Wednesday, September 28, 2005
madness
man i've been slacking. i've been meaning to write a follow-up to my trilogy rant, cause i got some good comments. mostly people telling me via email that i didn't really say anything, or that i need to explain my thought process more. so at some point i'll hopefully get around to doing that. just not right now.so i've been in the middle of orientation for a wonderful thing known as "graduate school". and tomorrow morning i get to actually start said graduate school. at 8 am. w00t!!! (that was for m-lissa). guess how many units i'm currently enrolled for??? 26. oh yeah, i'm excited for that! and, no, the unit system hasn't changed, and 12 units is still considered a full load. yikes. did i mention i was really scared to start this whole thing?? doing theater or women's studies is looking better and better every day. hell, working the corner is looking pretty damn good. (i'm kidding jeff) (and mom)
part of my orientation has been TA training, since i'm required to teach for at least 3 quarters to get my PhD. and one of the topics that keeps coming up is passion, and being passionate about what you're teaching. which, naturally, got me thinking about whether or not i truly feel passionate about organic chemistry. and i'm really not entirely sure. yeah, i find it interesting. and yeah, it's something i've been good at in the past. but i'm pretty sure that doesn't constitute "passion". hmmmmmm. so am i going for my doctorate in organic chemistry because it's something i feel strongly about, or is it merely something that i've been able to do fairly well up til now? and if i don't really feel this so-called "passion" for it, should i even be here, trying to get my doctorate?? or maybe i'm just experiencing normal anxiety about starting out this whole daunting process.
well, i guess the moral of this story is that i don't know. (is that even a moral???? good thing i'm not an english major). and that it's okay that i don't know, for now. i just gotta jump in and see how it feels, and hopefully i'll know pretty soon if this is the right path for me. and who knows? maybe i'll be applying for a job as a barista soon....
Posted by *erin* | 11:31 PM
5 comments
Or maybe you could write your thesis on reheatable coffee that tastes just like fresh. In the future, people might ask the sales clerk, "Has this coffee been Erinated?"
When I taught software engineers how to do software engineering at SGI, I taught them how to use an espresso machine: How not to abuse the brass fittings: How to steam milk without scalding it (keep the nozzle always half way submerged -- isn't that like life in general?)
Being a barista is in your blood.
Oh yeah, and on that madness thing, it's a part of the deal.
Kazantzakis says (channeling Zorba): "A man needs a little madness, or else... he never dares cut the rope and be free."
Wasserman says (channeling Cervantes): "When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams -- this may be madness. To seek treasure where there is only trash. Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be."
Madness is in your blood too.
Holy cow, I got a mention at Electric Penguins of Destiny, and it took me over a week to realize it! Thank you E-Ron for making my whole day! (w00t!)
mmmm reheatable coffee......i think i need to go out and copyright the word "erinated" before it's too late, cause that's awesome!!
and benzene's are sexy!!!! have you *seen* a covalent bond?? that IS hot!! (oh man, i'm sick. i need help)
= )
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