Friday Five

Five Things I'm Doing When I Should Be Working on Prelims

1. Revising my grant proposal for the umpteenth time. On the bright side, my advisor finally---finally!---gave me some positive feedback. That's not to say that she didn't suggest changing every other word, but at least she didn't receive it with complete despair. So, progress.

2. Applying to a different department. I finally made good on my promise/threat from the past four years: I met with the graduate coordinator at the UW School for Library and Information Sciences to find out how to apply for the program. Unfortunately, I do have to go through the application process, but they have a fairly high acceptance rate (65%) and the coordinator thought I'd be a strong candidate.

I'm also taking a course this term on archives management so that I can start knocking off requirements.

I'm still thinking about the program as "in addition to" rather than "instead of" my doctorate in anthropology, because I think I'd like to focus on special collections or research.

3. Reading non-required reading. I'm about halfway through What is the What by Dave Eggers, and I've started A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore. I'm barely resisting the urge to get The Magicians by Lev Grossman and Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder (if I get a good coupon from any of the bookstores, resistance will be futile). And the new Margaret Atwood novel comes out in 11 days.

4. Watching way too much television. The new seasons of Project Runway, Top Chef, and The Rachel Zoe Project are all underway. And America's Next Top Model started this week. Then there are all the new fall shows to check out. I thought I wasn't going to be interested in the new shows, but I forgot about Glee! (yay!), the Melrose Place reboot, Community, The Beautiful Life, FlashForward. Plus all my old faithfuls: CSI, CSI:NY, Law & Order, SVU, Gossip Girl, Castle, 90210, Bones.

Yeah . . . my DVR will be put to good use in the coming months. My brain, not so much.

5. Wondering what is wrong with people. Seriously, how can anyone be against universal health care? Or think that a Presidential address to students is a secret communist plot? Or think it's okay to compare President Obama to Hitler? Who are these people, and when did we stop rolling our eyes and start taking them seriously?