesn't ignore either, here, but starts with social class.)
She talks a fair bit about not fitting in at college where she first went, and eventually at Stanford, where she went also.
I found the book a bit repetitive in its argument, but hooks is readable, and interesting, so it was okay. But I didn't find it especially compelling as far as we'd read.
When folks started talking, though, it made me really think about how bourgeois my reaction was. Several of the people talked about growing up very poor on this or that farm in the upper midwest, mostly.
I grew up pretty solidly middle class, and very bourgeois, since my family (grandfather, father, uncle) owned a business, and thus owned the means of production.
So mostly I kept my mouth shut.
The best question of the evening was when someone asked how we define "class." Me, I tend to think in terms of a fairly Marxist definition. Others not so much. A few thought more metaphorically, where "class" became about acting in certain ways, or having self-respect.
We're meeting again tonight, and I've been thinking about the new chapters and about last week's discussion.
I wonder if the folks that talked about growing up on farms grew up on farms that their families owned (or that their families owned with the bank or credit union)?
How would that play into the Marxist definition? Does it mean the same thing if you own the means of production and work with that capital to produce whatever it is? Is there a difference between owning a farm that way and owning another sort of business?
One of the things that struck another person and came up in conversation later was how many of the people in the conversation had grown up and stayed very much in the same area. In this conversation, at least, geographical movement was tied fairly strongly to having a phd and being on the tenure line (though not completely). (The sample size is pretty small, too.)
It feels like there's something untold in hooks' narrative about college. I think she grew up in Ohio, and I have no idea about how public universities in Ohio were in the 70s about African American students. I know African American students in my home state went to college at lower rates, and had far fewer opportunities. But I wondered why she'd chosen to go to a private school rather than a state school?
I guess my wondering comes from growing up in a state with (then, at least) excellent public secondary education, to the extent that very few of the kids I graduated high school with went to private schools. (I can name two that I know of. Everyone else I can think of who went on went to public schools.)
I think private schools are more prevalent in some parts of the country rather than others, and maybe offered scholarships more than public schools?
The women's studies folks on campus put together a summer reading group to read and chat about bell hooks' Where We Stand: Class Matters. We're reading a couple chapters at a time, and then getting together mostly once a week to chat.
The argument in the first bit is that we (US dominant culture) don't talk enough about social class and its effects on people's experience. I think we talk more about social class than hooks thinks we do, but I see that we don't talk enough about it. hooks talks about her family background and her estrangement, and asks how much one can hold onto and how much one gives up in moving from growing up poor to getting to the middle class. That seems like a really good question. (She makes the point, since maybe you're wondering, that she's already written books with start their analysis from feminist and race-centered positions. She doesn't ignore either, here, but starts with social class.)
She talks a fair bit about not fitting in at college where she first went, and eventually at Stanford, where she went also.
I found the book a bit repetitive in its argument, but hooks is readable, and interesting, so it was okay. But I didn't find it especially compelling as far as we'd read.
When folks started talking, though, it made me really think about how bourgeois my reaction was. Several of the people talked about growing up very poor on this or that farm in the upper midwest, mostly.
I grew up pretty solidly middle class, and very bourgeois, since my family (grandfather, father, uncle) owned a business, and thus owned the means of production.
So mostly I kept my mouth shut.
The best question of the evening was when someone asked how we define "class." Me, I tend to think in terms of a fairly Marxist definition. Others not so much. A few thought more metaphorically, where "class" became about acting in certain ways, or having self-respect.
We're meeting again tonight, and I've been thinking about the new chapters and about last week's discussion.
I wonder if the folks that talked about growing up on farms grew up on farms that their families owned (or that their families owned with the bank or credit union)?
How would that play into the Marxist definition? Does it mean the same thing if you own the means of production and work with that capital to produce whatever it is? Is there a difference between owning a farm that way and owning another sort of business?
One of the things that struck another person and came up in conversation later was how many of the people in the conversation had grown up and stayed very much in the same area. In this conversation, at least, geographical movement was tied fairly strongly to having a phd and being on the tenure line (though not completely). (The sample size is pretty small, too.)
It feels like there's something untold in hooks' narrative about college. I think she grew up in Ohio, and I have no idea about how public universities in Ohio were in the 70s about African American students. I know African American students in my home state went to college at lower rates, and had far fewer opportunities. But I wondered why she'd chosen to go to a private school rather than a state school?
I guess my wondering comes from growing up in a state with (then, at least) excellent public secondary education, to the extent that very few of the kids I graduated high school with went to private schools. (I can name two that I know of. Everyone else I can think of who went on went to public schools.)
I think private schools are more prevalent in some parts of the country rather than others, and maybe offered scholarships more than public schools?
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Fresh Start
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I had my teeth cleaned today. It always feels like I get to start anew, in a way, when they've been cleaned and polished. No problems, just needed a cleaning.
I also went to a bike shop and got a bike fit. It was helpful, and really interesting. I wonder at myself at having numb feet after 12 or so miles pretty much every ride, and not getting a fit sooner. He adjusted a cleat to straighten it (I moved them up earlier in the week), moved the seat a tad up and then down, and then about a half a centimeter back.
I finished my hundred miles for the week inside this evening (since it was raining outside), and the new fit seems to help!
I also went to a bike shop and got a bike fit. It was helpful, and really interesting. I wonder at myself at having numb feet after 12 or so miles pretty much every ride, and not getting a fit sooner. He adjusted a cleat to straighten it (I moved them up earlier in the week), moved the seat a tad up and then down, and then about a half a centimeter back.
