More Information Than You Require*

Alright, so the seminar of doom this time around is a theory class in another department. Now, I'm trying to be open-minded about all this theory nonsense, but this sentence probably tells you how effective that 'trying' is. The thing is that I really do see the use of the theory, I really do. I even - heaven forfend!- use it in some of my work! But here's the rub, theory is not what I do. I do Gruub Studies, and theory is a tool - and only one tool - that I use to study, er... Gruubs.

So anyway, I'm trying to address my fear of theory by tackling it head on with this class, and actually, it's going well. I'm learning heaps and gaining a lot of respect for the prof that teaches the class (less so for some of the students). He actually seems to be alright with the idea that I'm only wanting to cherry-pick the stuff that I think is useful to me. All to the good, even though I still have to do all the work for all the theories.

What this means in practical terms is that I'm reading a metric boatload of reeeally dense stuff. This weekend was one of the roughest for reading, but I made it through, took notes, wrote a handfull of thoughtful questions to ask and dutifully headed to class.

It was cancelled.

I now feel like a piece of furniture with a coat of stain but no sealant. How am I possibly going to remember all this junk well enough to be coherant next week. Luckily, I'm not sure I'm ever cohearant. Maybe no one will notice. I'm exhausted and disappointed and happy all at once.

I'm adrift.

Also, tomorrow's a holiday.

I've got more work I could/should be doing, but I'm going to go home and maybe watch some football.

*title is from John Hodgman's book of the same name. I haven't read this one, but I read the last one, or well, listened to it on audiobook and loved it immensely. That is all.

The Bruces Know

Have I mentioned that theory gives me a headache?

The Consensus of Genre: Postcultural dematerialism in the works of Gaiman

I'm sure I'm the last person in acedemia to see this website, but I absolutely love it. And on the off-chance you haven't seen it either, here ya go.

Communications From Elsewhere - The Postmodernism Generator

A special note at the end:

If you enjoy this, you might also enjoy reading about the Social Text Affair, where NYU Physics Professor Alan Sokal’s brilliant(ly meaningless) hoax article was accepted by a cultural criticism publication.

You Could Cut the Tension With a Suitable and Well-Maintained Tension-Cutting Apparatus

Bullets of varying length and value:

• Whooo! the first seminar meeting has come and went and I am in deep doo-doo. The class is interesting. Not really my bag (baby), but an interesting topic anyway, but the real killer is that the professor, who is a well-known up-and-comer in the field is a lover-of-theory. This is terrifying to me. I know I need to be acquainted with more theory, if only to defend myself against it, but this seminar is going to be thick with it. It builds character, right? Who knows, maybe I'll find something useful. maybe I'll become a theory hound myself.
  

• On the plus side, I'm not the only one spooked. Some of the other grad folks are planning pre-seminar pow-wows to try to get our minds around the ideas.
  

• Oh yeah, did I mention that 90% of the reading (and there is a lot of it, too) is in a second language to me? And not just any second language, but a frickin' crazy hard second language? No? Well, it is. Theory. In another language. I'm not a bright man.
  

• There is stress (the tension of the title) between some of the TAs and the prof. Oooooo. edgy.
  

• Said prof is holding a meeting for all of us TA folk exactly at the time I should be happily chatting with a blogging buddy over dinner. We are trying to schedule around the meeting. Grrr...
  

• My bike was not ready today, and for that I am sad
  

• I broke down and bought a bed. This is partially in response to Zerodoll's live for today post (which I can't seem to find so I've just linked to her homepage). I've lived far too long without a bed (nearly what, about 5 years now?) and it's hight time I do better for myself.
  

• I broke down and bought a computer desk. This is partially because my office sucks. It's in one of the most beautiful and oldest buildings on campus, but it's also used by about 20 other folks and there's no way to lock anything up, so you can't actually leave anything there. I thought I might be able to get along without a desk, but it looks like I'm going to be doing a lot of work at home :(
  

• Desk and bed will be arriving Saturday (so they say). They ain't DWR or anything, but I'll get some photos for yas - if they look ok. :)