So over New Years, I was busy working on my very first proposal for a call for papers. I had no clue what I was doing, but my very good friend, Ky, helped me. We didn't have internet and I kept procrastinating on walking up to the office on the North Battleford grounds in the FRIGID COLD WEATHER, so I nearly missed the deadline.
At 11:30pm, Calgary time, Erica let me drive her car up to the street in front of the office in the hopes that the wireless would reach that far -- and it did -- so I got the proposal turned in with 10 minutes to spare, woot!
I just found out today that my proposal was accepted! I have been in attendance at several conferences/workshops, and I am not sure just how competitive these things actually are, but it sure feels good to have my idea accepted by complete strangers...
I am still in the "WOOHOO!" phase, but I am sure the "ohmygoodnesswhathaveidone?" phase will arrive soon enough :) I will worry about that when it happens. For now, I am going to bask in the idea that someone wants to hear what I have to say, yay!
And this experience can go on my CV and make me (hopefully) more hireable in the future and potentially make me more eligible for funding during my PhD.
Right on!
Thought I would share...
22 January 2009
18 January 2009
Singing in the Rain
HAH.
okay, not so much "singing" as "laughing", and not so much "rain" as "hurricane"... but if I had entitled my post "laughing in the hurricane", it would not have the same ring.
anyway!!!
I arrived in Dublin at 7am Friday morning and took a shuttle to my hostel. They let me take a shower and lock my luggage in their little room until check-in at noon. So I spent a couple hours wandering around Dublintown - went to Trinity College, a couple banks, the tourism board, and Penneys before I realised that I was so exhausted, I couldn't stand up any longer. I had been awake for 23 hrs. I went and spent another hour waiting on the couch in the lobby of the hostel until checkin. Once checked in, I slept. and slept. and slept. until 930pm. and then I woke up, walked over to McDs (almost every place else stops serving food after 7), grabbed some supper, returned to my bed, met a couple girls on leave from the Army - Olivia & Karissa - checked my email and went back to bed at 1130! However, my bed was right by the window and I was SOOOOO cold that I couldn't sleep, so I went upstairs for tea and read my book for a bit. Slept until 530am. The lobby didn't open until 7am, so I sat in the hall and read my book some more, then, at 7, went up for more tea, checked email, read for a couple hours, packed my stuff up, met 2 more girls returning to the States after a 6month missions trip in Liberia - Janine and Karisma (I think). and hopped on the LUAS to Tallaght (pronounced "Tall-uh").
HOW BORING, haha!
Then Saturday really began! I met Diane at Starbucks and taught the Starbucks girls how to make a London Fog latte, then took my stuff over to Diane & Eddie's place before going to lunch with the two of them. After lunch, Diane & I decided to go to a GIANT mall way across town, in Dundrum, while Eddie slept - he had worked the night shift.
We took the LUAS to Abbey St and then had to walk over to Stephens Green to catch another train. We cannot figure out why the trains don't connect like they do EVERYWHERE ELSE, but, as Diane said, we have decided to find the person responsible for this faux pas and put them in a box while spraying them with cold water.
We walked for about 10 blocks, or so. During that time, the wind was crazy-strong. As usual! See previous blog. (here too.) And of course, it decided to start raining for the FIRST TIME IN TWO WEEKS the day I arrived. Who's surprised??? So we walked for 10 blocks in torrential downpour and biting wind. It was frigid cold and at some points, we had to literally stop where we were and brace ourselves because if we had moved on to one foot, we would have fallen to the ground by the force of the wind. My thighs and knees were hot pink for hours afterward, because the rain was so cold and it stung my skin. I could not feel my legs or my fingers for about 30mins.
I literally felt as though I had jumped into a pool fully clothed. I have done it before, I know what that feels like! And Diane was wearing a faux-fur-lined coat, which made her look like a drowned rat, in my opinion. She agreed. Our first stop at the mall was for new socks. HAHA!
I also bought a pair of fake-Keds in patent neon orange because my shoes were sopping. They were cheap; sue me. I may wear them on a regular basis. :)
The mall was wonderful - it was one of those multi-storey places. About 5-6 floors, and some mini-floors halfway between some levels. Definitely one of those malls a person could get lost in. I had a blast! I spent money on supper and I bought a 5euro scarf, outside of the anti-drenched purchases made earlier. I think I did alright!
On the way home, the rain wasn't pelting as badly, but we hit a wind tunnel a few blocks from the apartment and the wind was behind us. At one point, I couldn't stop and just ran forward until I hit a railing.
And the Irish call this, "blustery"
the journey continues to Limerick (or Cork) today. Will stay in touch!
love you all,
SS
okay, not so much "singing" as "laughing", and not so much "rain" as "hurricane"... but if I had entitled my post "laughing in the hurricane", it would not have the same ring.
anyway!!!