I finished my hundred miles for the week inside this evening (since it was raining outside), and the new fit seems to help!
Retrospective
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I went off and talked to some folks in different stages of their academic careers recently, and it struck me how much I changed in the first couple years teaching (after my phud) and what a difference that made for me in getting a second job.
One of the folks, let's call her Betty, was talking about her work. She was excited, and the work sounds interesting, but there was something that I can't quite put my finger on that stood out to me as telling: she's still in grad school mode. (She finished a couple years ago.)
I don't know what exactly it was, though. And I know for me, teaching as a lecturer helped me learn to talk about my teaching AND my research in much more effective ways. And during my first tt job, I somehow learned to have totally different conversations about my work and other peoples' work. The thing is, I wouldn't have believed when I was a grad student, how very much I didn't sound ready. I couldn't have recognized it until I hit it myself, though retrospectively, I'm pretty sure a couple of my friends were already there in grad school. (So it's not just a grad school or not thing, or an age thing, but there's some change that happens to most people, and they're in a different mode and it shows.)
I was talking with another old hand later, and separately, and we talked about Betty a bit, and the other old hand had the same impression.
The sad thing is that in a super competitive market, Betty doesn't stand much chance against the people who have made it to the different mode already. But I wouldn't know how to help Betty change modes, or even how to explain to Betty about the modes.
Have you noticed this phenomenon? Can you explain it better?
One of the folks, let's call her Betty, was talking about her work. She was excited, and the work sounds interesting, but there was something that I can't quite put my finger on that stood out to me as telling: she's still in grad school mode. (She finished a couple years ago.)
I don't know what exactly it was, though. And I know for me, teaching as a lecturer helped me learn to talk about my teaching AND my research in much more effective ways. And during my first tt job, I somehow learned to have totally different conversations about my work and other peoples' work. The thing is, I wouldn't have believed when I was a grad student, how very much I didn't sound ready. I couldn't have recognized it until I hit it myself, though retrospectively, I'm pretty sure a couple of my friends were already there in grad school. (So it's not just a grad school or not thing, or an age thing, but there's some change that happens to most people, and they're in a different mode and it shows.)
I was talking with another old hand later, and separately, and we talked about Betty a bit, and the other old hand had the same impression.
The sad thing is that in a super competitive market, Betty doesn't stand much chance against the people who have made it to the different mode already. But I wouldn't know how to help Betty change modes, or even how to explain to Betty about the modes.
Have you noticed this phenomenon? Can you explain it better?
Revelation
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I just got back from a 35+ mile ride. It was GREAT. How great, you ask? Very!
I usually go out to ride with a rough plan. I'll choose a route based on wind direction, how I feel, how much time I have, how hot it is, and so on. Today, my plan was to go out QQ for 15-25 miles; depending on how I felt, I'd turn back at whatever point.
I turned back at about 13 miles (which is where the quieter road hits the busier road, and so it's a good place to turn back and stay on the quieter road). My feet weren't numb AT ALL, though in the past, they've started going numb at 8-10 miles. In addition to adjusting a cleat to be straighter and my seat, the bike fitter had given me a few stretching sorts of things to try on the bike, and they seemed to help a lot, but not as much as the cleat adjustment did.
I rode back most of the way, to the point where I cross a bike path, and then because I was feeling so good, and my feet weren't numb, I turned onto the bike path and rode a while more. When I turned back, I turned more because I was hungry (I stopped on the way back to get a sandwich because I hadn't taken one since I hadn't planned to ride so far) and tiring, and didn't want to get too far out and face a headwind coming home.
It's so much better to ride without numb feet! I can't believe I didn't get a bike fitting sooner!
Now I'm tired, but not sore or anything.
I loved my bike a lot before, but now it's even better!
I usually go out to ride with a rough plan. I'll choose a route based on wind direction, how I feel, how much time I have, how hot it is, and so on. Today, my plan was to go out QQ for 15-25 miles; depending on how I felt, I'd turn back at whatever point.
I turned back at about 13 miles (which is where the quieter road hits the busier road, and so it's a good place to turn back and stay on the quieter road). My feet weren't numb AT ALL, though in the past, they've started going numb at 8-10 miles. In addition to adjusting a cleat to be straighter and my seat, the bike fitter had given me a few stretching sorts of things to try on the bike, and they seemed to help a lot, but not as much as the cleat adjustment did.
I rode back most of the way, to the point where I cross a bike path, and then because I was feeling so good, and my feet weren't numb, I turned onto the bike path and rode a while more. When I turned back, I turned more because I was hungry (I stopped on the way back to get a sandwich because I hadn't taken one since I hadn't planned to ride so far) and tiring, and didn't want to get too far out and face a headwind coming home.
It's so much better to ride without numb feet! I can't believe I didn't get a bike fitting sooner!
Now I'm tired, but not sore or anything.
I loved my bike a lot before, but now it's even better!
Overwhelmed
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How is it that I'm overwhelmed by work and yet it's summer?
And weeds are overwhelming the yard.
I have to read stuff now, and respond.
And then I have to read stuff and learn.
And then I have to read other stuff and learn, and write a thing for the student engagement project.
And then I have to read some other stuff and write a paper.
And then I have classes to prep, and a paper to revise, and SAA stuffs to sign up for.
