Summer (un)fun

And yet again I am sitting in my office doing work on a weekend day .  And worse, it’s summer and nice out.  Sadly, I don’t foresee next summer being any better as I’ll be restlessly studying for my comps.  Oh the joy. 

 

And why did this blog turn into PhD-bitching? Oh, because it consumes my life.  Makes sense. 

Arduous Research Process

This paragraph from an article on the chronicle.com pretty much sums it up.

 Jeff the economist spends a lot of time manipulating data, telling his computer to look at certain variables, and then at others. You can go down a lot of false trails that way, he says. You can spend all day in front of a screen (or two) and have nothing to say about what you’ve seen. You’re just inching closer, trying to get an idea to take root, trying to find the pearl in an ocean full of clams.

Obama v. Clinton Youtube video

I can’t vote (not a citizen) so I don’t follow the political debates as closely as I probably should.  Consequently, I’m not sure who I would’ve voted for in the Democratic primaries (or if I’d go for McCain for that matter) so this post isn’t an analysis of the Obama v. Clinton policies.  However, this video is just funny so I had to post it.

Wedding Planning - Blech

 

Wedding planning gets on my nerves.  I enjoy almost none of it.  There. I said it.  I know it’s not the socially acceptable view but it had to be said.  I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this either.  I’m thinking of starting a grooms’ support group.  The fiancé and I are extremely fortunate in that her parents are paying for our reception and some other incidentals, and my dad and brother are paying for our honeymoon (Hawaii).  However, the fiancé still thinks that she and I should shell out $10K for the rest.  I don’t understand how we can possibly do that when I’m in grad school, she’s going back to school, and we’re already living paycheck to paycheck.  Even if we can come up with the money we should be spending them more sensibly (according to me) on tuition, rent, food, transportation, and other practicalities.  Truthfully, though, unless we were among the very rich I still don’t see why we should spend that kind of money on a party.  And that’s really all it is - a party to celebrate something.  Would we have less of a marriage if we had a $5,000 wedding - backyard BBQ, casual wear, etc.?  Of course not.  But because she and her network has been conditioned by the marketing machine into thinking that a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime-event where you have to go all out, that’s the prevailing thought.  What bothers me the most is that the fiancé is normally extremely practical and responsible.  That’s part of why I love her so much.  But when it comes to this wedding all else gets pushed aside.  I don’t understand it. 

 

The end.

Bush’s Approval Rating

Contrary to what many people believe, I don’t actually follow politics that closely.  I know this is old news but to this graph from pollster.com I can just say wow.  If I had that performance on my job I’d be fired long ago. 

Unhealthiness

Grad school has to be one of the unhealthiest things I’ve done in life, and I can’t get over the irony.  My field is health education and behavioral sciences (i.e. studying how to get people to practice healthy behaviors), yet I consistently fail to practice them myself.  As I’m typing this, there’s a half drunken Coke on my desk, BBQ chips on the table behind me, and my running shoes are neatly tucked away in the back of my closet.  Over the last two years, I’ve gained almost 25 pounds (~11kg) and am the heaviest I’ve ever been (for the first time in my life – to my knowledge – my BMI is in the overweight category, though barely).  And it’s not just me.  My classmates who are ahead of me (i.e. working on their dissertation) say they finally have the time to fit exercise into their schedules, while my trailing classmates (i.e. started the program after me) complain that they no longer have time to exercise, eat healthy, relax, etc.  And that’s only the physical aspect of health.  This weekend, I hit up a few bars with a college friend, which was the first time since February I spent any sort of time with my friends (other than an occasional night with classmates, but I’m not sure that counts because the topic invariably turns to public health, school, academia, or research).  Grad school has been quite an isolating experience socially.  Oddly enough, I can’t remember it being like this when I was getting my master’s degree.  Oh and then there are things like buying a house or apartment (everyone seems to be doing it and I’m sick of paying rent), having kids (I want them but I don’t think it’s doable while I’m still in grad school, yet if I don’t I’ll be “older” – i.e. mid-30s – when I start), and general financial concerns I worry about (funding isn’t that great and I’m gettting married in August). 

 

Still, I would do it againt.

 

 

 

Music part III - current

Since I’ve been on this music binge lately, I figured I would post an example of what I have been listening to recently.  Compared to my musical preference from high school through college, I think I might be getting old…or at the very least soft. (not crazy about the video, though.)

Music part II

Since my recent rediscovery of RATM I have concluded that Zack de la Rocha has the baddest voice in music.  He might just have the greatest name in music, too.

Music

I spent a few hours last night listening to music, mostly rediscovering old favorites.  Here are two, in particular, from circa High School thru College.

 

Superstition

From this news report just published on ESPN.com:

A construction worker and Boston fan working on the concrete crew at the $1.3 billion new Yankee Stadium buried a Red Sox shirt in with the concrete foundation under what will become the visitors’ clubhouse, in the hopes of jinxing the New York Yankees‘ new home, the New York Post reported.

I’m not superstitious so this shouldn’t bother me.  But it does.  That bastard.