This is how I roll

IMG_2481, originally uploaded by lclea.

This is my process, my ugly, messy process. This is me writing a an 11 page policy paper. The huge stack of papers is my research and its laid out on my unfurled hide a bed. You can see my laptop in the upper left hand corner and those lights behind it are from my Christmas tree.

If this is what I do for 11 pages, what about 300 for my dissertation? I can’t go there yet. So far this year the longest paper I’ve written is around 23-24 pages without cover page, appendixes and references. I know there’s a lot of writing to come in the spring and I still have things to finish up towards the end of break.

Summing up my first semester of PhD life, I’d say its a lot of reading, a lot of writing and damn lot of talking, navigating new waters, meeting tons of new people and learning to be a student again. All in all good, there have been lessons learned and I think I’m finally getting into the rhythm of it.

I’ll have one or two more posts before the new year, and then off to 2009.

It’s not my First Rodeo

rodeo, originally uploaded by lclea.

Where the hell did popular phrase come from? Suddenly I hear it everywhere. I even heard Gayle King use it regarding Oprah’s weight gain explanation on the Today show (an aside, what was up with that? Um, we all have eyes did we really need both Oprah and Gayle to explain to us that she gained weight?). You know something is overused when Team O is bandying it about.

I first heard it oh about a year ago. A former co-worker was discussing a situation at work and said, “well she said its not her first rodeo”. It took me a minute and then I sort of fell in love with the phrase a little bit. It is folksy, it sounds like old time wisdom, and its just a bit flippant. I’d never heard it before. Then over the year, I can’t stop hearing it, everyone is saying it.

A quick google showed a country song with that as as the title, and it looks like Bush used it October ’07. Maybe its a southern term that has flown below my radar until now. Maybe everyone was always saying it and I’ve just started paying attention, much like when you buy and new car and suddenly see similar models everywhere.

Regardless, now it seems to be overused and I never got a chance to say it. To sound folksy and wise and a bit flip. The thing is I actually have been to rodeos (the casualty of living out west), and if I went to one, it would not, in fact, be my first rodeo. So maybe there is still a chance. Hope springs eternal.

**the editors of this blog present this entry as a cautionary tale of the dangerous combination of finals week and lack of sleep.

Tudds

This is my parent’s dog Ted.  He’s named after Teddy Roosevelt and has his personality plus.  He is easily the highest strung, most demanding member of the family, but he’s a big bundle of love.  He knock over a friend of mine with his “love” one night.  I’m also testing my flikr photodropping. I miss my little dog, who’s on vacation with Tudds and my parents for another couple of days.  It’s lonely without his big brown eyes staring at me relentlessly.   If you’ve got a dog, give ’em a hug.