I need to get up earlier to get a ride in, or weed, or mow before it's too hot, and then work inside when it's hot. Happily, today isn't too hot. Nor is the area on fire, and I think this is a good thing.
Am I procrastinating because this thing I need to read and respond to isn't "mine"? Or would I procrastinate just as badly if it were mine? (The second, probably.)
And weeds are overwhelming the yard.
I have to read stuff now, and respond.
And then I have to read stuff and learn.
And then I have to read other stuff and learn, and write a thing for the student engagement project.
And then I have to read some other stuff and write a paper.
And then I have classes to prep, and a paper to revise, and SAA stuffs to sign up for.
I need to get up earlier to get a ride in, or weed, or mow before it's too hot, and then work inside when it's hot. Happily, today isn't too hot. Nor is the area on fire, and I think this is a good thing.
Am I procrastinating because this thing I need to read and respond to isn't "mine"? Or would I procrastinate just as badly if it were mine? (The second, probably.)
I Should Be Packing
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I'm going on a trip with my Mom, leaving tomorrow, meeting up in a southwestern city known more for excess and consumption than anything else, taking a shuttle to another city, and then in the morning, going on a bus tour of Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. It should be good. And I should be packing.
Instead, I'm futzing around, looking at my sunflower, playing with aperture sizes, and trying to figure out what to take.
The suggested packing list says to bring hiking boots. I have a pair that I got in the UK, but they're bulky. And I'm wondering how much I'm likely to need hiking boots on a trip with my 80+ year old mother.
If I don't take the hiking boots, then I take a pair of supportive sneakers and a pair of really light runners (for the day we're supposed to plan on being wet; they suggested closed toe sandals, but I'd have to go out and get those, and these I have). If I take hiking boots, do I leave behind the sneakers? Hiking boots are bulky, and I don't want to end up carrying them in my backpack a lot.
Then there's the base layer question. I love my long johns. But when I think of putting on long johns for a cool morning, and then ending up at 90+ degrees, I'm going to need to take them off. But they're always under all the other layers. At least they're light and not bulky!
Anyway, I'll be afk for a bit.
Meanwhile, does anyone know if sunflowers are self pollinating (or can be pollinated by bees or whatever from their own pollen)?
I planted some sunflowers from a mixed packet of heritage seeds, and I'm hoping I can collect some for next year to replant. (I've done that with regular sunflowers before, but since I wasn't here to harvest in the fall, I didn't have my own seeds to start this year, so had to buy some.) This is the only one flowering so far, so it either has to pollinate itself or the seeds won't be fertile. And I'm not sure all the others are the same species to pollinate one another. (Are there many species of sunflowers, or mostly different cultivars? So many questions! Much more fun to futz around with the sunflower than to get packed!)
And as a side note: I can't quite really believe that a year ago I was getting ready to go spend a month in London and more in the UK. My mind can't quite wrap around it somehow.
I've been watching the tour, and when they show pictures, say of Paris, I think, hey, I was there. And I was, but wow, was I really? Really?
I've been doing this a lot this spring, especially when I see pictures on TV of castles or cathedrals or whatever, and think, hey, I WAS there.
I'm going on a trip with my Mom, leaving tomorrow, meeting up in a southwestern city known more for excess and consumption than anything else, taking a shuttle to another city, and then in the morning, going on a bus tour of Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. It should be good. And I should be packing.Instead, I'm futzing around, looking at my sunflower, playing with aperture sizes, and trying to figure out what to take.
The suggested packing list says to bring hiking boots. I have a pair that I got in the UK, but they're bulky. And I'm wondering how much I'm likely to need hiking boots on a trip with my 80+ year old mother.
If I don't take the hiking boots, then I take a pair of supportive sneakers and a pair of really light runners (for the day we're supposed to plan on being wet; they suggested closed toe sandals, but I'd have to go out and get those, and these I have). If I take hiking boots, do I leave behind the sneakers? Hiking boots are bulky, and I don't want to end up carrying them in my backpack a lot.
Then there's the base layer question. I love my long johns. But when I think of putting on long johns for a cool morning, and then ending up at 90+ degrees, I'm going to need to take them off. But they're always under all the other layers. At least they're light and not bulky!
Anyway, I'll be afk for a bit.
Meanwhile, does anyone know if sunflowers are self pollinating (or can be pollinated by bees or whatever from their own pollen)?
I planted some sunflowers from a mixed packet of heritage seeds, and I'm hoping I can collect some for next year to replant. (I've done that with regular sunflowers before, but since I wasn't here to harvest in the fall, I didn't have my own seeds to start this year, so had to buy some.) This is the only one flowering so far, so it either has to pollinate itself or the seeds won't be fertile. And I'm not sure all the others are the same species to pollinate one another. (Are there many species of sunflowers, or mostly different cultivars? So many questions! Much more fun to futz around with the sunflower than to get packed!)
And as a side note: I can't quite really believe that a year ago I was getting ready to go spend a month in London and more in the UK. My mind can't quite wrap around it somehow.
I've been watching the tour, and when they show pictures, say of Paris, I think, hey, I was there. And I was, but wow, was I really? Really?
I've been doing this a lot this spring, especially when I see pictures on TV of castles or cathedrals or whatever, and think, hey, I WAS there.
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Bike, Bardiac, Bike!
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I went out for a ride on the trail today, and since I was feeling good, I went hard, and checked my time at 15 miles: 16.7 mph average.
