In the past few years, the department has recently gotten much better about helping prep us grad students for the "real world" of the job search and the job. Today we had a visit from the head of Cambridge University Press' Classics division.
He started out with the idea "Okay, you've finally landed that nice plushy tenure track job, and now in order to keep that job, you've got to produce your first book within 5 years." I thought it was supremely helpful - everything from proposal etiquette (it's fine to send them in cold) to differences between dissertations and books.
On that note, in my time I have definitely read a few scholarly books that were too close in line with the dissertation they're based on. They spend the first chapter tracing the previous scholarship of their subject, get bogged down with discursive footnotes, and tend to be repetitive, since you want to prove to your committee that you really do know what you're talking about. The audience for a book is very different, though, and it kind of sounded like he was recommending keeping the ideas but trashing the rest of the writing.
He also gave some information on timelines, like if you wait til year 4 in the tenure process to get the ball rolling, you'll be too late. He also warned against writing the book and then getting in touch with publishers - because again, then, if you have to change a lot, it will be too late. Get in touch with publishers with a book proposal in year 1 or 2, and then by the time the tenure hearing rolls around, you'll probably be in the clear. Then you can worry about those articles!
I'm not sure who in the department is behind all of this, but I hope they keep it going. Once Dr. Leach retires, with her experience goes our advantage. This kind of stuff is all they can do to ward that off.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
NaBloPoMo
Or, in English, National Blog Posting Month.
The idea is to kick-start your blogging by posting every day for the month of November. I'm going to give it a try! Expect to see lots of food stuff, since teaching is making me crazy and I don't want to rant rant rant. Aaron's gotten an earful today, which I will not repeat.
So! I'm still here! Friday was the departmental Halloween party, and a bunch of us went trick-or-treating at our professor's houses beforehand. That was a huge hit. Out of 10 professors, we ran out of time for the last three, and found 5 at home, so a pretty good ratio! Dr. Long had his light out and we debated for a while about knocking, but once we saw the flickering of the TV we knocked anyway. As he wasn't expecting visitors, he had no candy...but fixed us all gin and tonics instead! Who needs candy anyway?
So: here we are. The scary clown and the flapper! As we were driving around with Greg and Meg, Aaron hung his head out the window and squeaked a bike horn. Got some pretty good reactions!
As soon as I get the pictures edited, I'll get them up on Flickr.
The idea is to kick-start your blogging by posting every day for the month of November. I'm going to give it a try! Expect to see lots of food stuff, since teaching is making me crazy and I don't want to rant rant rant. Aaron's gotten an earful today, which I will not repeat.
So! I'm still here! Friday was the departmental Halloween party, and a bunch of us went trick-or-treating at our professor's houses beforehand. That was a huge hit. Out of 10 professors, we ran out of time for the last three, and found 5 at home, so a pretty good ratio! Dr. Long had his light out and we debated for a while about knocking, but once we saw the flickering of the TV we knocked anyway. As he wasn't expecting visitors, he had no candy...but fixed us all gin and tonics instead! Who needs candy anyway?
So: here we are. The scary clown and the flapper! As we were driving around with Greg and Meg, Aaron hung his head out the window and squeaked a bike horn. Got some pretty good reactions!
As soon as I get the pictures edited, I'll get them up on Flickr.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Good to be home
Oh, boy, is it ever good to be back. Even though our apartment looks like this:
While I was gone, Aaron got the unenviable job of moving all our stuff to another apartment just up the block. (While I was waiting to hear about a job, they rented our old place out from under us). So I packed up everything I could before I left, and he just had to move it all, which was bad enough. But then the management company notified us 2 days before the move in that the owners had sold the apartment and would be closing within the month and the new owners wanted to live in it. So we got 60 days notice to find *another* place. One of my jobs today is to call the company and get a lease for another apartment 4 doors down so we can get moved next weekend. In the meantime there's been a lot of "Honey, do you know where the _____ is?"
