So a while back I used the egg & sperm ("What do you want?") cartoon as my desktop wallpaper. Which I remembered today when I hooked up my laptop for the first teaching day of the semester and mirror displays had gotten turned off so literally all that showed up for a solid fifteen seconds was that cartoon.

Going to be a great semester.

I also like Pacific Pie Co!

Lin was out last weekend when I saw it and I will admit seeing the little paper announcement about understudies made me pretty disappointed, but then it turns out 1) that was totally unfair to the understudy (I saw Rua), who was of course a super talented and carefully selected performer, and in a way seeing someone who was an unknown quantity at the beginning of this show was really fitting for the role, and 2) it really is an ensemble piece in the best way, so even if one person was god forbid having a bad day the show would still be amazing.

Also this New Yorker piece! http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment...

Just need to get something off my chest:
I SAW HAMILTON LAST WEEKEND AND IT WAS AMAZING
Nothing has ever lived up to unreasonably high expectations so perfectly. I cried, twice.
GO NOW before your student loans notice where your money is going!

Ooo rage and solidarity is exactly right. I've been thinking a lot the last couple of days about this bell hooks interview (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/bell-hooks-buddhism-the-beats-and-loving-blackness/) where she talks about anger:

The first time that I got to be with Thich Nhat Hanh, I had just been longing to meet him. I was like, I’m going to meet this incredibly holy man. On the day that I was going to him, every step of the way I felt that I was encountering some kind of racism or sexism. When I got to him, the first thing out of my mouth was, “I am so angry!” And he, of course, Mr. Calm himself, Mr. Peace, said, “Well, you know, hold on to your anger, and use it as compost for your garden.” And I thought, “Yes, yes, I can do that!”

This dynamic was hugely at work here in Wisconsin in 2011, when Walker and the GOP were able to play on "they should love their jobs!!!" and "public employees get good benefits and have it so easy!!!!" to foment -just- enough resentment to squeeze through their budget cuts and dismantling public sector unions. On the flip side, that also got them on the bad side of the many folks here who actually love teachers and think they're doing awesome work. One of the popular protest signs was "Care about educators like they care for your child," maybe not catchy but it made the point that we have to support teachers if we actually value education, and a lot of non-teachers made that kind of point in statements during the protests. So the silver lining was, it was really encouraging to see that deep well of public support coming out in response, even if it wasn't enough to stop the cuts. (Much less the continual cuts since then, ugh.)

The terrible thing--and I feel this very much working as an adjunct right now--is that teaching really IS a rewarding job (at least if it's your thing, not saying everyone has to love it.) If it weren't there would be so, so, so many more strikes, given the working conditions.

I guess it never occurred to me that the story wanted us to see the ones who walk away as making the "right" choice, either. I read that as just another way of turning a blind eye to suffering--recognizing it as wrong, and not wanting to accept it, but disengaging rather than trying to change things. I imagine "walking away" as like moving to a part of the country with a better climate for reproductive rights, rather than sticking around and fighting for reproductive rights where you are, for example.

Coincidentally enough the final exam I'm writing to give my students tomorrow has a bonus essay based on this story, so this post make me even more eager to see what they write. (So, I guess if any of them read The Toast and recognize my name.... spoiler alert on your final exam contents!)

I just finished mine this spring (anthropology), started because there was more I wanted to learn about the subjects that interested me, and because I missed the intellectual stimulation after finished college. It turned out I also really enjoy teaching college students, so that was a bonus since my program was mostly funded via TA positions. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity and have no regrets about doing it, but looking for permanent jobs now that I am in love with the research and teaching is a bit demoralizing (adjuncting right now). Also, I saw a lot of students drop out along the way who seemed like they had come because they weren't sure what else to do with their lives, and that's not enough motivation to get through a full PhD.

So in line with other commenters--do it for its own sake and have an exit plan, or because you have a concrete job need. It's too expensive (and not just financially) to get into a long degree program if you don't have a clear sense of why you're doing it ahead of time.

Pumpkin black bean soup! http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/11/black-bean...
I make it sans ham and with vegetarian stock and it is still a delicious, super satisfying, and nutritious pot o' soup. Extra bonuses: can be made with mostly canned goods so a good "keep ingredients around just in case" backup dinner option, pretty affordable ingredients, still tasty if you don't have a blender.

Ah Russia! <3 Absolutely do overnight it between Moscow and SPB--must see both cities if you have a couple of weeks. It's totally possible also to take a day trip to one of the suburban touristy places near Moscow or SPB if you like visiting restored palaces (my mom super loved our trip to the Catherine Palace)--there are commuter trains that are quite cheap, and you'd get at least a hint of how different the world looks outside the very wealthy urban centers. If you do have a full two weeks another option to see more of the country is to take an overnight train to one of the provincial capitals like Kazan (where you'll get a hint of Tatar language and culture and history) or Nizhniy Novgorod. A lot depends on whether you know any Russian or have a contact who can help you buy tickets etc--it's doable if you don't but way easier if you do; random Russians you pass by may be friendly and helpful but certainly don't feel obligated to, nor do public officials or employees.

That said, I have had very good luck using Couchsurfing to connect with Russians who are interested in getting to know foreigners--while I was living in Moscow in 2012 they had at least one weekly meetup, and you might find someone to give you a local city tour, take you to their favorite spot in the countryside, tell you where the good dance club is, etc. Final thing I must add as a person who researches Russia is that the place is very diverse in all kinds of interesting ways, and if you want to check out a Vagina Monologues performance or gay-friendly dance night those things are also possible to find (if not always easy and often officially frowned on.)