That's the fastest I've gone in a long time. I kept riding fast, but then I saw some friends, and turned to ride more with them, chatting and relaxing. It was even more fun. (That probably says a lot about my biking attitude. I was happy to turn around and ride a bit with friends chatting rather than pushing to do a time thing.)
Here's some perspective: from May 2007, I rode just under 16 mph.
From October 2008, 17 mph.
And from July 2009, 17.4 mph.
For me, then, this was a really good ride. I think the bike fit helped. Certainly, it's even more fun to ride with feet that aren't numb.
I've done just under 400 miles this month (compared to about 450 all of last year), and almost 800 miles so far this year (my goal is 2000). I'm on a good track to finish my fourth week of 100 miles/week, and I'm really happy about that.
That's the fastest I've gone in a long time. I kept riding fast, but then I saw some friends, and turned to ride more with them, chatting and relaxing. It was even more fun. (That probably says a lot about my biking attitude. I was happy to turn around and ride a bit with friends chatting rather than pushing to do a time thing.)
Here's some perspective: from May 2007, I rode just under 16 mph.
From October 2008, 17 mph.
And from July 2009, 17.4 mph.
For me, then, this was a really good ride. I think the bike fit helped. Certainly, it's even more fun to ride with feet that aren't numb.
I've done just under 400 miles this month (compared to about 450 all of last year), and almost 800 miles so far this year (my goal is 2000). I'm on a good track to finish my fourth week of 100 miles/week, and I'm really happy about that.
Discomfort in the Discussion Group
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A week or so ago, I posted about a discussion group I'm in for which we're reading bell hooks' Where We Stand: Class Matters. For this week's reading, we read chapters on African American community and race, and on religion. It seemed to me that hooks was nostalgic about her religious upbringing as a time when the church was central to the community and belonging, and also worked against greed and racism.
In the discussion, pretty much every other woman talked about her church, or searching for the right church/religious community, or something similar.
Except me. I pretty much kept my mouth shut except when I said that I thought hooks was being nostalgic, and that my sense was that the African American church (as much as one could use "the" there) has been historically unwelcoming of gays and lesbians. I also added a response to someone's comment about how students go on missions to other countries to benefit the people there, more than to proselytize, by saying that I thought the students went for a number of reasons, including resume building and tourism.
Other than that, I didn't have much to say.
It strikes me that I'm really bad at discussing my atheism. I don't think these women would have been mean about it or anything, but I'm bad at it, uncomfortable, and tend to avoid it.
Partly, I'm uncomfortable because I don't have a sense of religious feeling or spirituality. I don't see evidence, and I'm pretty sure if there were a diety out there performing miracles, we'd see evidence. But I don't.
And in the absence of good evidence, I don't see a need or have a desire for a deity.
Partly, that has to do with the pain/evil thing. Why would a benevolent deity give a dog cancer? I mean, sure, if you really believe that pain and disease of humans are punishment for original sin, but dogs by definition can't commit sin, so why punish them with disease ? (That goes for all the animals out there that get horrible diseases. Cancer is not a circle of life thing.) A deity that would treat dogs (or other animals) horribly is not a deity I would want to worship even if I believed that deity existed. And if the deity were evil, again, I wouldn't want to worship it. (And just to say: the idea that a benevolent deity would hold a parents' behavior against a child is abhorrent.)
At the same time, I recognize that a lot of people really feel a need or desire for a deity and are comforted by believing. I'm not out to attack people for their needs and desires, but I also don't want them trying to attack me for my needs and desires. But it sometimes seems that even acknowledging that I'm an atheist is seen as an attack on someone else's religious belief.
Sometimes, my atheism seems to be seen as an elitist attack on their beliefs in a way that I'm looking down on them or condescending. And maybe I am in a way, because I just don't understand that particular sort of need/desire.
It was an interesting discussion, but uncomfortable, too.
In the discussion, pretty much every other woman talked about her church, or searching for the right church/religious community, or something similar.
Except me. I pretty much kept my mouth shut except when I said that I thought hooks was being nostalgic, and that my sense was that the African American church (as much as one could use "the" there) has been historically unwelcoming of gays and lesbians. I also added a response to someone's comment about how students go on missions to other countries to benefit the people there, more than to proselytize, by saying that I thought the students went for a number of reasons, including resume building and tourism.
Other than that, I didn't have much to say.
It strikes me that I'm really bad at discussing my atheism. I don't think these women would have been mean about it or anything, but I'm bad at it, uncomfortable, and tend to avoid it.
Partly, I'm uncomfortable because I don't have a sense of religious feeling or spirituality. I don't see evidence, and I'm pretty sure if there were a diety out there performing miracles, we'd see evidence. But I don't.
And in the absence of good evidence, I don't see a need or have a desire for a deity.
Partly, that has to do with the pain/evil thing. Why would a benevolent deity give a dog cancer? I mean, sure, if you really believe that pain and disease of humans are punishment for original sin, but dogs by definition can't commit sin, so why punish them with disease ? (That goes for all the animals out there that get horrible diseases. Cancer is not a circle of life thing.) A deity that would treat dogs (or other animals) horribly is not a deity I would want to worship even if I believed that deity existed. And if the deity were evil, again, I wouldn't want to worship it. (And just to say: the idea that a benevolent deity would hold a parents' behavior against a child is abhorrent.)