Besides coming home to Aaron and Daffie, I was really looking forward to being in my own kitchen again and having my cooking limited only by my imagination. That's going to have to wait awhile, still, I guess. But it's still wonderful to be back to really clean clothes, 24 hour grocery stores, walking the dog, mexican food, and all the lovely mushy stuff that comes with rejoining a loved one after 2 months away.
While I was gone, Aaron got the unenviable job of moving all our stuff to another apartment just up the block. (While I was waiting to hear about a job, they rented our old place out from under us). So I packed up everything I could before I left, and he just had to move it all, which was bad enough. But then the management company notified us 2 days before the move in that the owners had sold the apartment and would be closing within the month and the new owners wanted to live in it. So we got 60 days notice to find *another* place. One of my jobs today is to call the company and get a lease for another apartment 4 doors down so we can get moved next weekend. In the meantime there's been a lot of "Honey, do you know where the _____ is?"
Besides coming home to Aaron and Daffie, I was really looking forward to being in my own kitchen again and having my cooking limited only by my imagination. That's going to have to wait awhile, still, I guess. But it's still wonderful to be back to really clean clothes, 24 hour grocery stores, walking the dog, mexican food, and all the lovely mushy stuff that comes with rejoining a loved one after 2 months away.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Maintaining Radio Silence
Okay, yes, I'm still here. Two weeks ago we had our week-long trip to Campania, and this past week was the last week of the seminar. Almost everyone left yesterday or this morning - hard to believe it's over!
Lately I haven't been blogging because Dr. Leach has been putting so much pressure on me to start dissertation work that it's just easier to avoid being in the library (and thus on the internet) to begin with. She is just tickled pink to have all this time to do work, whereas I would really rather be enjoying my last few days in Rome. A direct quote "It's just so hard to make myself go down the hill [to Trastevere and the rest of Rome] when I could be in the library!" Funny, I'm having the exact opposite problem!
My irritation kind of hit a high point the other night when I was talking to someone about a chapter she had me read. I said something about wanting to make a copy of it before I left so that I could take it home, and she squawked "Oh, but we have that at Indiana!" Then why is it so damn important that I read it here?!
I know that it's important to get started on a dissertation as soon as possible. I know that. People keep telling me that "the best dissertation is a done dissertation" and "work on it every day for at least a few minutes" and other well meaning advice, but I'm not going to have a brilliant brainstorm in a single week, especially when I don't want to be reading in the first place.
One lousy week of vacation is not going to keep me from finishing.
I feel like sometimes she is trying to remold me in her own image and it makes me want to scream, "I am not you! I have a life! I have a family that matters! I like to eat chocolate and olive oil and the occasional donut!"
Anyway, enough with the rant. I think I need a vacation from my vacation, and I definitely need one from my advisor.
Lately I haven't been blogging because Dr. Leach has been putting so much pressure on me to start dissertation work that it's just easier to avoid being in the library (and thus on the internet) to begin with. She is just tickled pink to have all this time to do work, whereas I would really rather be enjoying my last few days in Rome. A direct quote "It's just so hard to make myself go down the hill [to Trastevere and the rest of Rome] when I could be in the library!" Funny, I'm having the exact opposite problem!
My irritation kind of hit a high point the other night when I was talking to someone about a chapter she had me read. I said something about wanting to make a copy of it before I left so that I could take it home, and she squawked "Oh, but we have that at Indiana!" Then why is it so damn important that I read it here?!
I know that it's important to get started on a dissertation as soon as possible. I know that. People keep telling me that "the best dissertation is a done dissertation" and "work on it every day for at least a few minutes" and other well meaning advice, but I'm not going to have a brilliant brainstorm in a single week, especially when I don't want to be reading in the first place.
One lousy week of vacation is not going to keep me from finishing.
I feel like sometimes she is trying to remold me in her own image and it makes me want to scream, "I am not you! I have a life! I have a family that matters! I like to eat chocolate and olive oil and the occasional donut!"
