School started today. I feel like a giddy girl. I did my hair, i got all dressed up. Yeah yeah, i know that it’s my 21st year of first day, but still. I am such a sucker for the back-to-school rush. There’s something critically crucial about it as a time marker.
One thing is missing though. For the last ?11? years, i’ve travelled back from somewhere to begin school, had a long road trip, returned for some adventure or otherwise had a symbolic break between summer and the school year. I went to work on Monday. I went to school on Tuesday. Felt weird.
So… i decided to go to Burning Man. I’ve already given away all of my gear since i didn’t intend to go but a nice angel bestowed upon me a ticket and i figured that i can survive anything for 3 days as long as i have water and beef jerky. More than anything, i’ll get a mini-road trip, some good dancing and a climate change. That’ll make school feel more real.
Of course, i’m *STOKED* about this semester. I’m taking this wacky “Sociology for Geeks” class that Yuri and i have been plotting. Marx, Engels, Weber, Durkheim… Classics. I’m taking a class on Performance Theory and Method in the Performing Arts department. And i’m taking Lakoff’s seminar on language and politics. That one is particularly strange since there are like 16 of us taking it and 60+ people auditing it. But it’s definitely the time to take the class… and how cool is it to have the NYTimes be required reading?
Anyhow, more will invariably come about this semester. In the meantime, i’m going to do some cleansing activities like take the kittens to the vet, the car to the shop and the danah to the desert.
Lakoff class… cool. Is there a on-line syllabus so that some of us could e-audit the class from afar?
There’s no real syllabus (gotta love graduate classes), but i could send you the handouts/readings. I feel a little odd posting them since they aren’t mine to distribute.
There are two main texts: “Moral Politics” (his current book) and “Don’t Think of an Elephant” (upcoming book in stores Sept 8). We also read lots of Lutz’s memos and are supposed to keep up with the election. The whole class is centered around the election. Our primary assignment is to choose an issue in the election and analyze it linguistically. God i love school.
if you want to submit your performance piece for publication, we would be very appreciative.
you can leave it on my message machine and i can get my trascriptionist to transcribe.
perhaps you can record yourself doing a rant.
would be an interesting mp3 thing; i’m finding that most persons i introduce your blog to, reallty connect with your ideas.
stef
After reading this http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml
interview I’ve always been fascinated by Lakoff’s work. I’d also appreciate if you could send me, or post the handouts and such. I’m totally jealous :\
I’ve anecdotally heard about this Sociology for Geeks class from both SIMS and CS folks, but can’t seem to find any formal information sources (class websites or listings). Is it open to new students?
I’ve anecdotally heard about this Sociology for Geeks class from both SIMS and CS folks, but can’t seem to find any formal information sources (class websites or listings). Is it open to new students?
danah, missed you at BM! Wish I bumped into you. It would have been a perfect BM moment. Wasn’t it crazy dusty though?
See you at decompression?
🙂