At the same time, I recognize that a lot of people really feel a need or desire for a deity and are comforted by believing. I'm not out to attack people for their needs and desires, but I also don't want them trying to attack me for my needs and desires. But it sometimes seems that even acknowledging that I'm an atheist is seen as an attack on someone else's religious belief.
Sometimes, my atheism seems to be seen as an elitist attack on their beliefs in a way that I'm looking down on them or condescending. And maybe I am in a way, because I just don't understand that particular sort of need/desire.
It was an interesting discussion, but uncomfortable, too.
Bump
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I finished my 100 miles for the week today, for the fourth straight week.
As I was almost back, on the bike trail in town in a semi-narrow area, I passed a group of kids riding, let by an adult, and swept by another adult, coming my way. I was going fairly slowly, as were they, and kept an eye out, because though they were riding nicely on the right in a line, they were also riding like kids, a little quirkily.
I had just passed the last kid when at the same instant, I felt this big bump under my bike and saw something brown. When I looked back, I saw a rabbit moving into the brush at the side of the trail, dragging its back end (or at least one leg of its back end).
Ugh. I hit a rabbit.
I'm guessing it had been waiting for the group to pass, and hadn't realized I was coming from the opposite direction, and timed its dart across the path just wrong.
I didn't stop because I wouldn't have been able to do anything for the rabbit. (I couldn't have caught it, even, I suspect, and chasing it wouldn't have helped it at all. And even if I'd somehow caught up to it, grabbing a wild rabbit and carrying it on my bike, and then in my car or something? No.)
I sort of take comfort from the idea that any rabbit uncautious enough to be hit by a bike going 10-12 miles an hour on a heavily used part of a town path is a rabbit likely to be caught by a fox, dog, or something else.
Still, I'm sort of grossed out by having hit a rabbit. And surprised that I stayed up.
As I was almost back, on the bike trail in town in a semi-narrow area, I passed a group of kids riding, let by an adult, and swept by another adult, coming my way. I was going fairly slowly, as were they, and kept an eye out, because though they were riding nicely on the right in a line, they were also riding like kids, a little quirkily.
I had just passed the last kid when at the same instant, I felt this big bump under my bike and saw something brown. When I looked back, I saw a rabbit moving into the brush at the side of the trail, dragging its back end (or at least one leg of its back end).
Ugh. I hit a rabbit.
I'm guessing it had been waiting for the group to pass, and hadn't realized I was coming from the opposite direction, and timed its dart across the path just wrong.
I didn't stop because I wouldn't have been able to do anything for the rabbit. (I couldn't have caught it, even, I suspect, and chasing it wouldn't have helped it at all. And even if I'd somehow caught up to it, grabbing a wild rabbit and carrying it on my bike, and then in my car or something? No.)
I sort of take comfort from the idea that any rabbit uncautious enough to be hit by a bike going 10-12 miles an hour on a heavily used part of a town path is a rabbit likely to be caught by a fox, dog, or something else.
Still, I'm sort of grossed out by having hit a rabbit. And surprised that I stayed up.
Discomfort and Crankiness
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I'm working with someone on a big project, but am not the primary author at all. Still, as we pass the project along to reviewers, I'm feeling a distinct lack of confidence. I've given the primary author feedback, but I'm really not happy with what's been forwarded to the reviewers.
It's an odd position, this, for me. I don't have the power to totally change the project, but I feel like our reviewers will lose respect for me based on what's being turned in. I have reasons for letting it go forward while less than satisfied, but I also have real doubts about my judgment about letting it go forward.
In reality, it doesn't have to be "perfect" (and it won't be), just "good enough." But it's on the edge of even "good enough" for me, and I'm uncomfortable about the whole thing.
And I'm cranky that I've put in so much time this summer on something I'm not satisfied with. I wish I could say "never again," but there are so many complicating factors that I really don't have any control over.
It's an odd position, this, for me. I don't have the power to totally change the project, but I feel like our reviewers will lose respect for me based on what's being turned in. I have reasons for letting it go forward while less than satisfied, but I also have real doubts about my judgment about letting it go forward.
In reality, it doesn't have to be "perfect" (and it won't be), just "good enough." But it's on the edge of even "good enough" for me, and I'm uncomfortable about the whole thing.
And I'm cranky that I've put in so much time this summer on something I'm not satisfied with. I wish I could say "never again," but there are so many complicating factors that I really don't have any control over.
Class Status and Racism
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I posted last week about the discussion group, and I felt like posting again this evening. As you may recall, we're discussion class issues, in conjunction with reading bell hooks' book Where We Stand: Class Matters. Tonight was an interesting discussion.
A person of color came this time, who hasn't been in the group before (I think she was out of town). It changed the dynamics a lot. (There's another person of color who's come the whole time, but most of us are white women.)
So, this first timer was talking about how she doesn't get proper class respect from some staff people on campus.
Now, as a white woman, I've learned that I don't experience racism as a person of color does, and I also know that as a middle class person, I'm probably missing a lot of what happens in terms of class disrespect towards other people, too. So when a person of color tells me s/he's experienced racism, I listen, and I don't respond by saying it didn't happen or that they didn't interpret what happened accurately. And I try to do the same with class disrespect, too.
But it struck me how very much she was arguing that staff folks should respect her for her class status, and how she talked about their interactions. She said, for example, that when she "orders" someone to do something, they should do it and not question it. I'm interested in how she used "orders," here, because it's not something I usually hear someone say. I don't "order" my students to do X or Y, nor do I "order" the handyman, the roofers, staff people or whatever. I tend to use "ask." And when I ask a staff person, I don't tend to be upset if s/he asks a question about it or makes a suggestion to do something a different way.