Anyway, enough with the rant. I think I need a vacation from my vacation, and I definitely need one from my advisor.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
There are rules, and then there are "rules"
That's this week's lesson from Italy.
One example: no swimming in the fountain. But the "rule" is that you can do it after 6, if there are no important guests around, and you don't drip chlorinated water on the grass when you're drying off.
Another one at the Academy: there's a rule that, in order to use the computer room, you have to put down a 26 Euro deposit. But Gianpaolo, the administrative assistant, will give out the computer password to anyone who asks.
Then yesterday, when we went to Ostia, we asked in advance to get into one of the warehouses. Now, the sopretendenza said that it absolutely was not possible - they store stuff in there, and absolutely don't want tourists poking around. Then, while we were at the site, Eve asked the guard who opened up one place for us, and she said something to the effect of "Oh, sure! I know the person who works over there - I'll call him and tell him you're coming!" So we got in. Another house worked exactly the same way.
So it all goes to show that, especially in Italy, it doesn't hurt to keep asking, push the limits, and generally see what you can get away with.
One example: no swimming in the fountain. But the "rule" is that you can do it after 6, if there are no important guests around, and you don't drip chlorinated water on the grass when you're drying off.
Another one at the Academy: there's a rule that, in order to use the computer room, you have to put down a 26 Euro deposit. But Gianpaolo, the administrative assistant, will give out the computer password to anyone who asks.
Then yesterday, when we went to Ostia, we asked in advance to get into one of the warehouses. Now, the sopretendenza said that it absolutely was not possible - they store stuff in there, and absolutely don't want tourists poking around. Then, while we were at the site, Eve asked the guard who opened up one place for us, and she said something to the effect of "Oh, sure! I know the person who works over there - I'll call him and tell him you're coming!" So we got in. Another house worked exactly the same way.
So it all goes to show that, especially in Italy, it doesn't hurt to keep asking, push the limits, and generally see what you can get away with.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Instead of giving you a list of places I've been (you can look at my pictures for that), instead I present you with a few other lists.
New favorite Italian Words:
zazzera (mosquito)
telefonino (cellphone, literally "little phone")
sta guardando (I'm just looking. Okay, not really one of my favorites, but one that I'm glad I know how to say now)
Favorite new shop:
A fancy-schmancy restaurant called 'Gusto has a cooking shop attached with a massive selection of lovely cookbooks in both Italian and English. I will definitely be there to buy one before I leave.
Things I'm missing:
a washing machine - doing laundry in the sink takes so long!
breakfast - Italians typically have a croissant and an espresso for breakfast. I'm missing cereal, bacon, eggs, oatmeal. Stuff that's more substantial, and won't leave me hungry in 2 hours.
big glasses - the only ones in my kitchen are tiny juice glasses, barely enough for a few swallows of water.
Most hilarious anachronism:
A gladiator (or a legionary, it's hard to tell with these guys) harassing tourists in front of the Trevi Fountain. Missed the mark there by about a thousand years, buddy.
Worst realization:
The exchange rate sucks. I mean, I sort of knew that in my head, but it hadn't really sunk in til I realized yesterday that my 10 Euro soup was more like $16 than the $12 I had originally thought. Plus, although all the stores are having their July sales events (Saldi! Saldi! Saldi!) I still can't afford to actually buy anything.
New discoveries
Yogurt flavored gelato - just barely sweet and very tangy, it's a great combo with any of the fruit flavors. My current favorite is A.C.E, which is Arancia (orange), Carrot, and Limone (lemon) juice made into a sorbet.
A cheese grater also doubles as an easy way to deal with garlic - much faster than chopping. Now literally everything in my kitchen is multi-purpose!
New favorite Italian Words:
zazzera (mosquito)
telefonino (cellphone, literally "little phone")
sta guardando (I'm just looking. Okay, not really one of my favorites, but one that I'm glad I know how to say now)
Favorite new shop:
A fancy-schmancy restaurant called 'Gusto has a cooking shop attached with a massive selection of lovely cookbooks in both Italian and English. I will definitely be there to buy one before I leave.