I arrived in Dublin at 7am Friday morning and took a shuttle to my hostel. They let me take a shower and lock my luggage in their little room until check-in at noon. So I spent a couple hours wandering around Dublintown - went to Trinity College, a couple banks, the tourism board, and Penneys before I realised that I was so exhausted, I couldn't stand up any longer. I had been awake for 23 hrs. I went and spent another hour waiting on the couch in the lobby of the hostel until checkin. Once checked in, I slept. and slept. and slept. until 930pm. and then I woke up, walked over to McDs (almost every place else stops serving food after 7), grabbed some supper, returned to my bed, met a couple girls on leave from the Army - Olivia & Karissa - checked my email and went back to bed at 1130! However, my bed was right by the window and I was SOOOOO cold that I couldn't sleep, so I went upstairs for tea and read my book for a bit. Slept until 530am. The lobby didn't open until 7am, so I sat in the hall and read my book some more, then, at 7, went up for more tea, checked email, read for a couple hours, packed my stuff up, met 2 more girls returning to the States after a 6month missions trip in Liberia - Janine and Karisma (I think). and hopped on the LUAS to Tallaght (pronounced "Tall-uh").
HOW BORING, haha!
Then Saturday really began! I met Diane at Starbucks and taught the Starbucks girls how to make a London Fog latte, then took my stuff over to Diane & Eddie's place before going to lunch with the two of them. After lunch, Diane & I decided to go to a GIANT mall way across town, in Dundrum, while Eddie slept - he had worked the night shift.
We took the LUAS to Abbey St and then had to walk over to Stephens Green to catch another train. We cannot figure out why the trains don't connect like they do EVERYWHERE ELSE, but, as Diane said, we have decided to find the person responsible for this faux pas and put them in a box while spraying them with cold water.
We walked for about 10 blocks, or so. During that time, the wind was crazy-strong. As usual! See previous blog. (here too.) And of course, it decided to start raining for the FIRST TIME IN TWO WEEKS the day I arrived. Who's surprised??? So we walked for 10 blocks in torrential downpour and biting wind. It was frigid cold and at some points, we had to literally stop where we were and brace ourselves because if we had moved on to one foot, we would have fallen to the ground by the force of the wind. My thighs and knees were hot pink for hours afterward, because the rain was so cold and it stung my skin. I could not feel my legs or my fingers for about 30mins.
I literally felt as though I had jumped into a pool fully clothed. I have done it before, I know what that feels like! And Diane was wearing a faux-fur-lined coat, which made her look like a drowned rat, in my opinion. She agreed. Our first stop at the mall was for new socks. HAHA!
I also bought a pair of fake-Keds in patent neon orange because my shoes were sopping. They were cheap; sue me. I may wear them on a regular basis. :)
The mall was wonderful - it was one of those multi-storey places. About 5-6 floors, and some mini-floors halfway between some levels. Definitely one of those malls a person could get lost in. I had a blast! I spent money on supper and I bought a 5euro scarf, outside of the anti-drenched purchases made earlier. I think I did alright!
On the way home, the rain wasn't pelting as badly, but we hit a wind tunnel a few blocks from the apartment and the wind was behind us. At one point, I couldn't stop and just ran forward until I hit a railing.
And the Irish call this, "blustery"
the journey continues to Limerick (or Cork) today. Will stay in touch!
love you all,
SS
17 January 2009
As seen on other blogs...
How would you describe yourself? Here by Pugwash
How do you feel today? Quanta Qualia by Hayley Westnra (which apparently translates into "How great & How wonderful" - pretty accurate :)
How do you feel today? Quanta Qualia by Hayley Westnra (which apparently translates into "How great & How wonderful" - pretty accurate :)
What is your motto? Lie before you leave by Montgomery Gentry
What do your friends think of you? Waterloo by ABBA
What do you think about very often? Backwards by Rascal Flatts. really?
What do you think of your best friend? This world is not my home by The Hemmerling Family. okay...
What is your life story? Right back where we started from by Maxine Nightingale
What do you want to be when you grow up? I won't go to Hollywood by Bleu
What do you think when you see the person you like? When I'm in Your presence/My heart's desire by Cyndi Aarrestad. I don't think I equate him with God... but the title is appropriate!
What song will they play at your wedding? Strange Brew by Cream - lol.
What will they play at your funeral? How beautiful you are by Jimmy Wayne
What do you think about love? Ebony eyes by Bob Welch
What is your biggest flaw? Hindi sad diamonds by Nicole Kidman, John Lequizamo & others that don't fit onto my ipod screen...