Another white woman was also talking about how irritated she was that someone didn't show her proper respect as a tenure track person and thought she was an adjunct.
I tried to ask something (carefully worded) about how we were being defensive about our class positions, and that the book really wanted us to question the ways we uphold status and privilege through class, but I didn't get it out right and/or it didn't get taken up.
Another white colleague was trying to ask something that was ignored, so I did the feminist strategy of looking intently at her and (when a pause came up) asking her to repeat her question because I hadn't quite understood what she was getting at. And then I understood, and it was a really good question, though I didn't have an answer, but then the first timer mis-recognized it (in the, is it Lacanian or Derridean sense, of meaningful mis-recognizing?) and went elsewhere with it.
It's so difficult, sometimes, to think about what was happening.
I'm guessing the first timer thinks I'm rude, racist, whatever for going back and asking the white colleague to repeat.
Maybe she thinks I'm rude, racist, whatever because I wasn't paying her proper attention?
I'd like to think I'm not racist, or even rude, but I breathe racism along with the rest of the culture, and I don't want to lie to myself about that.
I can't tease out how much of my response to the first timer has to do with me being racist or with me reacting to her personality.
I'm also trying to think about how I expect my own class status to be respected. For example, the adjunct thing. Why should I be treated more respectfully than another person based on my job? based on my degree? Maybe respect isn't the word? I mean, on some level, we should all be treating everyone with respect. But if my job is to do X, and their job is to do Y, then asking for Y shouldn't be a sign of disrespect or a power play. And my doing X isn't a sign of disrespect.
And yet, I can't say there's no racism on this campus (I've heard stories from every person of color I know here), or that the first timer hasn't experienced racism and disrespect. But I also felt a sense of disrespect based on class coming from the first timer towards the staff people. I don't know that one disrespect trumps the other, or outweighs it.
Unfortunately, while I've enjoyed talking with the group about bell hooks' book, and I've enjoyed much of the reading, I don't have a sense the hooks has as many strategies for changing things as I'd like. I want strategies for change, still. But not too hard, because I also want to protect my privilege, of course. :|
A person of color came this time, who hasn't been in the group before (I think she was out of town). It changed the dynamics a lot. (There's another person of color who's come the whole time, but most of us are white women.)
So, this first timer was talking about how she doesn't get proper class respect from some staff people on campus.
Now, as a white woman, I've learned that I don't experience racism as a person of color does, and I also know that as a middle class person, I'm probably missing a lot of what happens in terms of class disrespect towards other people, too. So when a person of color tells me s/he's experienced racism, I listen, and I don't respond by saying it didn't happen or that they didn't interpret what happened accurately. And I try to do the same with class disrespect, too.
But it struck me how very much she was arguing that staff folks should respect her for her class status, and how she talked about their interactions. She said, for example, that when she "orders" someone to do something, they should do it and not question it. I'm interested in how she used "orders," here, because it's not something I usually hear someone say. I don't "order" my students to do X or Y, nor do I "order" the handyman, the roofers, staff people or whatever. I tend to use "ask." And when I ask a staff person, I don't tend to be upset if s/he asks a question about it or makes a suggestion to do something a different way.
Another white woman was also talking about how irritated she was that someone didn't show her proper respect as a tenure track person and thought she was an adjunct.
I tried to ask something (carefully worded) about how we were being defensive about our class positions, and that the book really wanted us to question the ways we uphold status and privilege through class, but I didn't get it out right and/or it didn't get taken up.
Another white colleague was trying to ask something that was ignored, so I did the feminist strategy of looking intently at her and (when a pause came up) asking her to repeat her question because I hadn't quite understood what she was getting at. And then I understood, and it was a really good question, though I didn't have an answer, but then the first timer mis-recognized it (in the, is it Lacanian or Derridean sense, of meaningful mis-recognizing?) and went elsewhere with it.
It's so difficult, sometimes, to think about what was happening.
I'm guessing the first timer thinks I'm rude, racist, whatever for going back and asking the white colleague to repeat.
Maybe she thinks I'm rude, racist, whatever because I wasn't paying her proper attention?
I'd like to think I'm not racist, or even rude, but I breathe racism along with the rest of the culture, and I don't want to lie to myself about that.
I can't tease out how much of my response to the first timer has to do with me being racist or with me reacting to her personality.
I'm also trying to think about how I expect my own class status to be respected. For example, the adjunct thing. Why should I be treated more respectfully than another person based on my job? based on my degree? Maybe respect isn't the word? I mean, on some level, we should all be treating everyone with respect. But if my job is to do X, and their job is to do Y, then asking for Y shouldn't be a sign of disrespect or a power play. And my doing X isn't a sign of disrespect.
And yet, I can't say there's no racism on this campus (I've heard stories from every person of color I know here), or that the first timer hasn't experienced racism and disrespect. But I also felt a sense of disrespect based on class coming from the first timer towards the staff people. I don't know that one disrespect trumps the other, or outweighs it.
Unfortunately, while I've enjoyed talking with the group about bell hooks' book, and I've enjoyed much of the reading, I don't have a sense the hooks has as many strategies for changing things as I'd like. I want strategies for change, still. But not too hard, because I also want to protect my privilege, of course. :|
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Appearance of Recommendation Letter Sample
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When you are writing a letter of recommendation for someone, a lot will depend on how you present the information and the appearance of your letter. Recommendation letter is written to refer the person for the job in any organization. This recommendation is to be done to confirm the efficiency and performance of the candidate. Appearance of your recommendation letter is also an important deciding factor when it comes to short listing the candidates. Here we will see how you can improve the appearance of the recommendation letter when you are writing it for someone.