Things I'm missing:
a washing machine - doing laundry in the sink takes so long!
breakfast - Italians typically have a croissant and an espresso for breakfast. I'm missing cereal, bacon, eggs, oatmeal. Stuff that's more substantial, and won't leave me hungry in 2 hours.
big glasses - the only ones in my kitchen are tiny juice glasses, barely enough for a few swallows of water.
Most hilarious anachronism:
A gladiator (or a legionary, it's hard to tell with these guys) harassing tourists in front of the Trevi Fountain. Missed the mark there by about a thousand years, buddy.
Worst realization:
The exchange rate sucks. I mean, I sort of knew that in my head, but it hadn't really sunk in til I realized yesterday that my 10 Euro soup was more like $16 than the $12 I had originally thought. Plus, although all the stores are having their July sales events (Saldi! Saldi! Saldi!) I still can't afford to actually buy anything.
New discoveries
Yogurt flavored gelato - just barely sweet and very tangy, it's a great combo with any of the fruit flavors. My current favorite is A.C.E, which is Arancia (orange), Carrot, and Limone (lemon) juice made into a sorbet.
A cheese grater also doubles as an easy way to deal with garlic - much faster than chopping. Now literally everything in my kitchen is multi-purpose!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
I'm melllllllllllting....
I'm not sure that I've ever been more grateful for air conditioning. It is really, really hot here. The portiere at the academy keeps insisting that it is supposed to cool off soon, but the Weather Channel says only by a single degree a day. Hah.
I haven't been going out ane exploring all that much, definitely less than I would want, just because it's so hard to make myself leave the nice cool apartment. I can really see why the Italians have their riposo - it is absolutely too hot from 1-4 to be doing anything. So they have a long leisurely lunch and maybe a nap.
I got a bit dehydrated today, I think. The Classical Summer School group was going to the Palatine, and their leader asked Dr. Leach to lead them around, and she agreed on the condition that Eve and I could come too. It was really neat, and I saw a whole lot of things that I had never seen before (pictures soon), but by the end of it I was really dragging. By the time I got back close to my apartment, I realized in kind of a vague way that I had gotten a little tunnel-visiony, but instead of doing the smart thing and stopping to buy a bottle of water, I just kept thinking that once I got back to my apartment, I would get a drink and rest. Obviously not a good idea, but I learned my lesson. At least it's good to know that I can find my way back to my apartment on autopilot, but I need to carry a larger bottle of water. Needless to say, 500ml for 5 hours in the sun is not enough.
I really meant to go back out this afternoon once it cooled off a bit, but again the AC got the better of me. Before dinner I ducked down to the little grocery story across from my apartment, but immediately came back and fixed myself a nice cool salad for dinner.
I haven't been going out ane exploring all that much, definitely less than I would want, just because it's so hard to make myself leave the nice cool apartment. I can really see why the Italians have their riposo - it is absolutely too hot from 1-4 to be doing anything. So they have a long leisurely lunch and maybe a nap.
I got a bit dehydrated today, I think. The Classical Summer School group was going to the Palatine, and their leader asked Dr. Leach to lead them around, and she agreed on the condition that Eve and I could come too. It was really neat, and I saw a whole lot of things that I had never seen before (pictures soon), but by the end of it I was really dragging. By the time I got back close to my apartment, I realized in kind of a vague way that I had gotten a little tunnel-visiony, but instead of doing the smart thing and stopping to buy a bottle of water, I just kept thinking that once I got back to my apartment, I would get a drink and rest. Obviously not a good idea, but I learned my lesson. At least it's good to know that I can find my way back to my apartment on autopilot, but I need to carry a larger bottle of water. Needless to say, 500ml for 5 hours in the sun is not enough.
I really meant to go back out this afternoon once it cooled off a bit, but again the AC got the better of me. Before dinner I ducked down to the little grocery story across from my apartment, but immediately came back and fixed myself a nice cool salad for dinner.
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