08 January 2009
what a nice moment :)
so I was working on a call for papers at New Year's camp in North Battleford for a couple afternoons. I worked in the dining hall, where most people were hanging out if they weren't outside playing hockey or on the ski hill... and bro Hinchliff rolls up to me in his wheelchair and asks to look at my computer. He was admiring how thin it is... He told me how his old laptop had just recently died and that he was looking at buying a new one because he used it a lot to email and he liked how laptops fit into his briefcase & he could take it places.
so he was asking what mine did - what kind it was, what all the slots & plugins were on the sides - and i showed him my webcam. I went into photo booth and took the attached photo... thought I would share:
I sent him on to Dell instead of trying to sell him on Macs because he's been using a PC for forEVER and I was confused enough when I first started using my Mac. Not saying he's not smart enough to figure it out, mind you! Just saying a Dell can do what he needs without much adjustment...
so he was asking what mine did - what kind it was, what all the slots & plugins were on the sides - and i showed him my webcam. I went into photo booth and took the attached photo... thought I would share:
I sent him on to Dell instead of trying to sell him on Macs because he's been using a PC for forEVER and I was confused enough when I first started using my Mac. Not saying he's not smart enough to figure it out, mind you! Just saying a Dell can do what he needs without much adjustment...
06 January 2009
why I love him...
no, not MG. Even though I'd be lying if I said I didn't love MG... in a stalker, living in my head sort of way... but this post is about Tom. I love this man for so many reasons - as a lecturer/supervisor, of COURSE!
He is that 'cool' prof who is more likely to swagger into a room than walk. He wears black t-shirts - with sleeves that allow his tattoo to peek out every once in a while - and jeans. His gray hair is overshadowed by the earrings, and his attitude of "don't make life harder than it has to be" comes across in his knowing grin and the way he crosses his arms across his chest when he's engaged in conversation - not the self-protective "stay out of my personal space" arm-crossing, but the relaxed, easy-going "let's chat" arm-crossing.
He's big in his field. Really big. And you wouldn't know it until you found the book(s?) in which he's published with Jameson, Lacan &/or Sartre... and you knew how big THOSE guys are... this guy knows what he's talking about. But he makes room for the opinions of others. He's done his homework, and could preach at a class for hours if he wanted, but he opens the door for new ideas and encourages freedom of thought. He engages in the education of his students, himself and the world - by being less critical and more openminded; by listening and offering suggestions; by guiding rather than instructing.
And if you don't want to take my word for it, here's a little article I found on the website for The Society for Utopian Studies, enjoy!*:
He is that 'cool' prof who is more likely to swagger into a room than walk. He wears black t-shirts - with sleeves that allow his tattoo to peek out every once in a while - and jeans. His gray hair is overshadowed by the earrings, and his attitude of "don't make life harder than it has to be" comes across in his knowing grin and the way he crosses his arms across his chest when he's engaged in conversation - not the self-protective "stay out of my personal space" arm-crossing, but the relaxed, easy-going "let's chat" arm-crossing.
He's big in his field. Really big. And you wouldn't know it until you found the book(s?) in which he's published with Jameson, Lacan &/or Sartre... and you knew how big THOSE guys are... this guy knows what he's talking about. But he makes room for the opinions of others. He's done his homework, and could preach at a class for hours if he wanted, but he opens the door for new ideas and encourages freedom of thought. He engages in the education of his students, himself and the world - by being less critical and more openminded; by listening and offering suggestions; by guiding rather than instructing.
And if you don't want to take my word for it, here's a little article I found on the website for The Society for Utopian Studies, enjoy!*:
Lyman Tower Sargent Award for Distinguished Scholarship has been presented to:
2008
Tom Moylan
Tom Moylan is honored for his groundbreaking books and leadership in the field of Utopian Studies. In Demand the Impossible, he formulated the concept of the critical utopia and identified the key group of four novels that are still central to any discussion of 1970s utopianism. By bringing critical theory to bear on utopian fictions, he made it possible to conceive of how texts can be ironic and self-reflexive, yet still carry political force. Scraps of the Untainted Sky performed similarly significant work by theorizing the critical dystopia. In addition to these foundational books, the Society honors Professor Moylan's contributions in article-length works on topics ranging from liberation theology to his recent work with Irish music. Equally important is his work as an editor, including the collection of essays on Bloch that Professor Moylan edited with Jamie Daniel, the Jameson special issue of Utopian Studies, and volumes edited with Raffaella Baccolini and with Michael Griffin, collections well-known for bringing together people working in disparate areas of utopian studies. Professor Moylan's formative and energetic work with the Ralahine Centre for Utopian Studies at the University of Limerick has created a remarkable forum for global and interdisciplinary scholarship. In the words of Professor Naomi Jacobs: "Through his tireless work to organize lecture series colloquia and conferences, as well as through his own scholarship, [Tom Moylan’s] influence on the field has been 'incalculably diffusive' (to steal a phrase from George Eliot)."
* now I have to go look up "diffusive"...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)