Recommendation LetterMost employers will demand a recommendation letter from your previous employer during the personal meeting. Such letters are demanded to know if you are really capable of handling the complex job responsibilities and your past employer supports your words by giving the positive recommendation for you. Following is the format for writing the recommendation letter.Name
Designation Name of the CompanyContact NumberE-Mail ID Date: mm/ dd /yyyyName of the ReaderJob Title Company Name SalutationsDear Mr./ Mrs. [Last Name],First Paragraph [First paragraph should explain to the reader the reason for which the letter is written. Mention the name of the applicant and tell the reader how you know him/her and since when]Second Paragraph [This paragraph is the main letter body. In this part you have to explain to the employer about the candidate’s past accomplishments and why he is suitable for the job in their organization. Focus on his/ her job specific skills and major accomplishments]Third Paragraph [Thank the reader for giving their precious time and attention for going through the letter. Say that you strongly recommend […..Name of the Candidate….] for working in their organization] Closing [Use the professional closing like Yours sincerely, Regards, Yours truly, etc.]Sincerely,[Signature] [Name][Title] This is the basic format for writing a recommendation letter. You can fill in the appropriate details in place of the square brackets as instructed.
Length of your letter will also play a vital role in improving the appearance of your letter. Always keep in mind that this letter should be short and to the point. When you are recommending someone in any company, the main objective of your letter should be to get a job opportunity to the candidate. Hence, it is important to make a recommendation in such a way that it impresses the reader and offers an opportunity to the candidate. Make sure that you know the person well for at least past 6 months before making a recommendation. If you don’t know the person, take your time, sit with the candidate, communicate with him and then make a recommendation depending on your conversation.
Recommendation LetterMost employers will demand a recommendation letter from your previous employer during the personal meeting. Such letters are demanded to know if you are really capable of handling the complex job responsibilities and your past employer supports your words by giving the positive recommendation for you. Following is the format for writing the recommendation letter.Name
Designation Name of the CompanyContact NumberE-Mail ID Date: mm/ dd /yyyyName of the ReaderJob Title Company Name SalutationsDear Mr./ Mrs. [Last Name],First Paragraph [First paragraph should explain to the reader the reason for which the letter is written. Mention the name of the applicant and tell the reader how you know him/her and since when]Second Paragraph [This paragraph is the main letter body. In this part you have to explain to the employer about the candidate’s past accomplishments and why he is suitable for the job in their organization. Focus on his/ her job specific skills and major accomplishments]Third Paragraph [Thank the reader for giving their precious time and attention for going through the letter. Say that you strongly recommend […..Name of the Candidate….] for working in their organization] Closing [Use the professional closing like Yours sincerely, Regards, Yours truly, etc.]Sincerely,[Signature] [Name][Title] This is the basic format for writing a recommendation letter. You can fill in the appropriate details in place of the square brackets as instructed. Length of your letter will also play a vital role in improving the appearance of your letter. Always keep in mind that this letter should be short and to the point. When you are recommending someone in any company, the main objective of your letter should be to get a job opportunity to the candidate. Hence, it is important to make a recommendation in such a way that it impresses the reader and offers an opportunity to the candidate. Make sure that you know the person well for at least past 6 months before making a recommendation. If you don’t know the person, take your time, sit with the candidate, communicate with him and then make a recommendation depending on your conversation.
What Should I Include in Letter of Recommendation?
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Letter of recommendation is a formal letter recommending the candidate for either a job, internship, admission to a course, or in the court . The purpose of the letter is a guarantee about the trust worthiness and ability of the applicant .
What to Include in the Letter of Recommendation
There are different types of recommendation letters and the purpose of them are different, so depending on the same the contents would vary. There are a certain things a letter of recommendation should have and they are as follows:
The following gives you a recommendation letter sample.
Sample Recommendation Letter
The example letter given in the following is with reference to employment purpose.
Jim Karter
Managing Director
Life Software Pvt. Ltd.
Subject: Letter of recommendation for Miss. Torque Earnest
To Whom it May Concern
I am happy to write this letter for Miss. Torque Earnest who has been working with us for the past 1.5 years as a Sr. Manager and Training Head in Life Software Pvt. Ltd. She is a hard-working, meticulous and a sincere professional with high initiative. She is absolutely reliable and has been an asset for us.
I would recommend her to any employer who appreciates these qualities in an employee. I being the managing authority for the team she worked in found her efficient and dependable.
In case you need to have a talk with me regarding Miss. Torque Earnest, I shall be available on the following contact details.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Jim Karter
Managing Director
jim.karter@lifesoftware.com
775-354-6543
With the help of this recommendation letter sample you may frame your letter too. This is a typical format for writing a letter of recommendation for employment purpose. Similarly, in case of a character recommendation letter, the body will have something like the following paragraph:
I know Miss. Torque Earnest since 1.5 years and have found her dependable, trustworthy and capable of handling pressure in difficult circumstances, at all times.
This was another example of what one should write in the letter of recommendation. Mention your relationship with the candidate and the purpose for which you are writing in an indirect way. In the sense, you do not write that you are writing the letter for helping him or her get a job. You just mention the appropriate things in the letter, as shown in the two sample letters.
