“nesting…”

I arrived home safe and sound from NY after an eventful shuttle ride the airport (the driver was late and had no idea how to get around Brooklyn and made up for this by driving excesively fast though the other passengers already had missed their flight).

<>I’ve been “nesting” in our house, which means I cleaned. I could not attempt my work without getting things in order. My office is not quite organized yet, but at least I can find our bed now (it was hidden in a pile of clothes!)

“Mama, I’m comming home”

Last night in NY… I'm so happy to come home. I miss baby bunk so badly! 

NE-NYCER has been a gracious host! Last night dinner in Astoria at a Greek place!  Tonight dinner with her friends at at a Mexican place and then drinks at the Brooklyn Inn. 

<> I was at the UN today listening to the interactive hearings on the status of Least Developed Countries. Pretty interesting.

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<>It's hot again here.   Need to shower and get to bed. I get to see Baby Bunky soon!  <>

when ice cream sales go down, oblion feels better…

Ok, I'm feeling much better today and way less grumpy. I'm still in NYC and it was way less humid today and I didn't have a headache which improved my mood tremendously! (see yesterday's grumpy post!).

My interviews went well! I am nervous that I am actually capturing the "right" thing in my interviews, but also very proud of myself for accomplishing what I have so far with my dissertation.

<> Baby Bunky and I "talked" on the phone yesterday. She said "ga" or something to that effect in response to my questions, which made me feel very happy that she recognizes me on the phone! Partner called to tell me she may have been sick today at the sitter's which sent me into a panic! I called her "2nd mom" (her sitter), who told me she just ate a lot and then moved around a lot, so she just really had spit up. Feel much better!

I'm staying with my friend, who is will be noted in this blog as NE-NYCer, who is a super kind host, even though I broke her towel rack! I feel super bad. But we've had fun… Sunday night was drinks in the "backyard" bar. Tomorow night we are going to Astoria to eat Greek food. Yum.

I ate in Little Italy tonight and was reminded by two very nice men (oringally from Cuba, lived in NYC and now Miami) and a Spanish-German woman who lives in the UK (and me from Iowa/Nebraska/Minnesota… how intereting compared!), of how Rose on the Golden Girls is an "ideal type" of what someone from Minnesota is like (unless of course, you've actually visited the Twin Cities)… But this allowed me to say "You Betcha!" a few times, which ensued in mutual laughter! Personally, I think Fargo is a much better (well funnier) "ideal type".

Another interview tommorow, UN on Thursday, and home on Friday. I can't wait to cuddle with Baby Bunky!

Diss Rsch trip

I'm in NYC now for a diss rsch trip. Today I went to the UN to get my NGO badge/pass. Then I attempted to find a place in Brooklyn with wireless.  I find it quite interesting that this was a difficult process and like another time in NY, Starbucks becomes a standby (I didn't end up going there, but that's where I was going to if the place I wanted didn't work out… and when you look up hi-fi spots, it's predominately McDonald's or Starbucks here!).   

I have many friends who desire to find a job in the NYC area, but I don't think I could live here.  Or, unless I had the money to do so, but I still don't know.  I love visiting, but the city makes me incredibly tired.  I saw a woman almost get her foot ran over this morning (I'm accident  prone, so I wonder how long it would take me to get hit or ran over here).  The air looks grey.  There are both pros and cons of here, but maybe I'm just tired and grumpy today and missing baby bunky like crazy. 

<> Plus I'm incredibly nervous about my interviews tommorow. One of the orgs included me in an email discussing how boring my research was and how my request was not compelling.  This bothered me at first, but then I forgot about it. Then today I re-read the email and anxiety ensued.  I actually have been thinking about it a lot.   Mabybe I'l post more about it at another time.  

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the high standards of academia

I realize a lot how high the standards are for academia, in both our research and teaching. This past week, a infant-parent connection class I took, ended. When I made a comment about an unorganized handout we received (and typed up my own evaluation of the course before hand), the teacher made a remark about how she did this handout on her own time. Plus, when another mom asked if she could mail her evaluation in, the teacher told her it woudln't matter because she would not get it (and plus I think she is leaving this position to attend school to be some kind of therapist). 

 Throughout the entire class, I thought about how as academics, we would never get away with the disorganization of the class, including handouts. 

The thing is as academics, we have to take our students concerns seriously for the sake of being a good instructor and also because of the institutional restraints tied to our jobs. Furthermore, as an academic, even in grad school, we are "salaried", but the thing is I do not know one person who only works only those "salaried" hourse per week.  It's always more.  

And I'm so sick of the question, "Oh, it's summer. You must be able to relax now because you are not taking classes."  I know people are good natured and trying to be nice, but I'm more stressed because it is summer. And I haven't taken classes in three years.  I am getting paid to do research, working on my diss rsch (not paid), finishing another paper (not paid), doing commitee work also from orgs I'm involved in (not paid), and volunteering in my n'hood (not paid). Oh, yea, and I also have a family (baby, parnter, dog, and cats) along with extended family obligations (b-days, runions, etc). With a baby it becomes even more important to attend these obligations.

<>So, what's my point? First, I have a question.  Do other academics feel this pull in many, many directions?  Second, even with this pull in many directions, we still need to produce quality work. So, I would never get away with the comments stated by the teacher in that class too me.  Granted, she may make less money than academics do.  However,  it's not the money that drives me to good work (if it was the money, I would've switched majors a long time ago… a BS in comp sci will make the same amount of money that we will with a PhD in social sciences).  It is that I do like my job(s), despite the stress that accompanies them. Do, I make mistakes? Obviously I do.  But I think it is quite interesting to be on both sides of the coin sometimes… a teacher and student. And I think this makes me a better teacher and understand my student's persectives better.