Letter of recommendation is a formal letter recommending the candidate for either a job, internship, admission to a course, or in the court . The purpose of the letter is a guarantee about the trust worthiness and ability of the applicant .
What to Include in the Letter of Recommendation
There are different types of recommendation letters and the purpose of them are different, so depending on the same the contents would vary. There are a certain things a letter of recommendation should have and they are as follows:
- Reference to the candidate: When one is writing a letter of recommendation for someone the first paragraph should have the relationship you share with the person and how are you in a position to recommend him or her
- Purpose of the letter: As an issuer of the letter you need to know if the candidate needs the letter for getting a job, for taking admission in some course, etc. The purpose of the letter will give you an idea of what exactly is expected
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| Letter of Recommendation Sample |
Sample Recommendation Letter
The example letter given in the following is with reference to employment purpose.
Jim Karter
Managing Director
Life Software Pvt. Ltd.
Subject: Letter of recommendation for Miss. Torque Earnest
To Whom it May Concern
I am happy to write this letter for Miss. Torque Earnest who has been working with us for the past 1.5 years as a Sr. Manager and Training Head in Life Software Pvt. Ltd. She is a hard-working, meticulous and a sincere professional with high initiative. She is absolutely reliable and has been an asset for us.
I would recommend her to any employer who appreciates these qualities in an employee. I being the managing authority for the team she worked in found her efficient and dependable.
In case you need to have a talk with me regarding Miss. Torque Earnest, I shall be available on the following contact details.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Jim Karter
Managing Director
jim.karter@lifesoftware.com
775-354-6543
With the help of this recommendation letter sample you may frame your letter too. This is a typical format for writing a letter of recommendation for employment purpose. Similarly, in case of a character recommendation letter, the body will have something like the following paragraph:
I know Miss. Torque Earnest since 1.5 years and have found her dependable, trustworthy and capable of handling pressure in difficult circumstances, at all times.
This was another example of what one should write in the letter of recommendation. Mention your relationship with the candidate and the purpose for which you are writing in an indirect way. In the sense, you do not write that you are writing the letter for helping him or her get a job. You just mention the appropriate things in the letter, as shown in the two sample letters.
What is a Character Letter of Recommendation
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Character letter of recommendation is not something that is written in dire consequences, as the name might sprout such notions in one's mind. In fact it has got nothing to do with your actual character sketch. It is a formal document that is required in some procedures like in prosecution cases, other court hearing, signing a bond for renting a house, taking admission in some highly reputed institutes for education purpose, etc.Reference to Context
To answer the question, what is a character letter of recommendation, we need to know the purpose of the letter. Although we described the meaning of the letter, the purpose can decide upon how to write the content. Sample the following examples:
Content of the Character Recommendation LetterThe letter becomes effective when the writer mentions some incidences that show the qualities that he or she is going to mention in the letter. In short, it means that whatever the person writes in the letter should be backed up by substantial supporting information. If possible, get the letter printed on the issuer's letter head. In case you think the person is too busy to accommodate an appointment for you, you may even draft the letter yourself and then just request the person to lend his letter head, give an official stamp and sign on it. The language of the letter should be formal and the length of the letter can go up to two pages, but try and keep the context to the point without unnecessarily expanding on the same topic. While concluding the letter, ensure that it is reiterated why the person is being recommended or just emphasize on the purpose of writing the letter.
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| Character Letter of Recommendation |
- Scholarship: If one wishes to get a scholarship for education sake, then the issuer should know about it and highlight the candidate's academic skills and plus points, his or her interest in the subject, career focus, etc. The same applies for admission purposes too.
- Job: There are many sample character recommendation letters available online for the candidates seeking jobs. Note the skills and experience the writer highlights in order to convince the recipient of the letter of the candidate's abilities.
- Court Appearance: The requirement for this letter in a court hearing is totally different from the ones mentioned in the above points. One needs to vouch for the person's honesty, dependability, and other such virtues
Who Can Write the Letter?
Ideally, these letters should be written by people who are associated closely with the candidate or applicant. As explained above, only a person who knows the candidate well enough to vouch for certain mentioned qualities hold value. Not that if anyone else writes the letter will not be considered, but usually the tone of the letter should be personal and for that one needs to know the applicant.
Content of the Character Recommendation LetterThe letter becomes effective when the writer mentions some incidences that show the qualities that he or she is going to mention in the letter. In short, it means that whatever the person writes in the letter should be backed up by substantial supporting information. If possible, get the letter printed on the issuer's letter head. In case you think the person is too busy to accommodate an appointment for you, you may even draft the letter yourself and then just request the person to lend his letter head, give an official stamp and sign on it. The language of the letter should be formal and the length of the letter can go up to two pages, but try and keep the context to the point without unnecessarily expanding on the same topic. While concluding the letter, ensure that it is reiterated why the person is being recommended or just emphasize on the purpose of writing the letter.
Some Tips on Recommendation Letter Template
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Recommendation letter templates help one to write the document concisely and aptly too. The requirement of a template while writing this formal letter is for the following reasons:
- It saves time of the issuer as well as the recipient (for reading)
- It offers just the right amount of information and relevant too
- One does not miss out any crucial information like the date, purpose, etc.
- Proper formatting and space are allocated for different paragraphs and sections of the letter
- The contact details can be updated or rectified in the signature section
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